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Best beaches in Wellington, New Zealand 2026 — OBI Ranked | OnlyBeaches

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New Zealand · Wellington Region

Best beaches in Wellington

17 ranked beaches in Wellington, Wellington Region

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 Wellington

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32,000+ beaches scored live by ocean data — every wave, every weekend.

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Balaena Bay Beach

A sheltered inner-harbour pocket beach that locals use for quick swims.

7.0

Breaker Bay Beach

A distinctive Miramar Peninsula beach known for exposed coastal scenery.

7.0

Houghton Bay Beach

A wilder south-coast surf beach between Island Bay and Lyall Bay.

7.0

Island Bay Beach

A south-coast beach linked to the marine reserve and easy city access.

7.0

Karaka Bay Beach

A pretty eastern-bays swimming spot tucked below coastal houses.

7.0

Lyall Bay Beach

The capital’s main surf beach and a must-have Wellington coastal entry.

7.0

Mākara Beach

A rugged west-coast Wellington beach known for wild scenery and coastal walks.

7.0

Moa Point Beach

A small exposed beach near Lyall Bay with airport-edge coastal views.

7.0

Oriental Bay

Wellington’s signature city beach with cafés, promenade energy, and harbour views.

7.0

Ōwhiro Bay Beach

A rugged Cook Strait beach near Red Rocks with a raw coastal feel.

7.0

Princess Bay

A small south-coast cove with dramatic Cook Strait views and sheltered sand.

7.0

Red Rocks Beach

A rugged coastal beach below the famous red rock formations and seal route.

7.0

Scorching Bay Beach

A sheltered golden-sand harbour beach loved for swimming, cafés, and calm days.

7.0

Seatoun Beach

A neighbourhood harbour beach with gentle water and Miramar Peninsula views.

7.0

Shelly Bay Beach

A small harbour-edge beach with Miramar Peninsula views and quiet local use.

7.0

Tarakena Bay

A small Miramar Peninsula bay often overlooked beside larger south-coast beaches.

7.0

Worser Bay Beach

A sheltered harbour beach popular for swimming, sailing, and family beach days.

7.0

What makes Wellington's beaches stand out?

Wellington sits in Wellington Region, New Zealand and is home to 17 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 Wellington or a quieter hidden cove, the list above is refreshed every 30 minutes using live Stormglass and OpenWeather data.