Northland

Northland

Nearby

Auckland Waikato Bay of Plenty

Northland: Understand

Population ~ 152,000

Head up to the tippy-top of New Zealand for beaches on both the East and West Coast, Kauri forests, cliff-top walking trails and to be close to our native Māori culture.

Cape Reinga lighthouse
Matapouri beach

Northland: See & Do

You could spend a number of days in Northland, “The Birthplace of New Zealand.” There are four main centres and a whole bunch of nature!

Four main centres in Northland…

1. Whangarei

Whangarei is the largest settlement in Northland, with a number of art galleries and restaurants. Ocean Beach at Whangarei Heads is a 35-minute drive from Whangarei and is a great spot for boogie-boarding and surfing, sand dune climbing and rock pool exploring at low tide.

2. Russell

Russell is one of those towns you want to just stop and take it all in. Quiet, small and picturesque. It’s also in the heart of the Bay of Islands.

3. Paihia

Paihia is a launchpad for some great diving spots, and there are panoramic views from the Opua Forest Paihia Lookout track, just Southwest of the township.

Waitangi is a short walk from Paihia and is where the Treaty of Waitangi (our founding document) was signed in 1840. An interesting part of New Zealand history! And the grounds are also quite nice to wander around too.

4. Kerikeri

The first New Zealand grape, citrus, and avocado trees were all planted in Kerikeri – the start of something great! Sunday mornings there’s a farmers market in Kerikeri and across the road a craft market. The Rainbow Falls is a short drive from Kerikeri, and the 400m trail from the carpark is wheelchair accessible. It’s a popular swimming hole, and kayakers often explore here too.

Rainbow Falls, Kerikeri

Our favourite Northland adventures

The Poor Knights Islands off Tutukaka are one of the best diving spots.

Due to the tropical current coming down from the Pacific Islands, there are all sorts of fish (and even Manta Ray’s sometimes)!

Whether you’re diving or snorkelling, the trip is well worth it.

French explorer Jacques Cousteau named the Poor Knights Islands as one of the top 10 dive spots in the world!

Diving Poor Knights Islands

Matapouri has a beautiful, long beach and a bunch of holiday homes. From the north end of the beach you can join a track and walk up and over to the Mermaid Pools. They’re super clear and at low tide they’re protected from the crashing waves. The Whale Bay Headland Track takes about 45-minutes and does well on the view-front.

Matapouri Beach
Whale Bay Headland Track
Whale Bay

Just north of Matapouri is Sandy Bay, which is a hot spot for surfing.

The Waipoua Forest on the west coast is home to 3/4 of New Zealand’s Kauri trees! Tane Mahuta (Māori for ‘Lord of the Forest’) stands at 52 meters tall.

The Bay of Islands is in the east and is the perfect spot for kayaking, seeing dolphins and chilling out on beaches. When my brother and I were kids, we were surprised with a trip north to the Bay of Islands, and my childhood obsession with dolphins went next level! We also found the Hole in the Rock pretty cool on our boat trip. You can also see the Bay of Islands from above, by taking a scenic flight from Kerikeri.

Dolphin in Bay of Islands
Dolphins in the Bay of Islands

Cape Reinga is at the northernmost tip of New Zealand. There’s a lighthouse that is a short walk from the carpark, and from here you can watch the Pacific Ocean collide with the Tasman Sea!

Ninety Mile Beach is our longest beach in New Zealand, the perfect spot for sunset.

Cape Reinga & Ninety Mile Beach
Cape Reinga
Cape Reinga

Biking in Northland

The Twin Coast Cycle Trail (Pou Herenga Tai) is a 2 day, 84km trail featuring suspension bridges and train corridors. The trail starts in the Bay of Islands (Opua) in the east and finishes at the Hokianga Harbour (Horeke) in the west. It’s a great option year-round! For more information, be sure to jump here.

