Vanessa.

Living in Piha complements this beautifully. The natural environment encourages a sense of wellbeing and balance in everyday life.

Lucas.

Vanessa and her husband Richard have lived in Piha since 2015, after years of weekends out here while their four children were growing up. Vanessa has been teaching yoga for over 25 years and now runs the Piha Yoga Studio from her home — teaching online, hosting day retreats, and running larger classes from the local Schoolhouse Hall. We asked her five questions.

How long have you lived in Piha, and what first brought you here?

We've lived in Piha since 2015, but our connection to this special place began many years earlier. When our four children were growing up, we lived in Titirangi and spent most weekends in Piha. The kids loved surfing and taking part in lifeguard training, and before long, Piha became much more than a place we visited — it became a place we felt deeply connected to.

For a time, we followed a different path and purchased a property in Henderson Valley. It came with 12 acres of land and a yoga studio, which was a wonderful opportunity. We poured our hearts into renovating the house and creating a home and yoga studio there. Those years were full of hard work and family life. Yet despite everything we built, there was always a part of us that longed to live in Piha.

When our two eldest children moved out and began their own adventures, we realised it was the right time to take the leap. We sold, packed up and made the move to Piha — a place that had been calling us for years.

I still remember that first year. It genuinely felt like a dream come true. Waking up each day surrounded by the ocean, native bush, and the beauty of nature felt almost surreal. Even now, after all these years, I feel grateful to call Piha home.

What do you do for work (or how do you spend your days)?

My husband Richard is a landscape architect with an office in the city, so he commutes each day from Piha.

As for me, I've been teaching yoga for over 25 years. I owned two different yoga studios in West Auckland for 15 years, but like many people, COVID brought significant changes and encouraged me to adapt my business. During that time, I transitioned to teaching online, which allowed me to continue supporting my students in a new way.

Today, I'm fortunate to teach daily from my home. I created the Piha Yoga Studio, where I teach online, also private sessions and day retreats. For larger groups, I teach in the local Schoolhouse Hall, which also gives me the opportunity to contribute to and connect with the wider Piha community.

My days are centred around teaching, supporting students, and creating spaces where people can slow down, reconnect, and experience the many benefits of yoga. Living in Piha complements this beautifully, as the natural environment encourages a sense of wellbeing and balance in everyday life. Also daily dog walks!

What’s something about Piha that surprises people once they actually spend time here?

I think what surprises people most is just how breathtakingly beautiful Piha is. People often hear about its wild weather, powerful surf, and dramatic coastline, and while it can certainly be windy, stormy, and rugged at times, that's all part of its character. The reward is the incredible sunsets, crystal-clear blue skies, and ever-changing natural beauty that make this place so special.

What many visitors don't expect is how immersed in nature they feel. We're surrounded by native bush, beautiful walking tracks, waterfalls, and of course the beach. Despite being a small community, there's a real sense of connection to the natural environment and support for one another.

When I host one- to three-day yoga retreats here in Piha, the one thing I hear time and time again is how restorative the experience feels. Being surrounded by nature has a calming, healing quality, and people often leave feeling as though they've had an enriched holiday — even if they've only spent a day here. There's something about Piha that helps people slow down, breathe more deeply, and reconnect with themselves.

What’s your favourite thing to do in Piha?

One of my favourite things about living in Piha is being able to immerse myself in nature every day. I love walking my dogs, whether it's along the beach or through the beautiful bush tracks. There's something incredibly grounding about being outdoors in such a stunning environment.

Walking holding hands with Richard along the beach, watching the sunset over the ocean. It's simple, but it never loses its magic. He also loves the sea and swims most days. Richard can come home after a stressful day at work feeling tired and mentally drained, but after a walk and a swim, he's completely transformed — recharged, relaxed, and ready to enjoy the evening.

That's the beauty of Piha. Nature has a way of helping you slow down, reconnect, and let go of the stresses of daily life. The eateries are great too!

What do you love most about living here?

For me, it's the combination of the people and the natural environment. There are so many lovely, like-minded people here, and there's a real sense of connection and community — we even have five Iyengar yoga teachers living and teaching in Piha.

The surrounding nature is just incredible, and being able to access it so easily every day is something I never take for granted. Our kids absolutely loved growing up here. Although they've since moved overseas, they still think of this as home. When they come back, it's all about reconnecting — with nature, with family, friends, the dogs, and with themselves. There's something about being here that helps any stress or busyness simply dissolve away. It's a very grounding and nourishing place to live.

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Vanessa runs the Piha Yoga Studio — teaching online, private sessions, day retreats, and larger classes at the Schoolhouse Hall.