Thinking about a trip to Northland, New Zealand. Well then take some time to explore this information. Northland is as large as Switzerland, but with fewer people. The best thing to do in Northland is to explore the outdoors, it has some of the best beaches in the country. If you plan to see and explore Northland, it will take you a good two weeks. The distances seem not that large, but most of the time you will drive on single lane and windy roads. Once in a while the traffic stops, because a farmer moves his stock. So take your time. If you have more than two weeks time and want to explore the volcanic area of the North Island, then a trip to the National Park is a great combination.

To find your way around I post some links that make it easier to navigate the world wide web.

You find general travelling information on New Zealand here www.newzealand.com/travel. If you want to know a bit more about the history of the country, explore this site www.nzhistory.net.nz.

To get the whole picture and find your way around, check out this map www.newzealand.com/travel/destinations/new-zealand-map/interactive_map_home.cfm.

Some of the best areas to explore the nature is in the protected wildlife areas that are preserved by the Department of Conservation. You can find many good hiking trails, safe beaches, and information on wildlife on www.doc.govt.nz/templates/ByRegionLanding.aspx?id=32100. If you plan a longer trip to New Zealand it is worth visiting the area around the National Park with its volcanic mountains www.nationalpark.co.nz.

If you are worried that is is not warm enough to wear your shorts, check out the climate & weather information http://www.tourism.net.nz/new-zealand/about-new-zealand/weather-and-climate.html#climate.

Agree, the temperature dont match Hawaii, but who wants to see the americans anyway. If you fancy a trip check out the car & van hire rates www.motorhomesandcars.com/motorhome-car-hire-new-zealand.aspx.

Once you are up and running with your plans check out the general information on Northland
www.newzealand.com/travel/destinations/regions/northland or www.northlandnz.com/visit.
Again a good way to find the treasures is with the Department of Conservation that have solid information on tracks and campsites www.doc.govt.nz/templates/defaultlanding.aspx?id=32362.
If you happend to travel with a car or campervan, most official campsites offer studio’s or have rooms www.nzcamping.co.nz/region.php?id=1.

The Bay of Islands is not only where Fiona is from, but is the birth place of New Zealand. Two hundred years ago the whale hunters where having a blast in Russell, which back then was the main capital of New Zealand. Things changed a bit since then, but it is still worth checking it out www.northlandnz.com/destinations/east_coast/bay_of_islands.htm. Again some good information on places to see is with the Department of Conservation guide
www.doc.govt.nz/templates/placeprofilesummary.aspx?id=34367. Tracks and walks in this area are profiled here www.doc.govt.nz/templates/trackandwalkprofilesummary.aspx?id=36842.

So, what about Kerikeri. It is one of the larger towns in the Bay of Islands and a good hub to see places www.newzealand.com/travel/destinations/regions/northland/towns.cfm/nodeid/101.html.


Northland is large and offers great walks in the bush and some of the best beaches in New Zealand. I list a selection of things you can do that have proven to be lots of fun. If you happend to visit with a campervan and last without using your credit card for 5 minutes, well then I recommend to chill out at Rawara Beach www.doc.govt.nz/templates/campsiteprofilesummary.aspx?id=37055 or Matai Bay. Both places offer safe swimming, nice beaches, no shops to spend money and plenty of space. The only scary thing is you dont need to share the beach with other people... www.granthunter.co.nz/MG_Cats/MG_Beaches/MG_2037_beaches.html.

Another great place to enjoy the beach is Taupo Bay, where you can rent a surfboard at the surf school, stay in a studio at the Camping ground and relax www.whangaroa.co.nz/Taupo_Bay.cfm

One of my favority scenic drives is just north of Keriker that has plenty of places to go swimming, hike, have a picknic, count shells at the beach, ... it is the road off highway 10 between Kerikeri and Whangaroa www.whangaroa.co.nz/Our_County.cfm. There are two great short walks in that area, at Mahinepou beach and Whangaroa that offer great views on the coast. Well if you are just in that area, check out the Fish n chips shop at Mangonui www.aatravel.co.nz/main/listing.php?listingId=55469. The chips are crisp and the fish is as fresh as it can get.

