Sponge Bay

Sponge Bay: crowds and conditions

Typical pattern: moderate; weekends busier. Been there recently? Post today’s status and it shows here for the next traveller.

Status options for this beach: Open, good conditions · Very crowded · Approach road bad · Closed / not accessible.

Best time to visit Sponge Bay

Season: October to March; rough seas and lifeguard warnings June to September.

Busiest days: Weekends and long holidays.

Crowd: Moderate; weekends busier.

Typical week: Mon light · Tue light · Wed light · Thu light · Fri light · Sat busy · Sun busy.

How to reach Sponge Bay — distance from nearby cities

Coordinates: -38.70341, 178.05835. Road distances are estimates; the road-trip planner uses real routes and adds stops worth the detour.

Places to visit near Sponge Bay

• Tuaheni Point · beach · Gisborne · ~1 km · Must-see
• Titirangi · viewpoint · Gisborne · ~5 km · Must-see
• Puhi Kai Iti / Cook Landing National Historic Reserve · sanctuary · Gisborne · ~5 km · Must-see
• Poverty Bay · beach · Gisborne · ~6 km · Must-see
• Childers Road Reserve · park · Gisborne · ~8 km · Must-see
• Botanical Gardens · sanctuary · Gisborne · ~8 km · Must-see
• Harry Barker Reserve · park · Gisborne · ~10 km · Must-see
• Young Nicks Head / Te Kurī · beach · Gisborne · ~12 km · Must-see
• Young Nick's Head · fort · Gisborne · ~13 km · Must-see
• Rhythm and Vines Music Festival · park · Gisborne · ~19 km · Must-see
• Parinuiterā / Gable End Foreland · beach · Gisborne · ~35 km · Must-see
• Eastwoodhill Arboretum · attraction · Gisborne · ~42 km · Must-see
• Hackfalls Arboretum · sanctuary · Gisborne · ~56 km · Must-see
• SS Talune · fort · Hawke's Bay · ~57 km · Must-see
• Maungahaumi / Maungahaumia · viewpoint · Gisborne · ~71 km · Must-see
• Anaura Bay · beach · Gisborne · ~72 km · Must-see
• Tuaheni Hill · viewpoint · Gisborne · ~1 km
• Tuamotu Island · river spot · Gisborne · ~1 km

See everything within a day’s drive of Sponge Bay

Other beaches & coast near Sponge Bay

• Tuaheni Point · beach · Gisborne · ~1 km · Must-see
• Poverty Bay · beach · Gisborne · ~6 km · Must-see
• Young Nicks Head / Te Kurī · beach · Gisborne · ~12 km · Must-see
• Parinuiterā / Gable End Foreland · beach · Gisborne · ~35 km · Must-see
• Anaura Bay · beach · Gisborne · ~72 km · Must-see
• Ahuriri Point · beach · Hawke's Bay · ~81 km · Must-see
• Papatea Bay · beach · Bay of Plenty · ~148 km · Must-see
• Shark Bay · beach · Gisborne · ~1 km
• Wainui Beach · beach · Gisborne · ~3 km
• Kaitī Beach · beach · Gisborne · ~4 km

All beaches & coast in Gisborne

Frequently asked