Notable beach · Southland, Southland
Shades Beach
Shades Beach is a beach in Southland, Southland.
Shades Beach: 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 Shades Beach
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 Shades Beach — distance from nearby cities
Coordinates: -46.63732, 169.23873. Road distances are estimates; the road-trip planner uses real routes and adds stops worth the detour.
Places to visit near Shades Beach
- Porpoise Bay · beach · Southland · ~12 km · Must-see
- Curio Bay · beach · Southland · ~14 km · Must-see
- McLean Falls · waterfall · Clutha · ~14 km · Must-see
- Tautuku Peninsula · beach · Clutha · ~20 km · Must-see
- Slope Point · viewpoint · Southland · ~23 km · Must-see
- Waipapa / Slope Point · beach · Southland · ~23 km · Must-see
- Catlins Conservation Park · sanctuary · Clutha · ~25 km · Must-see
- Mount Pye · viewpoint · Clutha · ~32 km · Must-see
- Purakaunui Falls · waterfall · Clutha · ~35 km · Must-see
- SS Tararua · fort · Southland · ~36 km · Must-see
- Pukewao · viewpoint · Southland · ~37 km · Must-see
- Waipapa Point · beach · Southland · ~38 km · Must-see
- Nugget Point Lighthouse · fort · Clutha · ~61 km · Must-see
- Tokatā / Nugget Point · beach · Clutha · ~61 km · Must-see
- Molyneux Bay · beach · Otago · ~69 km · Must-see
- Little Beach · beach · Southland · ~1 km
- Teahimate Bay · beach · Southland · ~1 km
- Little Beach · beach · Otago · ~1 km
Other beaches & coast near Shades Beach
- Porpoise Bay · beach · Southland · ~12 km · Must-see
- Curio Bay · beach · Southland · ~14 km · Must-see
- Tautuku Peninsula · beach · Clutha · ~20 km · Must-see
- Waipapa / Slope Point · beach · Southland · ~23 km · Must-see
- Waipapa Point · beach · Southland · ~38 km · Must-see
- Tokatā / Nugget Point · beach · Clutha · ~61 km · Must-see
- Molyneux Bay · beach · Otago · ~69 km · Must-see
- Dog Island Lighthouse · beach · Southland · ~79 km · Must-see
- Tiwai Point · beach · Invercargill City · ~84 km · Must-see
- Te Kanawera / Stirling Point · beach · Invercargill City · ~84 km · Must-see
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
Frequently asked
Is Shades Beach safe to swim today?
No visitor has reported the sea & crowd status for Shades Beach yet. Typical pattern: moderate; weekends busier. Busiest: Weekends and long holidays.
What is the best time to visit Shades Beach?
October to March; rough seas and lifeguard warnings June to September. Moderate; weekends busier.
What are the places to visit near Shades Beach?
Nearby: Porpoise Bay (beach, 12 km), Curio Bay (beach, 14 km), McLean Falls (waterfall, 14 km), Tautuku Peninsula (beach, 20 km), Slope Point (viewpoint, 23 km), Waipapa / Slope Point (beach, 23 km).
Is Shades Beach worth visiting?
Shades Beach is listed as a notable beach in Southland on Spotwander.