This is a soft, scenic beach run on the Manawatu-Whanganui coast that lets you skip SH3 on the way to Wanganui. The route tracks the open sand between Bulls and Turakina, passing the lagoon at Koitiata and exiting near Scott's Ferry.

It's a popular drive with locals, but it was one of the harder beach runs we've done, so it's best not tackled alone unless you're used to driving on sand. The sand can be very soft in places, especially around the Scott's Ferry exit, so drop your tyre pressures (around 18PSI works) and stay closer to the sea where the sand is firmer.

Time your trip for low tide: at high tide you'll be trapped by a salt-water creek crossing and some sections become impassable. Check the creeks before crossing as they can turn to quicksand, and follow existing tracks where you can. Finding the way past the lagoon and locating the exit can be tricky, so keep the Navigator app running.