Last updated October 2026
Raumati Beach is a long, sandy Kāpiti Coast beach about 53 kilometres north of Wellington, around 40 minutes by car from the city. The beach runs in front of the Raumati Beach shopping village and the Marine Gardens, a beachfront park with a playground, splash pad and miniature railway.
Kāpiti Coast District Council describes it as ideal for a walk, sandcastle building, or a paddle or swim in gentle surf.
Water quality is tested at three spots along the beach for Greater Wellington: the Aotea Road end holds a Good LAWA long-term grade, while Marine Gardens and Tainui Street are graded Fair, so it pays to avoid swimming after rain.
Swimming Facts
Before you swim: Tested every two weeks Jul–Mar by Greater Wellington. Stay out for 48 hours after heavy rain. Latest result on LAWA
Today at Raumati Beach
Monday 2 NovemberWater quality track record
Good at 1 testing spot, Fair at 2 (2019 to 2025)ShowHide
What the grades mean
Excellent and Good: rarely unsafe for swimming. Fair: usually fine, but avoid swimming after rain. Poor: often unsuitable, especially after rain, so check the latest result first.
Grades use LAWA’s method: the 95th percentile of routine enterococci results over the five summers from 2020/21 to 2024/25, with at least 50 tests (Aotea Road: 195 per 100 mL from 61 tests; Tainui Street: 210 per 100 mL from 60 tests; Marine Gardens: 330 per 100 mL from 130 tests).
Practical Information
- Location
- Raumati Beach, Kāpiti Coast, in front of the Marine Gardens and Raumati Beach village
- Distance from Wellington
- About 53 km north, around 40 minutes by car
- Water
- Open sea beach on the Tasman Sea, tidal (nearest tide station: Paraparaumu Beach)
- Water quality
- Good at Aotea Road; Fair at Marine Gardens and Tainui Street (LAWA long-term grades, summers 2020/21 to 2024/25)
- Testing
- Every two weeks from July to March, for Greater Wellington, with samples collected by Kāpiti Coast District Council
- Patrols
- Not listed among the council’s patrolled beaches (Ōtaki and Paekākāriki are patrolled)
- Dogs
- Summer (1 December to the end of daylight saving), Takitimu Road to Wharemauku Stream: no dogs 10am to 7pm, on a lead 7pm to 10am. Check the council’s dog zone maps for other areas and winter rules
- Facilities nearby
- Toilets, drinking water, playground, splash pad and parking at the Marine Gardens; shops and eateries in Raumati Beach village
About Raumati Beach
Raumati Beach sits immediately south-west of Paraparaumu, on the stretch of Kāpiti Coast that looks across to Kapiti Island. Raumati is the Māori word for summer, a fitting name for a place that began life as a holiday resort: the area was laid out as a seaside resort in 1908, and its first general store opened in 1919.
The heart of the beachfront is the Marine Gardens, a council park behind the dunes with trees, flower beds and a playground with swings, a sandpit with a digger, a tunnel slide and a flying fox.
The splash pad is popular on warm days, and on Sunday afternoons a miniature train runs around a double-loop track just under a kilometre long, with two tunnels. The old Raumati Pool building still stands in the gardens, although the district’s main public pool has moved to the Paraparaumu Aquatic Centre.
The Wharemauku Stream reaches the sea on the northern side of the Marine Gardens, and a walking track follows the stream inland for about three kilometres. The beach itself is broad and sandy, good for walking in either direction, and WellingtonNZ suggests pairing a visit with a barbecue lunch in the gardens or fish and chips from the village.
The village behind the beach has a cluster of boutiques, gift shops, galleries and cafes.
Swimming and Water Quality at Raumati Beach
Raumati Beach is an open sea beach, and the council describes the surf here as gentle. It is not one of the Kāpiti beaches with lifeguard patrols, so swim within your ability, keep children within reach, and stay out if the sea is rough.
