Ninety Mile Beach (Te Oneroa-a-Māui)

Ninety Mile Beach on New Zealand’s Northland peninsula is one of those places overlanders talk about long after the trip is done. The hard-packed sand at low tide functions as a recognised public road — yes, you can legally drive it. The beach runs roughly 88km from Ahipara in the south toward Te Paki in the north, where the towering Te Paki sand dunes meet the coast. It’s raw, windswept, and completely unlike anything else in NZ. Watch the tides religiously — vehicles get swallowed here every season by incoming water and soft sand near creek mouths.

Rental vehicles are prohibited on the beach by most companies — insurance won’t cover you. High-clearance is wise; the sand near dunes and creek crossings is soft. Check tide tables before you go and allow plenty of buffer. The turn-off at Te Paki connects to Cape Reinga. Fuel and supplies in Kaitaia.

88km of legal sand highway, tides permitting.