New Chums Beach is a scenic, white-sand beach located on the beautiful Coromandel Peninsular. This secluded spot has become increasingly well-known in the past five years and continues to be a favourite for both tourists and locals.
The stunning beach boasts crystal clear water, soft white sand and an epic lookout. Its beauty is even admired around the globe after being voted one of the top 10 beaches in the world.
If you’re not a fan of overcrowded beaches, then New Chums is the perfect choice. Only accessible by foot, there are significantly less people here than other beaches in the area.
Being from Auckland, I love escaping to any of the beaches in the Coromandel, but New Chums Beach is always one I love to go back to. There are a few things to know before you go, so I want to make sure to share all the important stuff with you.
So grab your towels and get ready to experience your new favourite beach.
Important things to know before you go
New Chums Beach is only accessible by foot or boat. The walk is easy but there is no marked track so those with mobility issues might struggle.
Time – 30 minutes
Distance – 1 km
Difficulty – Easy
facilities at New Chums Beach
It is important to note, that New Chums Beach does not have any facilities. This includes bathrooms and rubbish bins.
There is a bathroom in the carpark at the start of the walk if you wish to use it before you go.
Make sure to bring all rubbish and any other items back with you. New Chums Beach is a beautiful spot and we need to keep it that way.
What to bring
As it is a bit of a walk to get to New Chums Beach, I strongly recommend double checking you have everything you need with you.
As for what things to bring, you want the typical things needed for a full day at the beach.
- Towels
- Swimming gear
- Hat
- Sunblock
- Shoes for the walk
- Food
- Water
Remember you will need to carry everything with you for the walk, so don’t bring too many unnecessary items.
Why should you Visit
If you have travelled around The Coromandel Peninsular before, you will be able to agree with me when I say the whole area is STUNNING! There are beautiful beaches everywhere you go.
New Chums Beach takes this beauty to a whole new level. The sand is so soft and clean, the water crystal clear and the nature surrounding all of it is full of wildlife.
With there being no access by car, the number of people visiting here is reduced to those who don’t mind the walk over. Even on a busy summer day, I have never felt like the beach was too crowded and just walked a little further along the sand to get my own private area.
If I haven’t convinced you to visit yet, then maybe mentioning that New Chums Beach has been voted one of the best beaches in the world, might change your mind.
There is also a short walk up to a lookout with epic views over the beach. If you have time to add this to you day, I highly recommend it.
How to get to New Chums Beach
Getting to New Chums Beach can sometimes be a little confusing at first, but as long as you follow these instructions, you wont have any problems.
The first step in getting to New Chums Beach is driving to the start of the walk in Whangapoua. Whangapoua is located a 40 minute drive north from Whitianga and 25 minute drive east from Coromandel.
Once here, all you need to do is follow the road and drive right down to the very end of Mangakahia road, where you cant go any further by car. This is where you will begin your walk over to New Chums Beach.
If you are driving from Auckland it will take around 3 hours to get to Whangapoua. Drive via the town of Coromandel for the quickest route.
Where to Park
The parking spaces at the end of Mangakahia road is where you will want to park up for your walk over to New Chums Beach. There are a few carparks on the edge of the road or you can go down the small driveway onto the grass below and park there.
You will see a big sign telling you how to get to New Chums Beach so it is very easy to find.
If you are visiting during the busy time in summer, you will need to go earlier in the morning if you want a good carpark.
If it is quite busy, there is always space to park along the road. Just make sure not to park on any private property.
The walk to New Chums Beach
The walk over to New Chums Beach is flat and very easy. It only takes 30 minutes to complete, so is doable for anyone with no mobility issues. I have been over a couple of times in jandals, however I would recommend slightly better shoes than that.
To begin you will need to walk from the carpark in Whangapoua, down onto the beach. Continue walking along the sand towards the left end of the beach.
At some point you will need to cross the small stream. it does get shallower the closer you get to the ocean, so I do recommend going down the beach a little further first.
