The moment you see Piha beach on your drive in, the relaxation instantly hits. An hour's drive from central Auckland, the west coast beaches are wild and picturesque, which was the energy that drew us here.
As we arrived at this gorgeous 1950s bach, the sun was streaming in, so it was straight to the outdoor couches with books and wine. Piha is a famous surf beach, so if that's your thing, it would have been a perfect time to be out on the water. For us non-surfers, it was dinner by the outdoor fire instead.
Each morning was spent on the back deck looking out over the Waitakere ranges, while listening to the native birds. Kitekite falls is close by, which made for a beautiful morning hike, followed by real fruit ice cream and a refreshing swim.
This bach has it all - sunset beach views, a big comfy bed (that you can see the beach from), and the back deck gets all day sun. We left feeling energised from the west coast landscape, and restored from the coziness of the bach.
A beautiful, easy walk, approx 30 mins through native bush to reach the falls. As it was spring when we visited we didn't get in for a swim, but will definitely be coming back in summer to plunge!
Riparide Stories are authentic experiences shared by real travellers (who are handy with a camera). It's like reading your best friend's travel journal - packed with photos, honest reviews and visual itineraries.
