Ohope Beach lies just over the headland from Whakatane and runs for about 11 km beside the Pacific. It is broad, walkable, and easy to reach, with safe swimming in settled weather and a long enough strand that it rarely feels cramped outside peak holiday weeks.
Pair it with Nga Tapuwae o Toi if you want a proper coastal day: walk the headland in the morning, then finish on the sand.