Pakiri sits at the top of the Matakana Coast Wine Country. As you drive Leigh and up Pakiri Hill (over 320m). pause at the top and take in the stunning the panoramic views of Omaha, Whangateau, Little Barrier Island, Great Barrier island and the Coromandel Peninsula in the background. 

The tiny settlement of Pakiri includes a school, hall, and a newly restored heritage church, Holiday Park and Pakiri beach. As you drive towards Pakiri Beach you will pass the Pakiri Beach Holiday Park, an excellent and well-established campground that has a variety of accommodation, from basic campsites to luxury cabins. 

Pakiri Beach is a magnificent walking beach and has a pristine marine environment, but surfers and swimmers beware: surf lifesavers are not always on duty in summer. Fishing and birdwatching are popular activities at Pakiri. You'll often see fishermen with longlines off the beach. One of our most endangered birds, the fairy tern, nests in the dunes in spring. And a gannet colony has just been artificially started on Motuora island with new fledglings this year, so there'll hopefully be regular sightings of these sleek aristocrats plummeting into the deep ocean.

A little further north along the 14 km beach, you'll find Pakiri Beach Horse Rides - you can join their horse treks which will take you out onto Pakiri Beach. Choose from 1 hour, 2 hour, day treks, sunset or moonlight rides. Any level of riding is catered for, from beginners to experienced riders. Whatever you do at Pakiri beach, pristine untouched coast is sure to soothe the soul.