West Coast Beaches
Bethells / Te Henga
Where the wild things are
 What a place
to refresh - blow away cobwebs and get away from it all.
Bethells/Te Henga means sand.... black sand for almost as far as you can see.
A beach tower breaks up the skyline, the base for guards watching over the surf 'frolickers'.
People love to go fishing here and this is also a favourite beach for people to walk their dogs.
Locals have been busy planting pingao - the sand creeper of the dunes to help keep the sand on the beach. Close by, a little inland is one of the regions best wetlands: a refuge for wildlife.
How to get there
From Scenic Drive, Waitakere Road, Te Henga Road, Bethells Road.
Always take care at the beach and remember the golden rules
of beach safety.
Karekare
 "Karekare Beach is not for those who prefer safe landscapes.
There's an over-powering sense of place here. The moment you arrive, you know this is a special place.
At the carpark, you can hear the booming surf. It comes at you like rolling thunder, echoing off the valley walls and pushing into your ears. The great, gnarled face of the Watchman keens the sound and sends it hurling towards you as you jump the creek before heading towards the
beach.
Do this at night, and the beach amplifies pure sound, picking up bass chords from the collision of waves against Paratahi Island and sampling the shoreline surf action on the way in."
Excerpt from
Rolling Thunder, The Spirit of Karekare by Bob Harvey.
Always take care at the beach and remember the golden
rules of beach safety.
Piha
An outdoors adventure
 The scenery and surf are big! This is a great place
for adventurous souls. Pack your boogie board, frisbee, sun
umbrella and some goodies to eat and you're set for the day. There are plenty of tracks for walkers and pohutukawa to picnic under.
Be stunned by the sunset and avoid the crowds - go in the evening.
Making the most of it!
You can stay overnight here at the campground at the domain. From your tent or caravan site it's a quick hop, skip and jump to the beaches or the bush.
How to get there
From Scenic Drive, West Coast Road, Piha Road.
Always take care at the beach and remember the golden
rules of beach safety.
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