Greater Wellington’s recreational water quality programme tests three spots along the beach every two weeks from July to March, and Kāpiti Coast District Council collects the samples. Results go to LAWA’s “Can I Swim Here?” pages. The three spots, from south to north, are:
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Aotea Road: a Good LAWA long-term grade, based on 61 routine tests over the summers of 2020/21 to 2024/25. Of 78 tests between November 2019 and March 2025, 90% were suitable for swimming.
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Marine Gardens: a Fair grade, based on 130 routine tests over the same five summers. Of 174 tests between June 2019 and April 2025, 90% were suitable for swimming.
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Tainui Street: a Fair grade, based on 60 routine tests over the same period. Of 81 tests between November 2019 and March 2025, 91% were suitable for swimming.
A Good grade means the water has rarely been found unsuitable for swimming. A Fair grade means it is usually fine, but quality can drop after rain, when stormwater and the Wharemauku Stream carry bacteria to the beach. These are long-term records, not a guarantee for any given day, so check the latest result on LAWA before you swim.
Kāpiti Coast District Council advises waiting 48 hours after rain before swimming, avoiding stormwater outlets on the beach, and not swimming in streams or at stream and river mouths during the hot summer months. At Raumati that means keeping away from the Wharemauku Stream mouth on the northern side of the Marine Gardens.
Getting There and Facilities
Raumati Beach is about a 40-minute drive north of Wellington, and the swimming beach is right in front of the Raumati Beach shopping village and the Marine Gardens. The council says parking is along Garden Road, in the beach-side car park, or in the Raumati Beach shopping village.
There are toilets on the Matatua Road side of the Marine Gardens and next to the entrance of the old Raumati Pool, with drinking water and the playground close by.
The miniature train runs from 1pm to 4pm on Sundays. With the splash pad, playground and beach all within a short walk, it is an easy spot for a family day out.
Where to Learn More
LAWA and Greater Wellington: the latest “Can I Swim Here?” result and long-term grade for Raumati Beach at Marine Gardens, with links to the Aotea Road and Tainui Street sites.
Kāpiti Coast District Council: how the council monitors Kāpiti swimming sites each summer, with advice on rain, stormwater and stream mouths.
Kāpiti Coast District Council: Marine Gardens: the playground, splash pad, miniature train, toilets and parking beside the beach.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you swim at Raumati Beach?
Yes. Kāpiti Coast District Council describes Raumati Beach as ideal for a paddle or swim in gentle surf. The beach is not patrolled, so check LAWA before you go and stay out for 48 hours after rain.
What is the water quality like at Raumati Beach?
It varies along the beach. Aotea Road has a Good LAWA long-term grade, while Marine Gardens and Tainui Street are graded Fair, based on summers 2020/21 to 2024/25. Between 90% and 91% of tests at each spot were suitable for swimming.
When is the water at Raumati Beach tested?
Samples are taken every two weeks from July to March for Greater Wellington, collected by Kāpiti Coast District Council. Results appear on LAWA.
Is Raumati Beach patrolled by lifeguards?
The council lists Ōtaki and Paekākāriki as the patrolled Kāpiti beaches, not Raumati. Swim within your depth and keep a close eye on children.
Are dogs allowed on Raumati Beach?
In summer (1 December to the end of daylight saving), dogs are not allowed between Takitimu Road and the Wharemauku Stream from 10am to 7pm, and must be on a lead from 7pm to 10am. Check the council’s dog zone maps for other areas and winter rules.
What is there for children near the beach?
The Marine Gardens beside the beach has a playground, a splash pad and a miniature train that runs from 1pm to 4pm on Sundays.
Where do you park for Raumati Beach?
Parking is along Garden Road, in the beach-side car park, or in the Raumati Beach shopping village.
How far is Raumati Beach from Wellington?
About 53 kilometres north of Wellington, around a 40-minute drive.
Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.
Sources and data notes 2
- Today at Raumati Beach: Tides: LINZ, CC BY 4.0, times for Paraparaumu Beach adjusted from Port Taranaki using LINZ offsets; the curve shows the shape of the tide, not local heights; predictions only.
- Water quality track record: Water quality: © LAWA and partner organisations (Greater Wellington), licensed under CC BY 4.0, results to April 2025.