"Omapere and Opononi" Omapere by vtveen

Omapere Travel Guide: 22 reviews and 74 photos

Pohutukawa's and golden sand dunes - Omapere

Unknown gems in Northland

Omapere and Opononi are two small villages, situated on the west coast of Northland on the North Island along Hokianga Harbour.
I added my tips under ‘Omapere’, because we stayed already three times in this little unknown gem, but all the trips can be made from Opononi as well. During our last visit, around Christmas, we were surprised by a lot of beautiful flowering pohutukawa's.

Both villages are located on Hokianga Harbour with the magnificent huge sand dunes opposite the harbour. There are some lovely and remote beaches. And it must be an adventure to visit the sand dunes (have to admit we didn’t visit them till yet; just a reason to come back).

Just south of Omapere is Waipoua Forest with the most famous kauri of the country: Tane Mahuta. I consider the 18 km’s of highway 12 through the forest as the most beautiful road of New Zealand.

Around Hokianga Harbour we found the remote villages like Panguru and Mitimiti, accessible with the car ferry from Rawene, where still many Maori’s are living. A little bit further away are the Wairere Boulders, a ‘sea’ of basalt rocks.

Pros and Cons

Pros:unknown, remote, real New Zealand
In a nutshell:hidden gems in Northland

Last visit to Omapere: Jan 2006
Intro Written Apr 17, 2007
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Reviews (9)

Kai Iwi Lakes - crystal clear Off The Beaten Path (2)

On our way back from Hokianga Harbour to Auckland along SH 12 we made a detour to take a look at the Kai Iwi Lakes. Take... more travel advice

Mitimiti - wild west coast of Tasman Sea - Omapere

Mitimiti .... at the end of the... Off The Beaten Path (2)

Before getting to Mitimiti you have to drive a windy and hilly gravel road from Panguru. Here you can have a coffee or a... more travel advice

Koutu Beach: view to the Sand Dunes of Hokianga - Omapere

Koutu Beach (and Boulders) Things to Do (5)

On the way to our accommodation in Omapere we were looking for the Koutu Boulders along the waterfront of Hokianga... more travel advice

Wairere Boulders - basalt rocks and bridges - Omapere

Wairere Boulders - basalt rocks and... Things to Do (5)

The Wairere Boulders are situated near Horeke, a small village along the Hokianga Harbour (with the oldest post office... more travel advice

Transportation (1)
The Hokianga Vehicle Ferry

Hotels (1)
beaches and kauri's

Comments (4)

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OpononiGirl Jan 12, 2011 at 5:44 AM

Kia ora, This information is a bit out of date now. The Waiotemarama Gorge Scenic Loop Drive with the waterfalls, bushtrack and Labyrinth Woodworks is a must-do. More current info on activities and events at WaiotemaramaFalls.com
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angiebabe Jul 9, 2008 at 1:49 AM

i love this photo so much, ive enjoyed it as a screensaver!its actually just along a bit from my grandmothers (my) property!! love it and youve taken it capturing just the perfect sun sea and sand with stunning pohutukawa!!&yr Mitimiti pics are stunning!
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iandsmith May 10, 2007 at 5:36 AM

Excellent tips full of useful information.
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Sibbella Apr 21, 2007 at 6:44 PM

Beautiful pictures Jaap!