Best beaches in New Plymouth

7 ranked beaches in New Plymouth, Taranaki

Ranked by the OnlyBeaches Index (OBI) — a 1-10 score blending water purity, conditions, crowd levels and vibe. Updated every 30 minutes.

All beaches in New Plymouth

1
Back Beach

Dramatic black-sand surf beach with views of Paritutu and the Sugar Loaf Islands.

7.0

2

Bell Block Beach

Accessible suburban beach with coastal walkway access and quieter local use.

7.0

3

East End Beach

Central city beach popular for swimming, events, and casual coastal visits.

7.0

4

Fitzroy Beach

New Plymouth’s best-known surf beach with strong visitor demand and easy city access.

7.0

5

Kawaroa Beach

Urban rocky shore and beach area along the coastal walkway with strong local recognition.

7.0

6

Motuotamatea Beach

Small coastal beach area near the Sugar Loaf coast, useful as a local discovery listing.

7.0

7

Ngamotu Beach

Sheltered swimming beach beside Port Taranaki and one of the safest family options in New Plymouth.

7.0

What makes New Plymouth's beaches stand out?

New Plymouth sits in Taranaki, New Zealand and is home to 7 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 New Plymouth or a quieter hidden cove, the list above is refreshed every 30 minutes using live Stormglass and OpenWeather data.