WAITARERE BEACH

The walk to find the wreck of the Hydrabad is the most famous walk on this beach. Sadly, as this coastline is expanding, not eroding, the Hydrabad is now almost invisible as it’s been overtaken by the expanding dunes. Still, it’s interesting to walk along, imagining what it must have been like for the crew of the three-masted cargo vessel that beached itself to escape a storm back in 1878. There is a blue marker commemorating where she lies, on the beach 1.8km south from Waitārere. For the more energetic, keep walking south to Hōkio Beach (about 5km), a quiet beach village. Or — drive. It’s entirely acceptable to drive anywhere up this part of the coast, ideally at low tide. The upside — pack necessary gear and toys in the car and cruise out onto the beach, stopping wherever takes the fancy.