CUSTOM PRINTED IN NZ IN 3–5 WORKING DAYS + SHIPPING | FREE NZ SHIPPING OVER $200

Anawhata: the west coast beach you have to earn

Piha and I go way back. Long before I could drive myself there, it was just where we went - and something about that black sand, those rocks, and that wild west coast energy got into me early and never really left.

Earn the treats

Some beaches are easy.  Park up, grab your stuff, wander onto the sand.

Anawhata is not one of those.

Tucked away on Auckland’s wild west coast, Anawhata makes you work a little before you get there - and honestly, I think that’s part of what makes it feel so special.

It feels a little more hidden than places like Piha or Muriwai. A little quieter. A little more like an adventure.

And if you’ve done the walk, you’ll know exactly what I mean 😄

school connection

Anawhata has actually popped up in our family life for years in a slightly unexpected way.

My kids’ school houses are all named after west coast beaches - Piha, Te Henga, Muriwai and Anawhata - so these place names get mentioned a lot in our house.

Which made it pretty cool when I later did a little promotion through the school, where kids and teachers could grab a tee or hat featuring their school house beach.

It’s such a cool way for kids to connect with local places, especially ones that are such a big part of west Auckland life.

the proper pronunciation

As a kid, we definitely called it Anna-watta.

Later, I somehow landed on Anaah-fita 😅

And now, thanks to the kids learning te reo Māori at school, we’re saying Anawhata properly - no long dramatic sounds, just clean and simple.

I’ll be honest though… it definitely took some practice!

the walk in...

One of my favourite kinds of walks are the ones that lead through bush and end at a beach - so Anawhata ticks a lot of boxes for me.

You don’t just park up and stroll onto the sand.

There’s a bush walk first - birdsong, big trees, kids full of energy because downhill always feels easy 😄

It already feels a little different before you’ve even seen the beach.

the first glimpse

One thing I love about Anawhata is that you get rewarded early.

Even from the car park area, there’s already an amazing view - enough to get everyone excited before the walk even begins.

Then as you make your way down, you get that proper first glimpse from higher up. The beach stretched out below, the ocean beyond, and that feeling of okay yes… this is absolutely worth it.

When we were there, the surrounding earth was still scorched from a recent fire, which gave everything a really different feel.

A little stark. A little dramatic. Very west coast.

finally there

And then you’re on the beach.

Black sand, crashing surf, dramatic cliffs and plenty of space for kids to run wild.

There’s also this huge rock right near the end of the track - almost like a giant boulder sitting in the sand - and of course the kids immediately treat it like part of the adventure, scrambling and running down it as fast as possible 😄

Anawhata feels a little less busy than some of Auckland’s better-known west coast beaches, which adds to the feeling that you’ve found something a bit special.

Not exactly hidden… but it definitely feels earned.

anawhata rock hole

the rocks though

As much as the beach itself is stunning, you probably won’t be surprised to hear that it’s the rocks that really get my attention 😄

Anawhata has some really cool formations - big dramatic rocks, holes worn through them, interesting textures and all the little details that make me stop and stare for a while.

I’m always wondering how they got there, what shaped them, and how different they must have looked years ago.

The surf is great… but honestly, I’m usually looking at the rocks.

kids jumping off rocks anawhata

anawhata with kids

For us, Anawhata feels like a proper little adventure with kids.

It’s definitely not a quick “grab the towels and head to the beach” kind of outing - you’ll want snacks, water, and a bit of energy in reserve.

There’s the walk in, spotting the beach from above, crossing the little stream, climbing the giant rock, and (for older kids) the temptation to jump off bits of it into the sand.

One of my favourite photos is of my kids climbing into the hole in the rock - exactly the kind of thing they’ll remember far more than just another beach trip.

That’s probably why they’re always keen to go back.

the walk back...

Of course… what goes down must come back up.

The walk in feels easy because it’s mostly downhill.

The walk back?

That’s when the energy levels suddenly change 😄

Still absolutely worth it though.

Definitely deserve an ice cream on the way home though!

anawhata through my lens

Places like Anawhata are a dream to photograph because they never really look the same twice.

Different light, changing weather, moody skies, shifting surf… every visit feels a little different.

I love the bigger landscapes, but it’s often the smaller details that catch my eye too - textures in the rocks, patterns in the sand, those little moments you’d probably walk straight past if you weren’t looking for them.

piha icons gear

wear anawhata

Not every design I create is based on the busiest or most obvious places.

Sometimes it’s the quieter, slightly more tucked-away spots that deserve to be seen too.

Anawhata has that wild west coast magic, but because you have to make a bit more effort to get there, it feels a little different.

The walk, the rocks, the surf, the changing moods… it felt like the kind of place worth turning into something people could wear.

piha surf gear

thoughts

If you love west coast beaches, bush walks, dramatic scenery and places that feel a little less obvious, Anawhata is well worth the trip.

And apparently it was one of Sir Edmund Hillary’s favourite spots - so if it’s one of yours too, you’re in pretty good company.

Comments

  • Submit
Search
Search

Select Currency

{CC} - {CN}
Cancel