Ask any Aucklander their favorite beach getaway, and they'll probably point you to Little Palm Beach on vineyard- and mansion-filled Waiheke Island. A 45-minute ferry ride from Queen's Wharf in Auckland takes you to this quaint, clothing-optional

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Ask any Aucklander their favorite beach getaway, and they'll probably point you to Little Palm Beach on vineyard- and mansion-filled Waiheke Island. A 45-minute ferry ride from Queen's Wharf in Auckland takes you to this quaint, clothing-optional beach on a sandy inlet around the rocky corner from (larger) Palm Beach. A small handful of thirty to fifty sunbathers typically show up—mixed gay and straight, clothed and nude—to swim in the cool, clear water. Boats anchor offshore for nautical BBQs, only a few tasteful homes dot the landscape, and a small grocery store on one end of the beach dispenses much-needed ice cream. If you don't feel like laying out, the scenic ferry ride to the isle and back is a wonderful day's excursion.

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