A long sandy beach with Waiheke's main village just up the hill, about 14 nautical miles from Westhaven. Here's how to anchor, get ashore and make the most of Oneroa.
Updated October 2026 · By the YachtShare team, Westhaven Marina
Oneroa's beach is about a kilometre long, and the village sits only around 100 metres back from the sand. For the rest of the island, see our guides to sailing to Waiheke Island and Waiheke's Bottom End.
From Westhaven, head out past North Head, run east along the south side of Rangitoto, then through the Motuihe Channel towards Matiatia. Round the headland north of Matiatia and follow the coast east into Oneroa Bay. It is about 14 nautical miles, so roughly 1¾ hours at 8 knots. Allow two to three hours in real conditions.
Keep a good lookout on the way. The Motuihe Channel has a fast passenger ferry lane, and ferries run in and out of Matiatia all day. Matiatia Bay itself is a prohibited anchorage under Auckland's navigation bylaw, so don't plan to stop there.
Oneroa faces north. Cruising notes describe it as sheltered from any wind with south in it, with very good holding on firm sand. The flip side is that it's open to the north and north-east. If a northerly is forecast, swell rolls straight in and the bay becomes uncomfortable, so move somewhere more sheltered before it arrives.
Most boats anchor off the main beach, in front of the village. The bay shelves gently, so check chart NZ 5324 and your depth sounder, and allow for the tide falling overnight. On 'Zen', which draws 2.2 metres, anchor further out than the smaller yachts. Give swimmers plenty of room, and keep to 5 knots within 200 metres of the shore.
On summer holiday weekends, especially Christmas and New Year, the bay fills up. Arrive early and leave room to swing.
If the forecast swings north, the island's southern bays are the usual fallback. Our Waiheke guide covers Putiki and Huruhi bays.
At the eastern end of the main beach, a rocky outcrop separates Oneroa from Little Oneroa. It's a smaller sandy beach and a little less built up. It suits the same southerly conditions as the main bay.
A short way east, rocky Enclosure Bay is known for snorkelling at low tide. Treat it as a swim stop, not an overnight anchorage.
West of Oneroa, between it and Matiatia, Owhanake is a quieter bay that also suits southerly weather. The coastal walk to Oneroa village passes along its shore.
Waiheke's main ferry terminal and a prohibited anchorage. Keep well clear of the ferries.
Take the dinghy to the beach, pull it well above the tideline and check the tide times. The village is a short walk up from the sand.
The village has cafés, restaurants, wine bars, galleries and gift shops, plus a small supermarket for bread, milk and ice. The island's bigger supermarket is at Ostend, and buses run from Oneroa.
Little Oneroa Reserve has a playground for all ages, toilets, picnic tables and an electric barbecue, so it's a good base for a family afternoon.
Both walks are part of Te Ara Hura, Waiheke's 100 km walking trail.
YachtShare bookings run from one to 14 days, so a weekend at Oneroa fits easily. If a yacht is unbooked, members can ask management for a free freebie day after midday, and Oneroa is close enough for one.
All of them. Oneroa is well within the fleet's survey limits under our Maritime NZ MOSS certification. 'Thin Air' (Beneteau Oceanis 323), 'Island Breeze' (Bavaria 32) and 'Mirabelle' (Beneteau Oceanis 34) are easy for a couple to anchor. 'Oro Rosa' (J/112e) makes the sail out quick. For groups, try 'Schonica' (Beneteau Oceanis 41), 'Incognito' (Dufour 412), 'Zen' (Dufour 520) or 'The Bach', our Fountaine Pajot Orana 44 catamaran. See the whole fleet.
Members have a 24-hour support line. See our sailing courses, membership options and more sailing guides.
Planning note: distances and sailing times are approximate and based on an average of 8 knots. Always check current charts, the marine forecast, tide times and local notices, including biosecurity and fishing rules, before you set out.
YachtShare members sail from Westhaven on a fully maintained yacht, without the cost of owning one. Plans start from $880/month + GST, with fuel extra.
Book a Viewing See the Fleet