Palm Beach is a golden-sand swimming beach on Waiheke Island's northern coast, a short drive east of Oneroa, and holds a 4.8 Google rating. A good gulf beach is all about timing and tide. On Waiheke's north-facing bays the swimming is at its best around high tide, when the water is deep and clear; at low tide many of these beaches shallow out, so it pays to check a tide chart before you set off. Regulars catch the ferry from downtown Auckland or bring a car across on it, and arrive early on summer days before the crowds claim the sand. What sets the island's beaches apart is the combination of sheltered water, gentle gradients and pohutukawa shade. Tucked between its better-known neighbours, Palm Beach offers exactly that kind of unhurried island swimming, a short ferry ride from Auckland.