Opoutere Beach and Wharekawa Harbour
Take a detour to the dazzling, white-sand Opoutere Beach and Wharekawa Harbour, reached by a five-minute drive off State Highway 25, turning left 24 km (15 miles) south of Tairua on the road to Whangamata. The road follows the Wharekawa Estuary to a parking lot. From here cross a wooden footbridge and follow the trail for 10 minutes through the forest to the long white beach. Much of the estuary and headland area here is a wildlife refuge, a breeding ground for shorebirds, including the endangered New Zealand dotterel. Take care not to enter fenced areas as these protect the barely visible eggs that lie in shallow nests in the sand.
