Coopers Beach
Beach walks and swimming, only moments from BeachBox.
Book your stay
Steve’s local tips
See the Far North
like a local.
Favourite beaches, rewarding day trips and the places we genuinely recommend.
Start close to home
Our favourite morning.
Begin with coffee and a pastry from BeachBox, then walk down to Coopers Beach while the day is still quiet.
It is hard to go past the beach on our doorstep. Go early enough and you may have long stretches of sand almost entirely to yourself.
Local favourites
Worth making time for.
Taumarumaru Scenic Reserve
A beautiful walk leading to a quiet, secluded beach.
Rangikapiti Pā & Historic Reserve
A rewarding walk with wide views across Doubtless Bay.
Butler Point Whaling Museum
A fascinating guided look at the area’s whaling and maritime history.
Doubtless Bay Charters
Fishing trips throughout Doubtless Bay and the surrounding waters.
Dancing Petrel Winery
Locally made wine, tasting and tours.
Postmistress Wine & Whiskey Bar
Our favourite Mangonui stop for a drink, with excellent platters that also make an easy light dinner.
Ready to make plans?
Book three local experiences online.
Karikari Peninsula
Two beaches that feel a world away.
Rangiputa and Puwheke are among our favourite Far North day trips. Add Maitai Bay for beautiful swimming, snorkelling and abundant marine life within its rāhui.
Favourite beaches
Close, calm
or wild.
Coopers Beach is always our first choice for an easy swim or walk. For a day out, Rangiputa and Puwheke are hard to beat.
Where to eat
Mangonui
favourites.
For dinner we recommend The Thai. For lunch, head to Remarkables. For drinks or a lighter dinner, our real favourite is Postmistress Wine & Whiskey Bar—the drinks are excellent and so are the accompanying platters.
Visit PostmistressIf it rains
Butler Point Whaling Museum.
Make a booking for a guided tour and discover an extraordinary part of Doubtless Bay’s history.
Stay a little longer
Build your own
two-, three- or four-day stay.
Follow Days 1 and 2 for a two-day visit. Add Karikari for three days, or the museum and a slow final afternoon for four.
Settle into Doubtless Bay
Start with coffee and a pastry at BeachBox, then take an early walk along Coopers Beach. Have lunch at Remarkables in Mangonui, pick up picnic treats and walk through Taumarumaru Scenic Reserve to its private beach. Finish with dinner at The Thai, or drinks and an excellent platter at Postmistress Wine & Whiskey Bar.
Cape Reinga
Collect coffee and something for the road, then drive north to Cape Reinga to see where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific Ocean. Explore Spirits Bay and Ninety Mile Beach before returning for a BBQ in your private courtyard.
Karikari Peninsula
Drive to Rangiputa for a swim and walk around the point, then continue to Puwheke Beach. Climb the extinct volcano for remarkable views and Māori artefacts. Continue to the winery at Carrington Resort for pizza and wine, and add Maitai Bay if time and energy allow.
Stories of the bay
Book a tour at Butler Point Whaling Museum the day before. Return to BeachBox for lunch, then finish your stay slowly—on Coopers Beach or in your private courtyard.