Half Moon Bay: Marina and waterfront paths

Half Moon Bay brings together a marina on the Tāmaki River, waterfront paths and ferry connections. The area is close to Auckland City, and nearby paths run along two named beaches. With the marina, waterfront visitor attractions and ferry trips, you can choose different focuses for your trip. If you’re looking for a holiday rental in Half Moon Bay, it helps to first consider which of these experiences will have the greatest influence on your daily plans.

A marina between history and the present

Half Moon Bay Marina is on the Tāmaki River, close to Auckland City. Its development began in the early 1970s, and more than 500 boats are moored at the marina. This capacity figure may change. Together, the marina’s history and scale give an impression of its importance to the area. The bus and ferry terminal is at the end of the marina. There you can get tickets, information about transport options and tourist information.

Boardwalk and beach path

A 230-metre boardwalk connects the southern end of Little Bucklands Beach with Half Moon Bay Marina and provides pedestrian and cycle access to the Marina Shopping Centre. Nearby, the Bucklands Beach Path runs along Little Bucklands Beach and Big Bucklands Beach. The routes offer different experiences: the boardwalk has named endpoints and leads to the shopping centre, while the Bucklands Beach Path runs along the two beaches. For planning your day, it makes sense to consider these routes as separate options. You can check the local conditions on the boardwalk before your visit.

Waterfront visitor attractions

Visitor attractions in Half Moon Bay include waterfront restaurants, cafés and bars. This lets you add meals and breaks by the water to your stay, alongside the paths and marina as other points of interest. You don’t have to limit your plans to a single activity: you can organise your days around whether you want to set aside more time for the ferry connections, the paths or the waterfront attractions.

Ferry connections and planning

Ferries run from Half Moon Bay Marina to Auckland City and Waiheke Island, and back. The scenic journey from Auckland Downtown Ferry Terminal, Pier 1 at 99 Quay Street, to the ferry terminal on Ara-Tai Road takes about 30 to 40 minutes; 35 minutes is also given as a guide. Check the current timetable before travelling, as services and journey times may change.

You can use your planned trips as a guide when choosing accommodation. If trips to Auckland City or Waiheke Island are a priority, include the ferry connection in your daily plans. If you’d rather explore paths and stretches of beach, the boardwalk and Bucklands Beach Path offer different points of reference. This way, you can base your holiday rental search on the experiences that matter to you during your stay, rather than trying to fit all your plans around a single focus.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Waiatarua, Great Barrier Island, Waiwera, Tuakau, Piha, Bethells Beach, Tauhoa, Takanini.

For the main travel overview: Auckland.