"New Zealand in 3,5 days" a New Zealand Travel Page by JustinJansen

Spent only a 3,5 days in New Zealand at the Northern island in early may 1998. I spents ome time around Auckland and some places around Auckland. I hired after the transportation and a night sleep in a hostel a car and drove around.

Miranda

Miranda is situated in southwestern corner of the Firth of Thames. It’s about one hour southwest from Auckland. Take the Highway 1 out of Auckland, and take the turn-off at Pokeno to Hamilton (and I think Miranda is also sign posted), don’t take the turn off into the 2 but go straight ahead to Miranda. You can’t reach the spot by public transport. Miranda is a well-known estuary for shorebirds and up to 40.000 birds can be recorded here in the right season. The New Zealand summer is the right period and November to March are real good months. There is an information center, and you can stay here overnight. I stayed here and I really enjoyed it. To contact the center RD 1, Pokeno, South Auckland, New Zealand Phone (64) 9 232 2781 ore mail shorebird@xtra.co.nz and all the extra info you can find on http://www.miranda-shorebird.org.nz

Rotorua

The main reason to head for Rotorua and his surroundings are thenice landscape and the hot water springs.
The island in the middle of Lake Rotorua named Mokoai Island is easy reachable with the Scatcat that departs from the pier and goes several times a day, and is a good spot to recorded several endangered birdspecies..

Pureora State Forest

The park is located in the eastern King Country in a square formed by Te Kuiti in the northwest, Tokoroa in the northeast, Taumarunui in the southwest and Turangi in the southeast. Because of its good location between north-south State Highways 3 and 4 in the west and State Highway 1 in the east it is easily accessible for those prepared to make a short diversion. Access to the park itself is possible from State Highway 30 and otherwise from secondary roads from State Highway 32 (east), 41 (south) and 4 (west).
This park is a real must to go there and the variation on native bird species is real good. I’ve recorded near the buried Forest and the tower the best species. To get to this spot turn-off left before the information center (Pureora Field Center) and get to the Bismarck Road and park you’re car at the car park, nnd take the short trail to the tower.

Muriwai Beach

This spot is north west of Auckland, and is roughly 35 minutes of driving from the Northerly outskirts of Auckland. Take the North-western Motorway and State Highway 16; following the signs to Helensville, after few miles you get the turn-off to Muriwai. Get on this road and continue until you get to the beach. Over here you park you’re car get up the rock, and you have there good viewing platforms and from here you see the gannets and further offshore around the rock loads of shearwaters breed.

I really enjoyed my short stay in New Zealand. I hope I can return soon to investigate the rest of this amazing country.
People where very helpfull and landscape again is amazing!