The Porirua Beaches to Check Out this Summer
Just 20 minutes away from Wellington City, Porirua City and it’s amazing coastline offers a great mix of rugged landscapes and sandy beaches. When you’re looking for a place to hit the beach in the Wellington area, don’t miss these beaches in Porirua!
Porirua has seven beaches ranging in sizes. While most beaches are ideal for safe swimming, others have rock pools to explore, waves to be surfed and backed with cafes and fish & chips stores to complete the seaside experience. So don’t let the summer pass by without visiting these Porirua beaches! Plus, for more activities, see our 10 Fun Things to do in Porirua.
Plus, for more beaches in the area, see our 10 Beaches in Wellington You Can’t Miss!
1. Plimmerton Beach
A great place to feel the sand between your toes and do some windsurfing by day; an excellent place to watch the sunset at dusk. Plimmerton Beach is a small beach worth checking out any time of the year and is a safe swimming spot. Check out the nearby Taua Tapu Track too, for great views of the area! More information can be found in our 10 Best Walks in Wellington.
Location: Steyne Avenue/Beach Road, Plimmerton.
© NZPocketGuide.com2. Karehana Bay Beach
This beach in Plimmerton is a mix of sand and rock pools, so it’s an excellent place to check out the rock pool wildlife! It’s also safe for swimming.
Location: Moana Road, Plimmerton. (By the boating club).
© NZPocketGuide.com3. Titahi Bay Beach
The most popular beach in the Porirua area is Titahi Bay Beach! In summer, the beach is buzzing with swimmers and surfers. There are changing rooms and toilets at both ends of the beach.
Location: Access via South Beach Access Road and along Beach Road, Titahi Bay.
© Nathan on Flickr4. Pukerua Bay Beach
Pukerua Bay Beach is an awesome beach for long walks, surfing and rock-hopping. The currents are a little stronger here so we only recommend it to confident swimmers.
Location: Ocean Parade, Pukerua Bay.
© Pseudopanax at en.wikipedia5. Dolly Varden Beach
On the shores of the Paremata, the Dolly Varden Beach is a great swimming spot at the Pauatahanui Inlet with a few shallow pools for kids.
Location: Mana Esplanade, Paremata. Close to the Paremata Boating Club and boat launching facility.
© DB Thats-Me on Wikipedia6. Shelly Bay Beach
Found in the Whitireia Park end of Titahi Bay, Shelly Bay Beach is a flat beach ideal for swimming, snorkelling, windsurfing, fishing, walking and picnicking.
Location: Whitireia Park, Titahi Bay.
© DB Thats-Me on Wikipedia7. Ngati Toa Domain Beach
A simple and sandy beach safe for swimming and watching the seabirds. There’s a free camping site nearby too for those with a self-contained campervan.
Location: Mana Esplanade, behind the Mana Shops.
© NZPocketGuide.comSources:
The information in this guide has been compiled from our extensive research, travel and experiences across New Zealand and the South Pacific, accumulated over more than a decade of numerous visits to each destination. Additional sources for this guide include the following:
- Tourism New Zealand (General travel advice - Updated [2024])
- Adventure Mark (Health and Safety Audit - Updated [2024])
- Work Safe NZ (Adventure Activities Guidelines - Updated [2024])
- Department of Conservation (Tracks, hikes, campsites and more - Updated [2024])
- AdventureSmart (Know before you go - Update [2024])
- NZ Māori Tourism (Official Māori Tourism platform - Updated [2024])
- Tourism Export Council New Zealand (Tourism trade association - Updated [2024])
- TIA (Independent tourism association - Updated [2024])
- Tiaki Promise (Care for people place and culture - Updated [2024])
- Council websites and freedom camping maps (Local travel advice region by region - Updated [2024])
Our editorial standards: At NZ Pocket Guide, we uphold strict editorial standards to ensure accurate and quality content.
