Ranked by the OnlyBeaches Index (OBI) — a 1-10 score blending water purity, conditions, crowd levels and vibe. Updated every 30 minutes.
Aramoana Beach
A long Otago Harbour-mouth beach known for dunes, views, and wildlife.
Blackhead Beach
A rugged local beach near basalt cliffs and coastal walking areas.
Boulder Beach
A rugged Otago Peninsula beach with remote feel and strong nature appeal.
Hoopers Inlet Beach
A low-key inlet beach adding important sheltered peninsula coverage.
Pilots Beach
A small harbour-mouth beach best known for evening coastal wildlife watching.
Sandfly Bay
A dramatic Otago Peninsula beach with big dunes, sea cliffs, and wildlife viewing.
Smaills Beach
A scenic local beach near Tomahawk with surf and coastal reserve access.
St Clair Beach
Dunedin’s signature surf and esplanade beach with strong visitor recognition.
Tomahawk Beach
A local surf and walking beach on Dunedin’s south coast.
Tunnel Beach
Iconic sandstone cliffs and tunnel access make it one of Otago’s most photographed beaches.
Victory Beach
A remote Otago Peninsula beach with dunes, wildlife, and little urban feel.
Whareakeake Beach
A respected local surf beach also known as Murdering Bay, kept under its cleaner canonical name.
Dunedin sits in Otago, New Zealand and is home to 12 ranked beaches on OnlyBeaches. Every beach here is scored by the OnlyBeaches Index — a 1-10 metric blending water purity, live conditions (waves, water temperature, wind), crowd intelligence and vibe.
Whether you're after the highest-scoring beach in Dunedin or a quieter hidden cove, the list above is refreshed every 30 minutes using live Stormglass and OpenWeather data.
