North Island Chapters
NZDH North Island Chapters
Adventure beckons throughout New Zealand’s North Island, and unique scenery awaits.
In subtropical Northland proud forests of majestic kauri trees, some thousands of
years old, share space with remnants of its gumdigging past. Gnarled pohutukawa
cling to windswept cliffs over golden beaches, and green rolling hills of farmland
span across the island from coast to coast. Although the North Island’s land mass
is smaller than that of the South Island, it boasts a longer coastline with hundreds
of deep tranquil harbours, estuaries and inlets with sheltered, sandy bays providing
safe anchorage for boats.
Thermal activity abounds: there’s Rotorua, a hotbed of fiery fury with its boiling
mud pools, geysers, springs and spas; White Island, an active volcano in the Bay
of Plenty; and volcanic Auckland whose 50 or so ‘hills’ are also the result of volcanic
activity. Hot springs are dotted throughout the North Island and one of the country’s
most unique experiences is to dig your own warm spa in the sand at Te Puia Springs
in Kawhia, or at the Coromanel’s aptly named Hot Water Beach.
At the heart of the North Island lie the crystal-clear waters of Lake Taupo, New
Zealand’s largest lake, itself a huge volcanic crater fed by the mountains of the
Central Plateau. These formidable mountains - Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu -
are encircled by dry, desert like plains that contrast dramatically with the surrounding
fertile farmlands. To the west a bulbous coastline horseshoes around Mt Taranaki,
while to the east lies the seldom- explored East Cape. Hidden beneath hills beside
the Wellington Harbour, also formed by volcanic eruption and now filled with sea,
the capital city of Wellington is the departure point to the magnificent South Island.
Auckland to Bay of Islands
Extract from the Auckland to Bay of Islands chapter
Rich in history and culture, Northland’s sub-tropical coastline features kilometres
of golden beaches, giant sand dunes, tranquil harbours, a myriad of islands and
large tracts of ancient kauri forest to explore... Click here to view the
Auckland to the Bay of Islands chapter.
Cape Reinga and the Far North
Extract from the Cape Reinga and the Far North chapter
Cape Reinga is a place of great spiritual significance to Maori. They believe it
is “the place of the leaping”, where the souls of the dead gather before they enter
the next world. According to Maori traditions the spirits of the departed leap from
an 800-year-old pohutukawa tree on the windswept cape to begin the voyage back to
their final resting place in the ancestral homeland of Hawaiki... Click here to
view the Cape Reinga chapter.
Aucklands West Coast Beaches
Extract from the Aucklands West Coast Beaches chapter
Well-known for its wineries, gannets, black sands and dramatic scenery, the West
Coast of Auckland offers visitors the opportunity to see another side of the City
of Sails. The Waitakere Ranges dominate this region and were formed by a series
of volcanic eruptions... Click here to view the
Aucklands West Coast Beaches chapter.
Waiheke Island
Extract from the Waiheke Island chapter
Famous for its wine, arts and laid-back atmosphere, Waiheke Island offers hundreds
of safe, sheltered beaches and rocky coves - perfect for swimming and snorkelling
- only 30-minutes by ferry from Auckland’s CBD... Click here to view the
Waiheke Island chapter.
Auckland to Whakatane and the Bay of Plenty
Extract from the Auckland to Whakatane and the Bay of Plenty chapter
The Coromandel Peninsula is one of NZ’s most-loved holiday destinations. Its spectacular
coastline provides a mix of sandy bays and rocky coves, while the rugged, volcanic
backbone is cloaked in a dense robe of native forest and boasts some of NZ’s best
hiking... Click here to view the
Auckland to Whakatane and the Bay of Plenty chapter.
East Cape and Poverty Bay
Extract from the East Cape and Poverty Bay chapter
The road around the East Cape, which begins its journey in Opotiki and travels around
a seemingly endless necklace of picturesque bays to Gisborne, is a unique, seldom
seen part of NZ with its own distinctive style and personality... Click here to
view the East Cape and Poverty Bay
chapter.
Whakatane to Hawkes Bay
Extract from the Whakatane to Hawkes Bay chapter
Set amidst jewel-like crater lakes, Rotorua offers stunning, contrasting scenery
in an active volcanic wonderland of spouting geysers, bubbling mud pools, fumaroles
and natural thermal springs and spas. Further south, NZ ’s largest lake, Lake Taupo,
is fed by sparkling ice-melt from the mountains of the Tongariro National Park...
Click here to view the Whakatane to Hawkes Bay
chapter.
Rotorua Action
Extract from the Rotorua Action chapter
As well as cultural attractions and activities, Rotorua is a hot spot for adventurous
-if not downright wacky -entertainment. From having a ball in a Zorb to flying with
Freefall Xtreme there are any number of ways to indulge in extreme sports... Click
here to view the Rotorua Action chapter.
Hawkes Bay to Wellington
Extract from the Hawkes Bay to Wellington chapter
Located on the east coast of the North Island, Hawke’s Bay is one of NZ’s premier
food, wine and lifestyle destinations. Home to NZ’s oldest operational winery it’s
also the largest red wine producing region in the country... Click here to view
the Hawkes Bay to Wellington chapter.
Wairarapa
Extract from the Wairarapa chapter
The scenery of the southern Wairarapa is ruggedly dramatic: rolling tablelands end
abruptly and form high textured cliffs which plummet to meet the seaweed and driftwood-strewn
coastline; the Rimutaka Ranges cast shadows over the shimmering expanse of Lake
Wairarapa; and to the north the Tararua Ranges tower over fertile plains... Click
here to view the Wairarapa chapter.
Wellington to New Plymouth
Extract from the Wellington to New Plymouth chapter
Fifty minutes drive north of Wellington, the Kapiti Coast is well known for its
exceptional cheese and unique flora and fauna. Many of NZ’s most endangered birds
reside on this coastline which leads north to Wanganui, a historic riverboat town...
Click here to view the Wellington to New Plymouth
chapter.
New Plymouth to Auckland
Extract from the New Plymouth to Auckland chapter
The Forgotten Highway threads its way from Taranaki through forests of beech and
small villages (including the unique ‘republic’ of Whangamomona) to Taumarunui,
located in the foothills of the Tongariro National Park... Click here to view the
New Plymouth to Auckland chapter.