Piha Beach

Piha Beach (Lion Rock)

Black sand, big surf and a lion-shaped rock

⚠ Swim only between the flags

Hours

Always open; lifeguards in summer only

Tickets

Free

Address

West coast beyond the Waitākere Ranges, about 40 minutes to an hour's drive from the CBD

After a twisting drive over the ranges, you crest the last hill and the black sand and heavy surf open up below. Lion Rock squats in the middle of the beach like a resting lion, with surfers working the breaks either side. The iron-rich sand gets hot enough in the sun to burn bare feet. Inland, a bush track leads to Kitekite Falls, an hour or two there and back.