Go to the top of New Zealand! and other Northland, New Zealand Things to Do Tips

Cape Reinga isn't actually the northernmost point of New Zealand, but it is as far north as most people will be able to get.
This is a greatly picturesque headland, fittingly graced by a traditional looking lighthouse, a signpost, and some impressive rocky cliffs. To top it off, the churning point where the currents of the Tasman Sea meet those of the rest of the Pacific is the backdrop and there are great views along a sweeping and deserted beach to Cape Maria Van Diemen.
From Cape Reinga, you can see the place where Maori tradition says the spirits of the dead leap from New Zealand to travel back to the mythical land of Hawaiki. If you look carefully you will see a lone Pohutukawa tree on that point - it is over 700 years old and very tapu (sacred).

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Directions: Follow State Highway 1 to its beginning/end. Plenty of parking. The last 20km or so are gravel.

The Bay of Islands is a beautiful island studded harbour formed from drowned river valleys. Paihia is the main town for tourists, though Kerikeri is actually the commercial centre. Russell is an historic town that used to be the capital of New Zealand. Waitangi is where modern New Zealand was born and is mostly a historical reserve. You can read more about the Bay of Islands in my pages devoted to that place as well as my Russell and Paihia pages. I had a holiday with IcemanNZL and some other friends up there in Jan 2004, so check IcemanNZL's pages too for more info. My last holiday there was January 2006.

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Kerikeri is the main commercial town for the Bay of Islands area of Northland. However, in the Kerikeri Basin (an inlet from the Bay), are two of New Zealand's most important heritage buildings. One is the oldest stone building in New Zealand - the Stone Store, which is still an operating shop - though it only caters for tourists now. The other is New Zealand's oldest building, Kemp House (which my Dad actually lived in for a while back in the 1950s). Kemp House was built in 1822 and has survived fire and flood - an amazing life for an old wooden building. A combined entry ticket to both is $NZ6.50 for adults, though univeristy students get really good discounts. If you want to also visit Pompallier House in Russell, I would strongly advise you pay a little more and get the combined ticket for that. You could visit these two buildings in the morning and then drive to Paihia (20 minutes) and catch a ferry to Russell to see Pompallier.

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Address: Kerikeri Basin.
Directions: From Paihia and State Highway 10, drive through Kerikeri township and just follow the road to the basin. Free parking is on the other side of the one-way bridge (coming from town), on the left.

On the road to Cape Reinga, there is a big sign pointing out the road to the giant sand dunes near the Te Paki stream. If you follow that road to the carpark, you will arrive at the Te Paki sand dunes. Climb up them for a view of Ninety Mile Beach. You can hire sand boards (boogie boards) from Dave and Rose, who have a van in the car park. It will cost you NZ$10 to hire a board for 1 hour. Dave will point out the best spots on the dunes to sand board down. Climbing back up the dunes is a test of your physical fitness... your calves will burn!
If you go on a special coach trip from the Bay of Islands or Kaitaia, you will actually drive along Ninety Mile Beach in a special bus and they will provide modified boogie boards for you to slide down the sand dunes!
See Fullers in Paihia for info about their coach trips.

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Tane Mahuta is viewed by some Maori as an incarnation of a god. The tree is a Kauri and is over 2000 years old. Sitting in its presence is kind of awe inspiring. It's incredible to look at something that old and still alive. Some locals told us it has had a lot of work done on it to conserve it.
Tane Mahuta is in the Waipoua Forest on the west coast of Northland. If you have time (we didn't), go for a walk through the forest. It is NZ's largest remaining Kauri forest (they're our most spectacular trees for size) and forests like this used to cover huge tracts of the upper North Island.

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Address: Close to State Highway 12.
Directions: There is a carpark on State Highway 12 and a couple of signs to warn you that Tane Mahuta is just around the corner. It's a five minute walk from the carpark.

Ninety Mile Beach is actually closer to 90kms, but when you're on it, it feels awfully long!
You can get special coach trips that roar through the surf and stop at sand dunes where you can boogie board down them.
If you have your own transport, look for signposted entries to the beach off State Highway 1. There's one not far north of Ahipara town. It can be dangerous taking your own car onto the beach, and rental cars are not covered by insurance.
This is an old (and dodgy) photo from 1987 on a family trip... I'll do better next time!

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Directions: Ninety Mile Beach is in the far north. You need to head north from Kaitaia, this areas main town. You can get special package coach trips that drive on the beach in Kaitaia for about $NZ45.