Once you make it to the end of the beach you will make your way over the rocks heading towards the point. There isn’t any specific path to follow in this part, but I find sticking close to the tree line is usually easier.
The rocks can be a little wobbly and unstable. Some people will power through this part and others will need to take it a bit slower. In the end you will all still make it to New Chums beach, so it is better to take your time and arrive in one piece.
As you continue over the rocks you will find a small path that takes you up and into the bush. There are no obvious signs for this so you will need to keep an eye out for the gap in the trees.
From here is it easy! Follow the track though the bush and it will lead you all the way to New Chums Beach.
It is important to remember that this track is rugged and not well maintained. It is likely that there will be mud, tree roots and rocks in the way. Just move around or climb over and continue on your way.
Tides
The tides don’t effect your ability to get over to News Chums Beach. Even at high tide there is still space on the rocks to walk over this section. I have been at all tide levels and have never had any problems. The stream is sometimes a bit deeper at high tide, but this is generally not an issue.
It is worth noting that I have never been on a stormy, rough day and can’t say if the waves crash up over the rocks or not. But I would suggest, going in this type of weather is not a good idea anyway.
The New Chums Lookout
Relaxing on the beach and just enjoying the sound of the crashing waves is great. But if you are anything like me and like a bit of adventure thrown in there too, then the climb up to the Chums lookout is the perfect addition.
The track veers off the main walk so if you are already at New Chums Beach you will need to backtrack a bit. It isn’t extremely obvious as it is just a gap in the bush, but if you miss it the first time just walk back and generally you will see it straight away.
If you are coming from Whangapoua, the track will be on your right, or if you are coming from New Chums, it will be on your left. It is located only a few minutes from the end of the main track by New Chums.
Now one important thing to know is that this isn’t an offical track, so it isn’t well maintained and can be quite steep and hard to navigate at some points. If you are up for a bit of an adventure, then you will love it.
The short but steep climb is all worth it when you make it to the top. The bush opens up and you can see all of New Chums Beach and the blue water below.
I find the views far more spectacular on a sunnier day, so if you can, make sure the weather is going to be good when you go.
Accomodation
New Chums beach does not have any housing or accommodation due to its limited access. This is great for the isolated feel of the beach, but it does mean you will have to figure out where you want to stay.
Thankfully, this wont be too hard with plenty of incredible spots within 30 minutes drive away.
Whangapoua Beach is the obvious choice for those that want to be as close as possible. Options are limited here as there are no hotels or resort style accommodation.
However, you will definitely find something that suits from the many baches available to rent. If camping is more your vibe, then make sure to check out the Whangapoua Holiday Park.
Other small towns within 30 minutes drive are Matarangi, Kuaotunu or Coromandel. If you are wanting a larger town with lots of options then the best choice is Whitianga which is 40 minutes drive away.
Other Things to do Nearby
If you want to make the most of your time in The Coromandel Peninsular, then it is definitely worth adding in a few more fun activities. There is certainly no shortage of amazing locations and ways to enjoy yourself.
If you loved New Chums beach and want to check out similar spots, there are many epic beaches to choose from. Some of my favourites are Otama Beach and Opito Bay. If you like a bit of adrenalin, then head over to Crayfish Bay and go rock jumping.
A visit to Driving Creek in Coromandel is also a great family activity. They have the iconic train ride as well as zipline tours and pottery classes.
The Lost Spring geothermal pools and spa in Whitianga is the perfect choice for those wanting something a little more romantic. There are lots of different packages to suit your wants and needs. Choices include hot pools, dining, massages and treatments.
Wrap up – New Chums Beach
Now that you have found out all you need to know, it is time to start planning the best trip to New Chums Beach.
Whether you want to head over and relax on the beach all day, jump in the water and enjoy the waves, or climb up to the lookout for the epic views, you are guaranteed to have an amazing time.
New Chums Beach is a must visit when in The Coromandel and I can’t wait for you to experience it for yourself.
If you are spending a bit of time in the Coromandel Peninsular, make sure to check out some of the other epic locations and things to do HERE.
