250 Miles of Beaches!
Whangārei, “Fawn-uh-ray”, waterside, sub-tropical and “the city with 100 beaches”. Overlooked by tourists in their haste to reach the (link) Bay of Islands, we almost made the same mistake.
The name means “lie in wait”. Settlers kept watch over the harbor, now it waits for visitors.
Tutukaka Coast – The Colors Are Alive!
North of Auckland, south of the Bay of Islands, lies one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world! Indescribable until you are there. The Tutukaka Coast is one of the top three coastlines in the world, according to the prestigious National Geographic Traveler.
Matapouri Bay and Beach – Brilliant White Sand
Te Araroa Trail, NZ’s 3,000km Great Walk, (link – The Pants of Perspective, Annie McNuff) crosses the sand, becoming a thin track over the upthrust at beach’s end. Unable to scramble the last few feet at the top, I pondered how to get down without tumbling or face planting in front of beach sitters.
Matapouri Beach has giant sand dunes and a long broad beach. Surf life saving training was in progress.
Whale Bay – Secluded Paradise Under a Forest
If you only visit one beach in New Zealand, make it Whale Bay. A scenic coastal track connects Matapouri and Whale Bays, two of NZ’s BEST beaches.
Tutakaka Lighthouse and Kukutauwhao Island
“Oh, it will be easy”… pretty much… but per usual there were MANY wooden steps. Steep steps down to the small beach with a rocky/pebbly causeway, crossing (at low tide) to Kukutauwhao Island.
Whangārei – Blessedly Scenic
The regional capital and NZ’s largest northernmost city. The Town Basin walking path runs alongside the Hātea River/Marina, with galleries and the Claphams Clock Museum (one man’s clock collection donated to the city – 1300 heirloom and novelty clocks).
A must do is Whangārei Falls – one of 6 in/near the city.
Whangārei Bay 
Clapham’s Clock Museum 
Whangārei Falls
The Whangārei Quarry Garden
An abandoned stone quarry, turned garden.
Silk floss tree (Ceiba speciosa) 
Bottle Brush Tree 
Sago Palm 
Dish Plate Fig Tree 
Bird of Paradise 
Geranium
Mt. Manaia Summit – 1,130 Stairs on the Path.
Mt Manaia at Whangārei Heads is a sacred (tapu) place where Māori placed the remains of chiefs on the rocks. The path to the summit, 460 meters (1500 ft) above Breams Bay, climbs steadily uphill. “Not as hard as it looks”… unless you suffer doing stairs.
Mangawhai Heads and Cliffs Walkway
South are the Mangawhai Heads. Oh My God! Start along the beach, climb to the bluff/ridge return.
Goldsmith Trail 
There are a million things we didn’t do…
Whangārei has day walks and Great Walks, volcanic summits on every bay, roads that dead-end at wild ocean beaches. There are 12 golf courses, horse riding on the beach, snorkeling, world class diving at Poor Knight’s Island, fishing, bird watching (twitchers), yachting, bicycling.
New Zealand – a “total inadequacy of language to describe what you’ve seen.”
Eleanor Cafton – The Lumineers
To see more North Island – click below:
NORTH ISLAND ARCHIVE
North: Coromandel Seaside
“Good for your Soul” is the tagline for The Coromandel Region where Kiwis holiday. Two coastlines with mountain ranges and forest in-between.
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Northland: Cape Reinga
Far Far North – Glorious east/west beaches, Bay after bay is a picture-book spot. Cape Reinga is breathtaking and the point where the spirits of…
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Northland: Paihia Day Trips
This post features a massive boulder field (thank you volcano), gallery, parrots, and a bicycle trail (with eye-pecking magpies).
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Northland: Paihia, Opua, Russell, Kerikeri
Northland – SO MUCH sensory overload. It takes me by surprise at every turn – and there are a lot of turns!
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Travel Broadly - Marlene & Steve 
Such an incredible journey you took me on – to a place I knew very little of, until you educated me. Living vicariously through you and Steve has been a spectacular experience and I can’t wait for the next! Miss you guys xo Lisa