Ladies Bay
St Heliers, Auckland · New Zealand
Auckland's tolerated nude cove below the cliffs of St Heliers. Mixed, with a few of the boys, and a harbour view.
- Status
- Tolerated
- Crowd
- Naturist
- Country
- New Zealand
- City
- Auckland
- Water
- Sea
- Best time
- December to March
- Confidence
- Low
Find it
36.8505° S, 174.8510° ECrowd A nude beach with no particular gay crowd. Families, couples and regulars. Go for the sun and the swim, not the scene.
Getting there
Bus or drive to St Heliers, then the path down from Cliff Road. Best at low tide.
The rules
Tolerated. Not designated, but nude bathing has been the custom for years and is left alone. Rules and patrols can change, so read the signs when you arrive.
No photos of anyone, sunscreen everywhere, cover up the moment you leave the nude stretch, and go home with the light. It is a beach: sunbathe, swim, talk, flirt. Anything more belongs somewhere private.
Questions people ask
Is Ladies Bay a gay beach?
Not especially. A nude beach with no particular gay crowd. Families, couples and regulars. Go for the sun and the swim, not the scene. Auckland's tolerated nude cove below the cliffs of St Heliers. Mixed, with a few of the boys, and a harbour view.
Is it legal to be nude at Ladies Bay?
Tolerated rather than designated. Not designated, but nude bathing has been the custom for years and is left alone. Rules and patrols can change, so read the signs when you arrive.
How do I get to Ladies Bay?
Bus or drive to St Heliers, then the path down from Cliff Road. Best at low tide. Best time: December to March.
Method
Status says what the law and the locals allow; crowd says who is on the sand. Both come from gay-travel guides, the national naturist federations and members who were just there, scored on sources, recency, crowd, legal footing and safety. How we rank. Pins mark the beach; the gay end is described above. Last reviewed September 2026.