Muriwai Beach

Muriwai's draw is the takapu — the Australasian gannets — that nest on the headland from August to March. A viewing platform puts you within a few metres of several thousand birds, close enough to watch them land, argue and take off again. It is free, it takes twenty minutes, and it is one of the more remarkable wildlife encounters you can have this close to a major city.

The beach beyond runs north for fifty kilometres of black sand, wide and windswept, with the same heavy surf as the rest of Auckland's west coast. Swim between the flags only. Walking it at low tide with nobody else in sight is the better use of an afternoon.

The campground sits among pines just back from the beach, which gives you shelter from a wind that rarely stops. It is around forty-five minutes from central Auckland, making it another realistic first night if you would rather not start with a long drive.