Ngarunui (sometimes called Ocean Beach, Main Beach or Wainui Beach) is the main sandy swimming beach in Raglan. A magnificent blacksand surfing beach, it’s ideal for swimming, is perfect for learning to surf or simply sunbathing on the sand. The beach has an area patrolled by surf lifesavers (October to April) immediately in front of the access trail to the beach.
You can also enter Ngarunui Beach at the north eastern end from Riria Kereopa Memorial Drive (formerly Ocean Beach Road), where the beach begins. If you are walking from Raglan this is the best way to come. Except at spring high tides you can walk about 6km along the beach to the far south western end of Ngarunui Beach.
Things to do at Ngarunui Beach
Surfing and Swimming
The ideal surf for swimming and for people wanting to learn surfing attracts people to Ngarunui Beach. The Raglan Surf School operates on the beach (see below) , or if you’ve had a few lessons you can hire boards and wetsuits by the hour near the main entrance to the beach. The area above the beach is the Wainui Reserve where you’ll find picnic spots, lookouts, sculptures, walking trails and toilets. Its great place to come and watch the sunsets.
Learn to surf
Rag
lan Surfing School at 5b Whaanga Rd, Whale Bay provides surfing lessons for groups or individuals on Ngarunui Beach. Beginner lessons available.
Phone 07 825 787
Surf Life Saving
Volunteers from the Trust Waikato Surf Life Saving Club patrol Ngarunui Beach (Ocean Beach) each weekend and every public holiday from labour weekend until Easter.
The safest place to swim is between the flags. The Club also patrols the whole beach, the adjacent ocean and the harbour entrance using 4 wheel quad bikes and inflatable rescue boats. The club rooms are in Wainui Reserve overlooking Ngarunui Beach. There is an observation tower on the beach. In addition to surf life saving, the Club promotes community education and takes part in surf sports including swimming, paddling, rowing and racing inflatable rescue boats.
Getting to Ngarunui Beach
From Raglan drive down Wainui Road, keep going across the one way bridge, continue on Wainui Road passing Poihakena Marae on the right, Kereopa Drive on the right, and turn right into the Wainui Reserve access road. Follow the road until you come to a traffic island. Go straight ahead for the surf beach access and car parks. During the peak summer period the car parks fill up quickly and overflow carparks are opened on the adjacent farm areas.
There are public toilets and changing rooms near the main car park and at the end of the path to the beach.
There are no food stalls in the reserve or on the beach so make sure you bring your own supplies.
Public Bus Service to Ngarunui Beach
A limited Manu Bay bus service that also stops at Wainui Reserve above Ngarunui Beach, runs twice a day on Saturday and Sundays is provided from Hamilton Terminal and Raglan by the Route 23 bus from November to April.
To download the Hamilton to Manu Bay, Raglan bus timetable click here, click here or to view it as a web page click here
There is no public bus service to Ngarunui Beach during the winter months. Hitchhiking is a popular way of getting from Raglan to Ngarunui Beach. Head out from Raglan and start thumbing a ride when you are past the Union Church on the corner of Stewart Street and Wainui Road.
Ngarunui Beach Bay Satellite View
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