New Zealand's worst beach revealed by Google reviews as Auckland takes seven of the bottom 10

Key findings

Auckland has seven of the 10 lowest-rated beaches in the country. Sentinel Road Beach in Herne Bay is second from the bottom at 4.18, followed by Taylors Bay in Hillsborough (4.26) and Hamilton Road Beach, also in Herne Bay (4.34). Howick Beach, Laingholm Beach and Point Chevalier Beach are in the bottom 10 too, alongside three of the country's best-known tourist beaches. Moeraki Boulders Beach in North Otago is sixth from the bottom at 4.38 from 2,366 reviews, Hot Water Beach on the Coromandel is eighth at 4.43 and Ninety Mile Beach in Northland is 10th at 4.47.

At the other end, Ōhope Beach near Whakatāne is the best-rated beach in New Zealand at 4.93 from 124 reviews, 117 of which give it five stars. Lonely Bay, near Cooks Beach on the Coromandel, is second at 4.88 and Te Ngaere Bay in Northland is third at 4.85.

The average beach in the ranking scores 4.65, and even the lowest-rated averages more than four stars. Six of the seven Auckland beaches in the bottom 10 are on the Manukau Harbour or the Waitematā Harbour.

At Ninety Mile Beach, 10 of the 28 one-star reviews say the route shown on the map took them the wrong way or to a private road, and five more mark the beach down for not being 90 miles long (it is about 88 kilometers, or 55 miles).

Northland has three of the 10 best-rated beaches, with Ocean Beach at Whangārei Heads fourth (4.85) and Maitai Bay on the Karikari Peninsula seventh (4.80) joining Te Ngaere Bay. Wharariki Beach in Golden Bay is fifth (4.84) and Kaiteriteri Beach is 10th (4.79), both in Tasman. On Auckland's west coast, Te Henga (Bethells Beach) is sixth (4.81) and North Piha Beach eighth (4.80), and Whangamatā Beach on the Coromandel is ninth (4.80).

Some of the best-known names sit in the middle of the table. Piha Beach, the most reviewed beach in the ranking with 3,605 reviews, ranks 16th of the 95 at 4.77. Takapuna Beach is 48th at 4.68, Sumner Beach in Christchurch is 51st at 4.68 and Mission Bay Beach is 64th at 4.63, just under the national average.

Northland's 15 beaches average 4.73, the highest of the six regions with at least five beaches in the ranking, followed by Bay of Plenty at 4.72. Auckland's 39 beaches average 4.60, the lowest, just behind Otago at 4.62.