For many, it’s the definition of a quintessential Kiwi summer - sand, surf, jandals, BBQs, and a waterfront bach. For the lucky ones among us, many of our fondest childhood memories were made at a family bach, whether that’s over Christmas, a long weekend, a summer holiday or even during a winter escape.

But just like us, the humble bach has grown and changed over the years, and Bill Mckay an architect and senior lecturer at the University of Auckland says things started off pretty simply.

“They were very basic. There were usually two bedrooms - one for mum and dad, and the other one for everyone else. You’d have bunks or mattresses on the floor and very basic kitchen facilities.”

“There’d be a bookshelf with dog-eared magazines and old books on it for a rainy day. There was a toilet, maybe a long drop outside and a hose for a shower. It was very basic.”

McKay says a lot of baches sat on “pretty decent sized sections”, which made it easy to store extra toys and house guests.

“You could park the boat and the extra cars.”

It was during the eighties that McKay says things started to turn up a notch when it came to bach design.

“I think that's the period when they really became holiday homes and at the same time in suburbia, houses started getting flasher too.”

“I think it was down to a generational shift in lifestyle, the wealthy having more money to spend, and the rise of the dinner party culture where you wanted a nice place to impress your guests.”

14 Endeavour Place, Cooks Beach, Thames - Coromandel listed by Bayleys Whitianga

WHAT IS THE TYPICAL BACH LIKE NOW?

McKay says most baches - even the more basic ones now have good kitchens, plumbing, full lounges, and comfortable bedrooms. Alot of them also replicate many of the features you’d find in a primary residence.

“Architects started getting involved and the motivation to build bigger and better became the same for the bach, as it was for people’s main homes.”

“A lot of these properties aren’t really baches. It’s a bit like the Hamptons and they’re probably best described as really flash houses that happen to be at the beach.”

Many come with all the extra trimmings that make a property high-end like swimming pools, modern fitouts and even Japanese-style onsen bathtubs like this property for sale in Wanaka.

West Wanaka Road, Roys Peninsula, Wanaka listed by Bayleys Queenstown

73A Beach Road, Matua, Tauranga and Surrounds listed by Bayleys Tauranga

WHAT’S DRIVEN THE CHANGE?

McKay says there are a few factors that have sparked an increase in the number of high-end holiday homes, including an increase in connectivity and more people working from home.

“If you can work from home, why pay big city prices for that home? You can go to Hawke's Bay or somewhere like that instead.”

The aging population is another driver.

“You might be thinking that when you retire you want the property to have a few more ‘mod cons’ than usual.”

McKay says that many Kiwis want to buy something new and modern because they also want their holiday home to actually be a holiday.

“We've got much more hectic, fast-paced lifestyles. We don't want to be mowing the lawns anymore. We don't want to be doing little jobs around the place. We're exhausted.”

McKay also believes there’s more motivation to buy high-end baches in remote locations, which can make it cheaper to get on the bach property ladder too.

“If it was three-quarters of an hour, maybe an hour away, you would probably go there every second weekend. But if the commute becomes a couple of hours, you are going there less but spending longer periods of time there.”

“So you want a decent shower, and you don’t want the basic stuff anymore.

Bay of Many Coves, Queen Charlotte Sound, Marlborough listed by Bayleys Marlborough

CAN YOU STILL FIND A CLASSIC BACH?

Although the typical Kiwi bach has undergone an extreme makeover over the past four decades, McKay says there’s still some spots where you can go back to basics.

“There’s a lot in the South Island and the further south you go the cheaper the land is in general, but there are also some pockets up north as well. Locations like Northland and down on the East Cape.”

There’s also been an emergence of high-end classic styled baches too.

Architects are observing a current trend in bach design. Many baches are becoming more architecturally focused while still maintaining a simple and classic 'bach' aesthetic. For example, architect Gordon Moller has a striking one in the Kapiti region and Lance and Nicola Herbst have intentionally designed a charmingly rustic bach on Great Barrier Island.

Right now, this three-bedroom Kaeo property ticks all the same boxes, presenting a simple escape with multi-million-dollar views.

16A Riwhi Way, Kaeo, Northland listed by Bayleys Bay of Island

1372 Coast Road, Karitane, Dunedin listed by Bayleys Dunedin

WHAT’S THE DEMAND LIKE FOR A BACH?

With most Kiwi’s definition of the traditional bach sitting near the water’s edge, according to Bayleys Q3 Waterfront Residential Update the regions that saw the largest number of waterfront property sales was Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty.

There were an estimated 1,561 waterfront property sales across New Zealand between April 2023 and March 2024 in total, with an average sale price of $1,265,825.

But while we’ve seen the humble Kiwi bach evolve into magnificent trophy homes, analysis showed the majority of waterfront sales actually involved more mainstream properties. So with interest rates going down and summer temperatures going up, the allure of a waterfront bach looks set to keep growing. Check out the selection waterfront front listings currently on offer here.