Top Five Most Beautiful Places North of Auckland
To ring in the New Year, we decided to head North of Auckland. We loaded the car, purchased plenty of road snacks, and began our next adventure. What we ended up discovering was raw beauty. From rolling green meadows to towering sand dunes, we were inundated with sights that blew our minds. Now, beauty should never be a secret, so I have composed a list of the top five most beautiful places North of Auckland for you to discover.
Waipu
Waipu beach is a great place to decompress from hectic city life with its tussock lined white sand stretching as far as you can be bothered walking. .
But if you are in the area be sure to check out the Waipu Caves for a dark adventure. Edging into a forgotten labyrinth, the caves are open maws of darkness with a hidden surprise awaiting brave adventurers. Venture far enough, frog hopping across stones and avoiding the eel inhabited waters, and the ceiling will soon transform from inky black to fluorescent blue. This is because Waipu Caves are inhabited by thousands upon thousands of glowworms. To best visualise this, imagine you are standing beneath an inky night sky, but instead of gaseous balls hanging above you, there are millions of worms with glowing butts. It is truely a beautiful sight.
Furthermore, this is my go to glowworm site in New Zealand. It’s accessible and most importantly it’s free.
Travel Tip: Remember to bring a reliable headlamp and waterproof shoes. The latter is not a must, as I did witness a brave soul doing the walk barefoot. Though with those eels slithering around, I don’t know if I would recommend it for the squeamish. You may have your toes nibbled on.
Paihia
The name translates as Good Here in Maori and Paihia certainly lives up to this name. There is so many things you can do during your stay here, all of which are indeed good. You can delight in the sights and spend a day kayaking to one of the many islands dotting the bay, or chill on one of the white sanded beaches and soak up those vitamins Ds. If the thought of dolphins make you go “squeeeeeee”, then hop on to one of the many dolphin watching charters that depart from Paihia and spend your day frolicking with dolphins. Or perhaps history is more your jam, then you should learn about the cultural heritage of New Zealand by hopping over to Waitangi, which is a short five minute drive from Paihia. And as the day leaves for night, grab a dinner of hot salty chips, and munch on them while watching the sun fall into the horizon. A Paihia sunset is not something you should miss out on. Neither are the hot chips.
Russel
New Zealand’s historical capital, Russell is a charming and pretty place to visit. If you are in Paihia, then simply walk down to the wharf and hop on a ferry to reach Russell. The ride only takes around 15 minutes, and an adult ticket costs $12.50 return. A steal for giving you access to a whole different town to adventure in. We ended up boarding the Fullers GreatSights ferry, as they left the earliest at 7:20am, and we wanted to squeeze as much exploring in as possible. Once you have arrived, make sure to meander down to Delish Finest Ice Cream and Coffee, for a much needed caffeine kick. Once you are suitably buzzing with caffeine goodness, it is time to sit that exploring hat on your noggin.
The beach is a pebbled, so make sure to slip on your jandals before heading down the coast to avoid pained feet. If you walk far enough, you will come across some interesting rock pools. It can be quite fun spending some time trying to identify all the sea creatures living here, from starfish to crabby crabs. If you are feeling like a little bit of greenery and a mini hike, make your way up the Flagstaff Hill Track. This is a really nice walk, and the native North Island Weka is a bird that often frequents this area. An encounter with this quirky curious bird will be one you remember for a long time. Many mistake these birds for kiwi, but unlike kiwi these birds are active during the day and have shorter beaks. This is however a kiwi zone, so dogs are not allowed.
Te Paki Sand Dunes
Walking onto the Great Sand Dunes, or Te Paki, you would be forgiven in thinking you have been transported to a far off land. It is unworldly and will definitely steal your breathe from your agape mouth.
The fun thing about this place, is that you can walk in any direction for five minutes and you will still see towering sun dunes as far as your eye can see. As one man said, when asked what was over the next hill, “it is just more sand” he ruthfully replied. But it isn’t just more sand. It is an experience of feeling so small and young when surrounded with something so vast and old. Sit and contemplate the magnitude of what you are seeing, scramble up vertical slipping hills of sand to reach the top of the sand kingdom, and for the more adventurous rent a boogie board in the carpark and boogie your way down one of this giant dunes. Or as my cheap ass did, roll down on your butt. Though I don’t know if I would recommend this method, as you will get sand everywhere. And I mean everywhere.
Travel Tip: It is best to get here early during the Summer months. The sand will quickly heat to molten levels of hotness as the day progresses. Save yourself the pain of scorched blistered feet. Trust me.
Cape Reinga
A red and white lighthouse will salute you when you reach the very tippy top of New Zealand, a beacon that has called thousands of people to this spot before you and will call thousands more after you have left.
This is not simply a spot where you can regale your friends that you have reached the top of New Zealand or take that iconic selfie next to a lighthouse, it’s a spot of beauty as well as spiritual significance.
Walking down the winding path, the landscape in front of you will slowly unfold, that of endless ocean and jagged rock faces. Once you arrive at the end of the path, you will see the lighthouse looming and a sign post which directs to far flung counties. Looking down, you will see the clash of titans. Two oceans colliding, the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean. And jutting our bolding from the stone cliff face is a twisted and ancient Pohutukawa Tree. Rumoured to be over 800 years old.
The walk itself is very interesting, with wooden signs dotted along the way talking of the spiritual significance of the area. Furthermore, be on the lookout also for Californian Quail and yellowhammers, birds which frequent this area.
Travel Tip: There is no eating while at the Cape, as it is a sacred site.