Mangawhai Beach & Mangawhai Heads

Mangawhai is a place of soul and whether your passions are the beach, the sea, art, great food including chocolate, olive oils and wine; or walking through Northlands most varied and breath taking scenery; Mangawhai has something for you. The active and dynamic community achieves results like no other town and has built walking tracks, a skate and children’s’ parks and a new architectural designed museum.   The two South Pacific Ocean beaches provide the best of worlds for quiet swimming and kayaking in the estuary and harbour; and the raw natural beauty of the surf beach. The harbour has a boat ramp and jetty with a long stretch of white sandy beach. One of Mangawhai’s three campsites sits directly at the harbour water’s edge. Kids love the white sandy beach and calm water. There is a deeper water channel within the estuary and being tidal, strong currents provide a good work out for the sport swimmer or kayaker.  The harbour is bordered by large sand dunes, part of which are DOC protected for the rare Fairy and Tern Caspian and White Fronted Terns, Banded Dotterels, and Variable Oyster Catchers. The Dunes can be visited with DOC notices to guide you away from nesting sites. The often photographed Crocodile Rocks border the surf beach providing a natural edge to the harbour outlet to the ocean. The surf forecast is often displayed at Bammas surf shop in the Village and at the Information Centre at the Heads. Rich in rock pools, backed by sand dunes and bush, with access to cliff top walks, the surf beach will entertain the whole family. The volunteer Mangawhai surf life savers are amongst the best in the country trained and organised by a dedicated team including Richard Kannemayer, 2013 Starboard Lifeguard of the Year.