"The Stunning Windows 10 Scenery Believed to be CGI Was Real — The World's Astonishing Remote Beach in New Zealand"

The brief moment from turning on the computer to entering the password. Beyond the dark cave, a bright sandy beach stretches out, with a massive rocky island floating in the sea.

Anyone who has used Windows 10 might remember seeing this landscape at least once.

The composition was so perfect that many thought it was a work of computer graphics or a composite of multiple photos. However, this place actually exists.

The location is "Wharariki Beach," situated at the northwestern tip of New Zealand's South Island. In English, it is written as Wharariki Beach, and in the New Zealand accent, it sounds slightly different from the common English pronunciation.

In 2026, a travel creator visited this coast and widely shared a video that recreated the same scenery as the Windows image on-site. Learning that the place they had seen on their computer screens for years existed in the real world, social media was flooded with reactions of surprise and nostalgia.

However, Wharariki Beach is not just a "wallpaper shooting location."

It is a dynamic natural site created by wind, waves, sand dunes, caves, sea stacks, and wildlife. If you visit with the image of the calm moment displayed on the Windows screen in mind, you will be surprised by its wildness.

A coastline at the "edge" of New Zealand's South Island

Wharariki Beach is located in the Golden Bay area of the northwestern part of New Zealand's South Island.

It is close to Cape Farewell, the northernmost point of the South Island, and Farewell Spit, known for its long sandbar. It is not a beach that can be easily visited from the center of a city and is classified as a place that cannot be seen without traveling far, even within New Zealand.

The nearest major city is Nelson, but even from Nelson, it takes about 2 hours and 30 minutes by car. From Takaka, the central town of Golden Bay, it takes about an hour.

Even upon reaching the parking lot at the end of the road, the sea does not immediately appear before you.

From there, you walk about 20 minutes along a trail through pastures and coastal forests. You cross farmland with sheep and cattle, feeling the wind from the sea, and eventually, massive sand dunes and a white sandy beach come into view.

It is the complete opposite of a resort beach lined with buildings. The coast itself has no shops or restaurants, and there are hardly any man-made objects to obstruct the view. This sense of isolation is one reason why the scenery on the screen appeared more surreal.

The main subject of the photo: "Archway Islands"

The massive rocks visible in the sea in the Windows image are a group of sea stacks known as "Archway Islands."

Over many years, they have been eroded by waves and wind, resulting in large holes in some of the rocks. Depending on the viewing position and tide level, they can appear as independent islands or as a massive rock wall extending from the coast.

The famous image was taken from inside a cave at the edge of the beach, looking out to the sea. The dark cave acts as a natural frame, with the bright sky, sea, rocks, and beach arranged beyond it.

The photo is widely reported to have been taken by the world-renowned photographer Steve McCurry. Known for the portrait "Afghan Girl," McCurry is said to have participated in a photography project in New Zealand coinciding with the release of Windows 10.

The photo is believed to have undergone adjustments in color and brightness, but the cave, beach, and rocks standing in the sea are real.

In other words, while it is a "processed photo," it is not a "non-existent landscape."

This is the point that surprises travelers who visit the site and share their experiences on social media. What seemed too fantastical to be real on the screen actually appears before them, accompanied by the sound of the wind and the scent of the tide.

"Was it real?" The surprise that spread on social media

The travel creator who helped spread the attention this time initially thought the local photos were heavily processed images.

However, upon visiting, the massive sea stacks, rugged sand dunes, and caves were all there. They even returned twice on the same day to see it during sunset.

When this video and related posts were shared, five main reactions were observed on social media.

The first was pure astonishment: "Was that a real place?"

The Windows lock screen is not something viewed with the location of the photo in mind. It is displayed repeatedly as a background until logging in, and while it remains in users' memories, it was not associated with a real place name.

The second reaction was, "I thought it was CG or a composite."

The darkness of the cave, the brightness outside, the arrangement of the rocks, and the reflection on the wet sand are so perfectly aligned that it feels like a game or movie background. Even after seeing the local video, some comments doubted, "Is it really the same place?"

The third reaction was nostalgia for Windows 10.

Windows 10 debuted in 2015 and ended mainstream support on October 14, 2025. For those who used it at school, work, or home, this beach is not just a landscape but is tied to memories of about a decade of life and work.

Feelings like "I used to start work every morning with this screen," "I stared at it many times when I forgot my password," and "It reminds me of my office computer" are not born from the beauty of a tourist spot alone.

The fourth reaction is the desire for a "pilgrimage" to recreate the same composition.

On the overseas forum Reddit, a photo recreating the lock screen at Wharariki Beach was posted, garnering over 9,000 upvotes. Reactions included "At first, I thought the actual lock screen was posted" and "I couldn't tell it apart from the original image."

The fifth reaction is enjoying it as a meme.

This landscape has long been used in jokes showing the Windows screen while saying "I'm on vacation at the beach now," or as material for compositing game or anime characters. Even without knowing the location, the image alone was familiar, establishing its unique notoriety as a meme.

Is it true that "tourists are flocking"?

Some articles describe tourists flocking due to the SNS video.

Additionally, at a holiday park near the beach, there is an anecdote that a significant number of guests at the reception ask for directions to the shooting location, showing the Windows image.

However, as of now, detailed visitor numbers released by public institutions or tourism statistics comparing before and after the video release have not been confirmed.

Therefore, it is necessary to separate "being a global topic on social media" from "a sudden increase in tourists on-site."

