Last updated October 2026
Paradise Beach is the swimming beach at Charteris Bay, on the southern side of Lyttelton Harbour, about 14 kilometres from central Christchurch as the crow flies. LAWA lists it as the Charteris Bay Paradise swimming beach, and it is one of the few Lyttelton Harbour beaches with a long-term grade that is generally suitable for swimming.
Environment Canterbury tests the water every week over summer and sends the results to LAWA. The site holds a Fair long-term grade, so it is usually fine for a swim but best avoided after rain. The Charteris Bay Yacht Club and Orton Bradley Park are nearby.
Practical Information
- Location
- Paradise Beach, Charteris Bay, southern side of Lyttelton Harbour, Banks Peninsula
- Distance from Christchurch
- About 14 km from the city centre in a straight line, across the harbour
- Water
- Sheltered harbour beach, tidal, with mudflats at low tide
- Water quality
- Fair (LAWA long-term grade, summers 2020/21 to 2024/25)
- Testing
- Weekly from November to March by Environment Canterbury
- Nearest tide station
- Lyttelton
- Facilities nearby
- Toilets and parking about 450 metres away (OpenStreetMap)
Swimming Facts
Today at Paradise Beach
Sunday 15 NovemberWater quality track record
Stay out of the water for 48 hours after heavy rain.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 2021/22 to 2025/26, with at least 50 tests (641 per 100 mL from 74 tests).
About Charteris Bay and Paradise Beach
Charteris Bay is a small settlement on an inlet of Lyttelton Harbour, between Diamond Harbour to the east and Teddington to the west. Paradise Beach is on the eastern side of the inlet, towards Church Bay and Diamond Harbour.
Lyttelton Harbour fills the eroded crater of one of the volcanoes that built Banks Peninsula. LAWA describes a harbour of sandy beaches, rocky shores and cliffs, intertidal mudflats and two islands. At low tide, the mudflats at the head of Charteris Bay attract wading birds, including royal spoonbills.
The bay is best known for sailing. The Charteris Bay Yacht Club calls itself the home of the Optimist, and the Optimist sailing dinghy was first sailed in New Zealand from Charteris Bay. The community is also known for Orton Bradley Park, which has a golf course next to it.
The area also played a part in building early Christchurch. A local quarry produced a decorative sandstone that was used in many of the city’s early buildings.
Swimming and Water Quality at Paradise Beach
Environment Canterbury samples the water at Paradise Beach every week from November to March and publishes the results on LAWA. The site has a Fair LAWA long-term grade, based on 75 routine tests over the summers of 2020/21 to 2024/25.
Across 124 tests between November 2019 and April 2025, 93% were suitable for swimming. A Fair grade means the water is usually suitable for swimming, but the risk of illness is higher after rain.
Water quality in Lyttelton Harbour has been a concern in recent years. Environment Canterbury’s grading released in September 2025 rated Charteris Bay at Paradise Beach Fair, alongside Church Bay and the Cass Bay boat ramp, the highest grade of any Lyttelton Harbour site, while five other harbour sites were rated unsuitable.
Environment Canterbury has said some of the harbour bays are small and shallow, which increases the risk of any discharge having an impact, and a multi-year investigation by the regional and city councils, Te Whatu Ora and iwi into contamination in the harbour is ongoing.
Environment Canterbury advises staying out of the water for 48 hours after rain, as runoff can carry bacteria into the harbour. LAWA lists stormwater and wastewater from broken or leaky pipes and old septic tanks among the pressures on the harbour.
Check the latest result on LAWA before you swim; LAWA also shows hourly water quality predictions for some Banks Peninsula harbour sites.
The beach is in a sailing bay, so watch for dinghies and other boats and keep children within reach. At low tide, mudflats are exposed at the head of the bay.
Getting There and Facilities
Charteris Bay is on the southern side of Lyttelton Harbour, between Teddington and Diamond Harbour. Toilets and parking are mapped about 450 metres from the testing point at Paradise Beach.
A visit to the beach pairs well with Orton Bradley Park, or with the neighbouring settlements of Church Bay and Diamond Harbour.
From locals
Is Paradise Beach tidal, and will I get mudflats at low tide?
Is there much shade on the beach in the afternoon, or is it all full sun?
No answers yet. If you know, a local would love to hear it.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can you swim at Paradise Beach in Charteris Bay?
Yes. LAWA lists it as the Charteris Bay Paradise swimming beach, and Environment Canterbury tests it weekly from November to March. It has a Fair grade, so avoid swimming for 48 hours after rain and check LAWA first.
What is the water quality like at Paradise Beach?
Paradise Beach has a Fair LAWA long-term grade, based on 75 routine tests over summers 2020/21 to 2024/25. Of 124 tests between November 2019 and April 2025, 93% were suitable for swimming.
Is Paradise Beach one of the better Lyttelton Harbour beaches for water quality?
Yes. In Environment Canterbury’s grading released in September 2025, it was one of three harbour sites rated Fair, the highest grade in the harbour.
When is the water tested?
Environment Canterbury samples the beach weekly from November to March, and the results are published on LAWA.
What else is there to do at Charteris Bay?
Sailing is popular, and the Charteris Bay Yacht Club calls itself the home of the Optimist, the dinghy first sailed in New Zealand from Charteris Bay. Orton Bradley Park is also at Charteris Bay.
Are there toilets near Paradise Beach?
Toilets and parking are mapped about 450 metres from the testing point at the beach.
Why does the water quality drop after rain?
Rain can wash bacteria into the harbour in runoff from the land and stormwater. Environment Canterbury advises waiting 48 hours after rain before swimming.
Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.
Related links 3
- LAWA and Environment Canterbury: the latest “Can I Swim Here?” result and long-term grade for Charteris Bay at Paradise Beach.
- Environment Canterbury: how the regional council samples swimming sites from November to March and works out long-term grades.
- LAWA: background on Lyttelton Harbour, its habitats and the pressures on its water quality.
Sources and data notes 2
- Today at Paradise Beach: Tides: LINZ, CC BY 4.0; predictions only. Sea temperature: NASA JPL MUR satellite data for 13 Nov, via Tideteller.
- Water quality track record: Water quality: © LAWA and partner organisations (Environment Canterbury), licensed under CC BY 4.0, results to March 2026; latest results on LAWA.