Skip to Content

Glendhu Bay, Wānaka

By Author Jon Algie

Posted on Last updated:

Categories Wanaka

Glendhu Bay, Wānaka

With Wānaka being over a hundred kilometers from the coast you wouldn’t expect it to be an awesome beach destination. Lake beaches have their charms too though, and Glendhu Bay is the perfect example of this. The surrounding scenery is beautiful, the water has that exotic clear blue look to it and the “sand” (or more accurately stones) makes for perfect strolling terrain. 

Glendhu Bay

Glendhu Bay is dominated by a large camping ground which is really popular over the New Zealand holiday season (mostly December and January). If you’re not staying at the camping ground it’s best to park up near the boat ramp further down the road. You can park close to the water and admire the views, and there are also several picnic tables spread along the front of the beach. It’s a great spot to unwind and eat lunch after a tough hike (which is most likely the reason you were visiting Wānaka in the first place).

READ MORE: 10 of the Best Walks in Wānaka

Glendhu Bay, Wanaka, New Zealand

Glendhu Bay is a long crescent shaped stretch of stony sand and you can walk along most of it. We also saw people swimming (in late March) and they didn’t seem cold. On a scorching midsummer day I reckon there’s nowhere else you’d rather be in this region. Glendhu Bay is also a popular launch point for boats. Maybe you can strike up a friendship with a boat owning local and they might take you out on the water. Common water activities include water skiing, fishing and trips out to Lake Wānaka’s islands.

Glendhu Bay, probably the best beach in Wanaka, New Zealand

Glendhu Bay from Above

You can see views of the bay from both the Roys Peak Track and the Rocky Mountain Track — I highly recommend both of these hikes

READ MORE: 18 Fun Things to Do in Wānaka

View of Glendhu Bay from the Rocky Mountain Track, Wanaka, New ZealandView of Glendhu Bay from the Roys Peak Track, Wanaka, New Zealand

Other Beaches in Wānaka

The shores of Lake Wānaka feature some great lake beaches. We’ve been to a few of them but Glendhu Bay is the best we’ve seen. Another good stretch of beach can be found in front of #thatwanakatree, one of New Zealand’s most famous trees.

READ MORE: Where Are the Best Beaches in Wānaka?

That Wanaka Tree, New Zealand

Getting There

Glendhu Bay is located around 12 km from downtown Wānaka. It’s just past the Roys Peak car park and just before the Diamond Lake / Rocky Mountain car park.

Looking for some tips to make your Wānaka trip a memorable one? Check out our Wānaka travel guide!

The following two tabs change content below.
My Twitter profileMy Facebook profileMy Instagram profile

Jon Algie

I'm a South Island local -- born in Timaru and raised in Dunedin. I left the island in 2006 and returned 10 years later. Having seen a good chunk of the world I realised how special this place is -- the most beautiful island in the world! Seven years (and almost 400 posts) later I'm still helping locals and tourists alike plan their trips around the South Island.