Kiwi Beach BBQ Experience

Imagine this: a hot summer day with not a cloud in the sky, a beautiful sandy beach, you and your friends sipping on chilled drinks and the smell of barbecued sausages and steak wafting through the air - there's simply no better Kiwi summer experience than a barbie at the beach!

The options are endless - but once you suss out a great beach, a public barbecue site (or get your hands on a portable barbecue or hotplate) and some friends to take along with you, you're pretty much set! Just decide who needs to take what, and you're away.

If you don't have your own portable barbecue or hotplate, there are many free barbecues located around the country available for your use on a first-come-first-served basis. Or various beaches have barbecues available for public use that need to be booked through the council (a small fee and permit may be required for large groups).

Since you're at the beach, seafood is a must. There's nothing better for seafood lovers than gathering fresh seafood yourself and taking it straight from the ocean to the barbie - think crabs, oysters and scallops and fish if you take a fishing rod - it doesn't get any fresher! Just make sure to adhere to the regulations for size and maximum daily limits.

Beach Barbecue Checklist:

• Hotplate or portable barbecue (if not using a public one)
• Gas bottle
• Enough meat for everyone there... and a bit extra just in case
• Chilly bin complete with ice, fruit and plenty of cold drinks
• Bread
• Tomato sauce
• Salads
• Plastic cutlery
• Barbecue utensils
• Picnic blanket

And don't forget your usual beach essentials - togs, towel, sunscreen, sunnies and a hat.