Friendly Bay

Friendly 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 Friendly 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 Friendly Bay — distance from nearby cities

Coordinates: -45.10732, 170.97639. Road distances are estimates; the road-trip planner uses real routes and adds stops worth the detour.

Places to visit near Friendly Bay

• Makotukutuku / Cape Wanbrow · beach · Waitaki · ~2 km · Must-see
• Saint Patrick's Basilica · church · Waitaki · ~2 km · Must-see
• Kākaunui · fort · Waitaki · ~12 km · Must-see
• Moeraki Boulders / Kaihinaki · attraction · Waitaki · ~36 km · Must-see
• Elephant Rocks · attraction · Waitaki · ~43 km · Must-see
• Trotters Gorge Scenic Reserve · sanctuary · Waitaki · ~46 km · Must-see
• Knottingley Park · park · Waitaki · ~51 km · Must-see
• St Patrick's Basilica, Waimate · church · Waitaki · ~53 km · Must-see
• Kakanui Mountains · viewpoint · Waitaki · ~54 km · Must-see
• Puketapu · viewpoint · Waitaki · ~58 km · Must-see
• Danseys Pass Recreation Reserve · viewpoint · Central Otago · ~70 km · Must-see
• Mount MacKenzie · viewpoint · Waitaki · ~71 km · Must-see
• Mount Watkin · viewpoint · Dunedin City · ~75 km · Must-see
• Cape Wanbrow Lighthouse Reserve · sanctuary · Waitaki · ~1 km
• Criterion Hotel · fort · Waitaki · ~1 km
• Steampunk HQ · museum · Waitaki · ~1 km
• The Libratory · museum · Waitaki · ~1 km
• Forrester Gallery · museum · Waitaki · ~1 km

See everything within a day’s drive of Friendly Bay

Other beaches & coast near Friendly Bay

• Makotukutuku / Cape Wanbrow · beach · Waitaki · ~2 km · Must-see
• Blueskin Bay · beach · Dunedin City · ~95 km · Must-see
• Whareakeake · beach · Otago · ~96 km · Must-see
• Tuhawaiki Point Lighthouse · beach · Timaru · ~96 km · Must-see
• Observation Point · beach · Dunedin City · ~104 km · Must-see
• Victory Beach · beach · Otago · ~104 km · Must-see
• Makahoe / Papanui Inlet · beach · Dunedin City · ~106 km · Must-see
• Otago Harbour · beach · Dunedin City · ~107 km · Must-see
• Hoopers Inlet · beach · Dunedin City · ~109 km · Must-see
• Allans Beach · beach · Dunedin City · ~109 km · Must-see

All beaches & coast in Otago

Frequently asked