A good example of a New Zealand beach settlement, Pukehina is an attractive spot on the coast of the Bay of Plenty. It is home to around 800 permanent residents, but the population increases significantly during the holidays, with many of the houses being baches (holiday homes).
Pukehina has an impressive 6km long beach, which comes alive at sunrise, and even at the peak of the holidays is never very busy. It’s a great spot for go for a splash but care needs to be taken as there are some strong currents. There have also been a number of shark sightings over the years.
Whale Island is distinctive in the distance, and on a clear day Whakaari / White Island can be seen.
There is plenty of bird life, including oystercatchers and gulls.
My favourite part of Pukehina is the estuary, as it constantly changes with the tides.
It is also home to abundant bird life, including a dotterel breeding colony at the mouth of the estuary.
To finish with something I saw a number of times, people guiding fish into nets at low tide in the estuary.
