AWAROA BEACH
ABEL TASMAN NATIONAL PARK, SOUTH ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND
Also known as “the people’s beach,” Awaroa’s backstory is legendary.
Concerned that public access to its golden sands and turquoise waters could be restricted by a private sale, a pair of Kiwis launched an ambitious crowdfunding campaign in 2016 to buy the remote beach. Raising more than $2 million in just three weeks, the funds – topped up by the government and the Joyce Fisher Charitable Trust – secured the sale, after which Awaroa was ceded to Abel Tasman National Park.
Key to Awaroa’s allure is its secluded location on the north coast of the South Island, backed by granite hills and coastal forests. Walk the 60km Abel Tasman Coast Track over three to five