Unfortunately it is not recommended to take a rental vehicle on to the beach. But the 90 mile beach is a national road, so you will see plenty of cars taking their chances. If you have time and make it all the way up to Cape Reinga, well, then you will experience wildlife pure. It is a very remote area and you better pack your lunch in advance. This is one of my favorite area’s, but for some reason I have not found the time to explore it properly. Great hikes, awesome views, it feels like the end of the world www.doc.govt.nz/templates/trackandwalkprofilesummary.aspx?id=36994.

If you are a tree hugger then dont miss out to see the Waipoua Forest, which is one of the few remaining native forests in Northland. It is a great drive to get there and the area has great walks of all lenght www.doc.govt.nz/templates/PlaceProfile.aspx?id=34423.

Another area on the west coast that is of interest and offers fresh water swimming is the Kai Iwi lakes. They are quite shallow and therefore the water gets very warm, almost tropical. The lakes offer sand beaches, how nice www.communities.co.nz/KaiIwiLakes/Index.cfm.

Although I am not much of a golf player it is one of those sports you can play everywhere in New Zealand. Every second village has a golf course, just go and hit the ball, may be you are the next Tiger Woods! There are two top golf courses in the Bay of Islands: www.carrington.co.nz and www.kauricliffs.com (since I am not good enough I have never played there).

If you want to wine and dine in style, well enjoy the local winnery either in Kerikeri www.marsdenestate.co.nz or 1.5 hours further north at the Karikari estate www.karikariestate.co.nz). Make sure you bring your wallet.

One of the top things to do in the Bay of Islands is to explore it by sea. The best place to get a ride is from Russell or Paihia www.sailnz.co.nz/default.asp?pageId=36&site=dolphins.

Well, I am sure you hit a rainy day. This is the time to prop up your history knowledge. Since the Bay of Islands is were the white settlers landed first it has a pretty good museum, showing Maori culture and New Zealand history. The Museum is in the heart of the Bay of Islands, roughly 30 minutes from Kerikeri by car www.waitangi.net.nz/about.

Auckland is the largest city in New Zealand, with almost a 3rd of the countries population. Since there is a good chance you come across this town I point out some of the things you can do while here. I am sure you will find the Viaduct, which is the waterfront area with restaurants and bars. If you are not afraid from being served by gay men, well then the restaurant SPQR has great food, great service www.spqrnz.co.nz. Just across the road you find a classic kiwi bar, called Chapel. Some of the bloaks that hang out there look like they play with the All Blacks http://www.allblacks.com/. So please dont wear your Alinghi T-shirt. To kill time during the day, get away from the shops and see the city, the Sky Tower offers some good views and you can do a bungy jump there too www.skycityauckland.co.nz. I am sure you need a coffee before you jump to get you a bit excited, well then ask for a flat white http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_White.

If you are interest to see how crowded a beach can get in New Zealand, well then go to Piha. It offers views on the wild west coast. Its about 45 min drive from Auckland. If you remember the movie the Piano, well thats were they made it. It is a favorite spot for all the surfers from Auckland, so if you haven’t surf yet, take a lesson at Piha www.pihasurfschool.com. Not everyday is a good surf day - the area around Piha offers great hikes from 1 hours to day hikes www.arc.govt.nz/auckland-regional-parks/arataki/arataki_home.cfm.

There is some good mountain biking north of Auckland, stop by at Woodhill, 45 minutes north west of Auckland. They have a mountain bike trail park that is one of the largest in the country. You can hire bikes on the spot www.bikeparks.co.nz.

Another sport that is a bit bigger than mountain biking is sailing. You should check out the marina in Auckland, nice boats. Take a sailing trip and learn from the best sailors in the world. You can sail on an old america’s cup boat and do some grinding or just go for a sailing trip along the coast http://www.sailnz.co.nz.

Well that’s the tips. I am sure you find better things to do, let me know!

Dani