A soft-sand beach drive looking out across the Bay of Plenty, good for pulling over and setting up for a day of fishing or just hanging out with the family.

The sand here is genuinely soft, so vehicles do get stuck from time to time. Bring recovery gear and air down before heading on. The tide comes right up to the dunes, so keep an eye on the water and plan your run around it.

Up top, a dune track runs along behind the beach and is a good spot to find somewhere to camp up for the day. There are a few side tracks worth poking around, nothing serious through the dunes. If you'd prefer easier going, Thornton Beach up the road is a softer option and worth a look on your way through.