New Chums Beach

Wainuiototo, usually called New Chums, is a curve of pale sand backed by pohutukawa and nikau with no road, no buildings, no toilets and no services of any kind - which is precisely why it appears on lists of the world's best beaches and why those lists have made it steadily busier. Getting there is the filter: from the end of the road at Whangapoua you cross a tidal stream, walk the length of a rocky foreshore, then climb over a bush-covered headland on a rough track, thirty to forty minutes in total. The stream crossing is easiest around low tide and the rocks are awkward at high water, so tide timing decides the trip. The land behind the beach has been the subject of a long public campaign against development and much of it is now protected. Take everything out with you; there are no bins, and the state of the beach is entirely down to the people walking in.

What you actually see

• The undeveloped bay - no buildings, roads or services at all.
• The headland track - rough bush walking over the point.
• The stream and foreshore - the tidal approach from Whangapoua.
• The pohutukawa fringe - the tree line behind the sand.

When to go

December to March, timed around low tide for the stream and rocks. Early morning avoids both the heat and the crowd, which is real in January.

Honest expectations

There are no toilets, no water and no shade beyond the tree line - carry everything in and out. The walk is rough underfoot and not suitable for prams or poor mobility. High tide makes the approach difficult.

Nearby

Whangapoua and Opito Bay are close; Coromandel town is west.