About 1.5km behind Russell (an easy walk or cycle) is this placid, child-friendly beach. Turn left (facing the sea) to visit Donkey Bay, a small cove that is an unofficial nudist beach.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Christ Church

0.58 MILES

English naturalist Charles Darwin made a donation towards the cost of building this, the country’s oldest surviving church (1836). The graveyard's biggest…

2. Russell Museum

0.63 MILES

This small museum has a well-presented Māori section, a large 1:5 scale model of Captain Cook’s Endeavour, a 10-minute video on the town’s history and an…

3. Flagstaff Hill

0.66 MILES

Overlooking Russell, this is the hill where Hōne Heke chopped down the British flagpole four times. You can drive up, but the epic view over Russell and…

4. Pompallier Mission

0.72 MILES

Built in 1842 to house the Catholic mission’s printing press, this rammed-earth building is the mission's last remaining building in the western Pacific,…

5. Tapeka Point

1.24 MILES

North of Russell, on the other side of Maiki hill, Tapeka Rd heads down to a sandy beach in the shadow of a craggy headland. A pā once stood at the top of…

6. Omata Estate

2.73 MILES

With a growing reputation for red wines – especially its old-growth syrah – Omata Estate is one of Northland's finest wineries. To complement the tastings…

7. St Paul’s Anglican Church

2.78 MILES

The characterful St Paul's was constructed of Kawakawa stone in 1925, and stands on the site of the original mission church, a simple raupo (bulrush) hut…

8. Williams House & Gardens

2.79 MILES

The historic buildings and gardens of Paihia's First Mission Station include a restored stone store, and now house a community library and a community…