Wainamu Falls is located about a 50-minute drive from Auckland City, with sealed roads throughout the journey.

From Auckland, follow the main road leading to Bethells Beach. The falls are just a few hundred meters from the popular beach. The car park is on the left, immediately after the intersection of Bethells Road and Tasman View Road, marked by a sign ‘Lake Wainamu Track.’ There are no facilities at this car park, but toilets and picnic tables can be found at the official Bethells Beach parking area.

From the car park, follow the Lake Wainamu Track, which leads to the lake and circles around it. The first section of the track follows the Waiti Stream riverbed, which often requires wet feet, until it reaches the lakeshore. Alternatively, you can walk directly to the lake by crossing the sand dunes.

If you’re visiting with children, they’ll enjoy sliding down the dunes, so consider bringing a bodyboard or skimboard along with towels. The lake is a popular swimming spot with water that is much warmer than the ocean. A long-drop toilet is available near the lake.

The second part of the walk is a loop around the lake. About halfway around, where the track crosses the Wainamu Stream, take a short side path that leads to the lower waterfall, shown in the main photo. Cross the stream and climb to the top of the waterfall to see two smaller falls and a few swimming holes, which are less frequented than the lake.

You can return the same way or complete the full loop. The entire walk takes roughly two hours.

Keep in mind that Wainamu Falls is a type of waterfall that may have little or no water during dry summer periods. If there hasn’t been rain for several weeks, don’t expect to see a powerful waterfall.