Beach Lovers
Swimming Beaches
It’s hard to beat a dip at one of the areas safe swimming beaches. Coopers Beach and Cable Bay provide sheltered bays just down the road from the hotel, where the Pacific laps gently at the shore – popular with locals and visitors alike. The nearby Karikari Peninsula has some lovely isolated beaches where it is impossible to resist the pull of the deep blue ocean. Ask at reception for beach towels!
Long Beach Walks
If you love to stroll on the beach, there are miles and miles of unspoilt beaches in the area. Take a picnic and a book, and go for a long walk on nearby Cooper’s Beach, or one of several unbelievable long sandy beaches of the Karikari Peninsula where you can beach walk the shores of Doubtless Bay and the Pacific Ocean in one afternoon. Be sure to check the tide schedules – the best walking is outside of high tides.
Other Water Sports
If you are a surfer, it is less than 20 minutes’ drive from The Old Oak lies the picturesque Taupo Bay, a well-regarded surf break on the northeast coast. Or, head over to the west coast to Shipwreck Bay in Ahipara, only a 45-minute drive west. This world-famous point break supplies some of the best left-handed leg burners found on the planet. Or, if you have a kayak or stand-up paddleboard, these are perfect activities on a glassy day in the harbour!