The Far North Cycleway finishes in the same place as the Twin Coast Trail but starts from the lighthouse at Cape Reinga. It’s also 2 days, but 161km and includes beach-biking! You can hire bikes from the following towns: Kawakawa, Mangonui, Kaitaia, Ahipara, Kohukohu, Rawene or Omapere. More info here.

The Kauri Coast Cycleway is a decent 1 day, or more chilled 2-day adventure covering 113km down the west side of Northland. It starts in Rawene and finishes in the Kaipara Harbour. You actually travel through the Waipoua Kauri Forest, and can stop in to see Tane Mahuta. More info here.

You can extend the Kauri Coast Cycleway to get all the way into central Auckland on the Kaipara Missing Link. It’s 2-3 days and 118km, and involves a boat trip across the Kaipara Harbour. More info here.

Hiking in Northland

Our absolute top pick for a northland trek would be the Cape Brett Track. It is possible to do in a day, but it’s also quite enjoyable to take 2 days, spending the night in the hut and having more time to explore the lighthouse (maybe catch sunrise up there). It’s 16.5km each way, it’s an in-and-out track and there are some stunning coastal views (which comes hand-in-hand with steep cliffs and drop offs). You can also take a water taxi (in, out, or both!). More info on the track here.

We love reaching the summit, so Mt Manaia and Tokatoka Peak would be two highlights in Northland for us. Mt Manaia is approximately 3 hours return, reaching 403 meters and showing off views of the Whangarei harbour entrance. Takatoka Peak is just 40-minutes return with 360-degree country views near Dargaville. The peak itself is quite a unique shape, which is unmissable from roads nearby.

Another 1-day hiking option is the Bay of Islands Coastal Walkway. Taking 8-hours in total, it’s a full circle that includes a ferry ride from Opua to Okiato and from Russell back to the start in Paihia. More info here.

Northland: Eat

In Whangarei there’s a highly recommended (and cheap) Indian restaurant open for lunch and dinner, Khane Bahar. For a fine dining experience in Whangarei, TopSail has great views and food to match.

Dargaville has a great Thai place called Raan Ahaan – the decor leaves a bit to be desired, but the food is fresh and tasty.

In Russell you’ll find Omata Estate. It’s at the pricier end, with phenomenal views, wine, platters and wood-fired pizzas it’s a great lunch option.

El Cafe is a fantastic Mexican option in Paihia, nice on the wallet and taste buds.

Kerikeri is home to Ake Ake Vinyard Restaurant – priced at the mid-range, with excellent food and service. Cafe Jerusalem is also in Kerikeri serving delicious, flavoursome food that is middle-eastern inspired.

Northland

Northland: Sleep

There are a bunch of DOC campgrounds in Northland, from South to North:

  • Uretiti (east, beach)
  • Taharoa (west, lake)
  • Otamure (east, beach)
  • Puriri Bay (east, beach)
  • Matai Bay (east, peninsula)
  • Rarawa (east, beach)
  • Spirits Bay (the top! Cape Reinga)
  • Tapotupotu (also at the top! Cape Reinga)

If you’re not camping or in a campervan, accommodation is not very cheap up in Northland. We usually use Air BnB or BookaBach when we stay up here.

Mel’s Cabins ($$) in Kerikeri is still quite new, so the cabin is really modern as are the facilities. Breakfast is also a treat here!

Bays Cabinz ($$) in Paihia has self-contained cabins, it’s walking distance to town and the hosts are super friendly.

36 Steps to the Beach ($$) has cabins in Tutukaka. Free kayak use!

Mason Lane Apartment ($$) is a great option near Whangarei, with views and a spa pool. There’s also bikes, kayaks and standup paddleboards available.

For family cottages in Whangarei, check out Birchgrove Cottages ($$). Great hosts, and very comfortable cabins.

Uretiti Beach, Northland

Where to next?

Nearby Regions:

Auckland Waikato Bay of Plenty

Beautiful beaches, Treaty of Waitangi

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