OTAMA BEACH
Otama Beach is a beach on the northeast coast of the Coromandel Peninsula, 20km north of Whitianga. The north-facing 2km long white-sand beach is backed by a large protected natural dune system, separating it from the road and farmland beyond. Access is via Black Jack Road, starting from State Highway 25 at Kuaotunu, which is sealed up to the start of Otama Beach. It continues as a gravel road further east towards Opito Bay.
Otama Beach is almost completely undeveloped, with only a small number of houses, mostly holiday homes, dotted around the hills behind the eastern end of the beach. The white sand squeaks when walked on. The beach is very good for swimming, occasionally with good conditions for surfing.
With protected dunes and an amazing white-sand north facing beach, Otama is one of the more untouched beaches on the Coromandel Peninsula. The beach is backed by a protected wetland nature reserve.
On a 10ha conservation block overlooking Otama Beach is a prominent bach, described by one magazine as the home of the decade, owned by Auckland architect Ken Crosson. The bach has feature walls that can be lowered to become decks.
A number of well-known people have holiday homes at Otama, including the former mayor of Auckland, Dame Cath Tizard.