Wainui Bay

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Wainui Bay.  Totos Cafe & Pizzeria serves incredible seafood, meat, and vegetarian pizzas.  The Dangerous Kitchen serves delicious salads, pizzas, falafels, burritos, meat, seafood, and poultry dishes.  The Wholemeal Cafe serves incredible salads, burgers, seafood, poultry, and meat dishes.  Courtyard Cafe serves amazing soups, pancakes, burgers, seafood, meat, and poultry dishes.  If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant nearby, Roots Bar serves delicious meat, seafood, and poultry dishes.

If you are looking for Wainui Bay accommodation, there are many great options nearby.  If you are looking for an upscale hotel, the 4-Star Awaroa Lodge is 18 minutes away by car and offers many amenities, including an outdoor seating area, a hot tub, a cafe, and a restaurant.   A more affordable hotel is the 4-Star The Sandcastle Seaview Cottage Accommodation, which offers a few amenities, including comfortable rooms and a kitchen in all rooms.  Another moderately priced option is the 4-Star Ratanui Lodge, which has several amenities, including an outdoor pool, a hot tub, a garden, and a fitness room.  A more reasonably priced option is the 3-Star Waitapu Springs B&B, which has a few amenities, including an indoor pool, a barbecue area, and comfortable rooms.  If you are looking for another affordable hotel, Anatoki Lodge Motel has an outdoor pool, comfortable rooms, and a kitchen in some rooms.

Wainui Bay, New Zealand, does not have lifeguards but has several other amenities, including a nearby campground, several hotels, a boat launch, and hiking trails, so plan your trip accordingly.

Wainui Bay offers many fun activities, including swimming, sunbathing, beachcombing, fishing, kayaking, watching wildlife, hiking, rock climbing, snorkeling, paddleboarding, boating, and photography.  If you plan to go into the water, the waves are usually calm, making it a safe area to swim. The water near the beach is calm and shallow, which is ideal for canoes, kayaks, and small boats.  Snorkelers and divers may spot the diverse marine life that thrives in its clear waters.  Visitors often spot bottlenose dolphins, fur seals, little blue penguins, and various native birds, including tui, bellbirds, and fantails, in the surrounding waters.  Hikers can enjoy the nearby Taupo Point Track and Wainui Falls Track that lead to one of the most popular waterfalls in the region, which offers unique insights into the local biodiversity.  If you enjoy camping, you can book a nearby campsite that offers an amazing Wainui Bay camping experience.  Wainui Golden Bay is known for its turquoise, clear waters, striking rock formations, and breathtaking views, making it a perfect location for capturing photos.  Dogs are not allowed here, and the beach is open from sunrise until sunset.

Wainui Bay does not offer an access path for people with disabilities.

Getting to Wainui Bay is easy - the beach has a few parking spots located near 220 McShane Road, Wainui Bay, Takaka 7183, New Zealand, which offers easy access to the beach. 

The beach's name, "Wainui," means “big water” in Maori, reflecting its connection to nearby water bodies. The beach and its surrounding area have historical significance for early Maori and European settlers, who used the bay for fishing and small-scale farming.

Interestingly, many hikers on the Abel Tasman Coast Track often end their journey at Totaranui, who want to explore the northern end of the national park by descending from Wharawharangi Bay to Wainui Bay.

There are many attractions near Wainui Bay.  Abel Tasman National Park is the smallest national park of New Zealand, spread over 22,530 hectares, but it is renowned for its stunning natural beauty, golden sand beaches, tidal estuaries, hiking trails, campsites, lush forests, native bushlands, and clear turquoise waters.  It is an ideal spot for relaxation, swimming, kayaking, snorkeling, diving, boating, and picnicking.  The Abel Tasman Coast Track is a 60-kilometer-long, immensely popular hiking trail positioned within New Zealand's Abel Tasman National Park, which stretches from Marahau in the south to Wainui in the north, with many inland tracks.  This moderate hike typically takes three to five days and passes through golden beaches, inlets, tidal crossings, suspension bridges, and lush native forests.  This track offers several amenities, including huts, campsites, and water taxis.  It’s perfect for nature lovers seeking scenic coastal views and outdoor adventure.

Split Apple Rock is an iconic granite rock formation located off Kaiteriteri Beach at the southern edge of Abel Tasman National Park that resembles a perfectly halved apple, with two symmetrical sections, making it a popular natural attraction for photographers, kayakers, and nature lovers.  Visitors can take boat or kayak tours to view this natural wonder.  Wainui Falls is a 20-meter-high waterfall positioned near Golden Bay within Abel Tasman National Park that cascades into a picturesque pool where visitors can take a refreshing dip.  Visitors can access this waterfall via an easy hiking trail that winds through lush native bushes, a swing bridge, and follows the Wainui River, which offers a tranquil escape into nature.  If you are looking for another nearby attraction, Tonga Island Marine Reserve is a protected area known for its golden sand beaches and sheltered coves spread over 4,535 acres that offers a unique opportunity to experience New Zealand’s vibrant marine ecosystems along the coast of Abel Tasman National Park and is home to a variety of marine species, including blue cod, snapper, triplefins, dolphins, seals, starfish, crayfish, and sponges.  This reserve is known for its golden sand beaches and sheltered coves, where visitors can enjoy many activities, including snorkeling, diving, kayaking, boating, and watching wildlife.