Since shortly after Windows 10's debut, people have been searching for the shooting location, and by 2016, the place was identified on travel sites and Microsoft's community. Within New Zealand, it has long been known as a scenic spot, visited by landscape photographers and travelers seeking nature.

It is more accurate to say that a long-known beach was rediscovered through social media, rather than being suddenly discovered recently.

Nonetheless, short videos have a significant power to motivate new travelers.

What was once "a familiar image but an unknown location" has transformed into "a place I can visit." Social media instantly linked the memory on the screen with real travel plans.

"Low tide" is the key point if you visit

If you want to see a landscape close to the Windows photo, the most important factor is the tide level.

It is generally easier to walk in the cave and on the wide sandy beach around low tide. When the tide is out, the sand wet by the waves becomes a giant mirror, reflecting the sky and Archway Islands.

On the other hand, during high tide, seawater may reach near the cave, making it impossible to reach the same spot as in the photo. Even if you can reach the beach itself, you may not be able to recreate the composition in your mind.

When planning your visit, be sure to check the local tide tables, not just the weather.

If your goal is photography, plan to arrive at the beach 1-2 hours before low tide, making it easier to find shooting locations as you watch the tide recede.

Evening is particularly popular. Wharariki Beach faces the western sea, and if conditions are right, the rocks and wet sand are illuminated by the sunset.

However, do not prioritize the sunset alone.

A 20-minute walk is required to return to the parking lot, passing through pastures and forests. If you might return after sunset, bring a light and allow enough time to avoid getting lost.

There are limited days when "low tide," "sunset," and "weather" align ideally. Rather than seeking the exact same scenery as the photo, enjoying the different expressions created by the day's wind, clouds, and waves will likely result in greater satisfaction.

This is not a beach for swimming

Seeing the vast sandy beach might make you want to enter the sea, but Wharariki Beach is not suitable for swimming.

The New Zealand Department of Conservation clearly advises against swimming due to strong currents and rip tides. The environment is vastly different from a typical swimming beach with lifeguards.

While it may appear calm on screen, the actual sea is windy, and the waves are large. When the weather changes, the once calm scenery can become rough in a short time.

Even inside the cave, you should always check how far the waves are reaching. Focusing on photography and not noticing waves coming from behind or the side is one of the common accidents on the coast.

The footing is also slippery on rocky areas and tide pools. Shoes that are comfortable to walk in and can get wet are more suitable than sandals.

Additionally, preparation for strong winds is necessary. Even on sunny days, it is reassuring to have a lightweight windproof jacket and a bag to protect your camera or smartphone from sand.

Keep at least 20 meters away from seals

At Wharariki Beach, you may see New Zealand fur seal pups playing in tide pools.

Seeing wildlife up close is a major attraction of this beach. However, some travelers get too close trying to capture their adorable appearance.

The Department of Conservation advises keeping at least 20 meters away from seals. Do not chase them or block their path back to the sea.

Even if they seem accustomed to humans, seals are wild animals. If they feel cornered, they may bite in self-defense.

On social media, photos taken with telephoto lenses may appear as if they were taken from close range. You should not attempt to get the same distance in reality to recreate those photos.

It is more important to leave the animals in their usual state than to bring back good photos.

The mindset of passing through farmland

The path from the parking lot to the beach passes through managed farmland.

Therefore, you must not open or close gates based on your own judgment; leave them as you found them. There is a reason for open gates being open and closed gates being closed.

Avoid approaching livestock or collecting plants. Bringing pets is prohibited, and camping is not allowed within nature reserves or farm parks.

Since trash cans may not be available, the principle is to take all your trash with you.

The preservation of Wharariki Beach's landscape is not solely due to restricted access. It is maintained through the cooperation of visitors, farms, local residents, and conservation organizations, preserving an environment with few man-made structures.

To leave the same scenery as the Windows photo for the future, photographers themselves need to become part of this system.

If visiting from Japan, make it a destination, not a side trip

For Japanese travelers, Wharariki Beach is not a place that can be easily added to a short trip to New Zealand.

Traveling from Japan to New Zealand requires moving to the South Island via Auckland or Christchurch, and further heading towards Nelson or Golden Bay.

While renting a car is practical locally, the road to Takaka includes mountainous sections. Although the driving lane is the same left-hand side as in Japan, it involves long hours of driving on unfamiliar roads, so a relaxed schedule is desirable.

According to data from Tourism New Zealand published in 2024, the average stay for Japanese vacation travelers is about 7 days.

In a 7-day trip, trying to visit all the classic tourist spots like Auckland, Rotorua, Queenstown, Tekapo, and Wharariki Beach can easily turn into a journey focused on moving around.

If visiting Wharariki Beach, consider it as part of a region-limited trip centered around Nelson and Golden Bay.

For example, enter Golden Bay from Nelson and stay overnight around Takaka. The next day, visit Te Waikoropupu Springs and Collingwood, and stay another night near Wharariki Beach. After that, visit Farewell Spit and Cape Farewell.

By securing at least two nights, preferably three, in Golden Bay, you can adjust your visit time according to the tide and weather.

Near the beach, there is a holiday park with tent sites, campervan spaces, and cabins. The cafe near the parking lot operates seasonally, typically during New Zealand's spring to autumn.

Japan's summer corresponds to New Zealand's winter, and Japan's winter to New Zealand's summer. Since daylight hours and temperatures are opposite to those in Japan, if aiming for the sunset, check the sunset times for each season.