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Northland is an underrated area of New Zealand that visitors often skip. But it is an amazing area full of unspoiled beaches with clear blue water. A Northland Road Trip is a beach lovers dream.
Growing up in Auckland I spent many summers up North. So it always holds a special place in my heart.
In this article, I will give you a list of the best places to visit on a Northland Road Trip.
Depending on how much time you have you can choose how many of the places you would like to visit and craft your own itinerary.
Northland NZ Map
Northland includes all the area surrounded by the red dotted line below. Once you leave Auckland there are only small towns up north. So it is a great place to escape the big city and relax on the beach.
The above map has all the locations in the article loaded onto it.
Matakana
The first stop I recommend on your Northland Road Trip is Matakana. However, it is technically not part of Northland and it is still part of the Auckland region.
But it is far enough away from the city that locals would be offended to be called Aucklanders!
Matakana is well known for its market on Saturdays. As well as fancy restaurants and cafes. It is a nice small town to wander around and check out the boutiques and shops.
There are many breweries and vineyards nearby so it is a great place to sample local food and beverages.
Heron’s Flight Vineyard – if you would like to sample some wine. Herons Flight is a beautiful small vineyard just outside Matakana with tastings starting as low as 10 NZD per person.
Matakana Village Farmers Market – is every Saturday from 8 am to 1 pm.
Tawharanui Regional Park
Close by to Matakana is Tawharanui Regional Park. Despite growing up in Auckland I never visited Tawharanui until I was older.
I was missing out because Tawharanui has some of the most beautiful beaches in the whole of New Zealand. If the weather is nice it is the perfect place to stop on your Northland Road Trip for a swim.
The regional park is also a native bird sanctuary so it is a great place to spot native birds such as the pukeko. If you feel like going on a bit of a hike the Tawharanui Ecology Trail is a good option.
Goat Island and Pakiri Beach
Goat Island is a marine reserve that is a popular place to go snorkeling. The area around Goat Island has been a marine reserve for over 30 years. This has allowed the sea life to flourish and there are tonnes of fish in the area.
Near Goat Island you can also visit Pakiri, a beautiful beach with pure white sand. Not many tourists make their way to Pakiri so it is a great place if you want to escape the crowds.
Mangawhai
Mangawhai is another beautiful beach town that is a popular place for Aucklanders to have a holiday house.
The beach is great for surfing and has beautiful sea cliffs and islands sitting on the horizon.
While you are in Mangawhai I recommend going on the Mangawhai Cliff Walk. It is a beautiful walk along the coast
Mangawhai is also a good spot to spend the first night on your Northland Road Trip.
The Mangawhai Heads Holiday Park has camping sites starting at 22 NZD or 10 USD. If you are on a budget staying at local campgrounds is a great way to save money on your Northland Road Trip.
If you want more comfortable accommodation then The Hideout is a great option. They have beautiful cottages for 110 USD per night.
Click here for up to 42 percent off a 2 hour paddleboard in Mangawhai
Waipu Caves – See Glow Worms For Free
We spontaneously visited the Waipu Caves as part of our recent Northland Road Trip and it was well worth a stop.
The caves are free to enter and you can see glow worms on the roof of the cave. If you have never seen glow worms then I highly recommend going to Waipu Caves.
Glow worms are found on the roofs of caves throughout New Zealand. They are the larvae of a type of insect and glow so that they can attract prey into their trap.
Their glow looks lik green stars are covering the roof of the cave and it is a beautiful sight.
People pay a lot of money to see glow worms at Waitomo. But the glowworms at Waipu are almost as good and totally free.
The caves are free to enter so are pitch black inside with no paths, stairs or railings.
So make sure to have the light on your phone ready or a torch will be even better.
You will also have to cross a stream in the cave. So wear shoes you do not mind getting wet or take them off and go barefoot.
Milky Way Glow Worms
If you would like a more organized cave experience you can visit Milky Way Glow Worms. They are located close to the free caves and offer organized tours with paths and guides.
A tour at Milky Way Glow Worms costs 40 NZD but if you use the below link you can get up to 40 percent off.
Click here for up to 40 percent of Milky Way Glow Worms.
Whangarei
After visiting Waipu Caves the next stop on your trip will be Whangarei. This is the largest city in North Land.
It is a small town that has a pleasant harbour and waterfront that is a good place to stop for something to eat.
Other attractions in Whangarei include the Hundertwasser Museum. This is a museum dedicated to world-famous Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser.
He lived in Northland for long periods of his life as he liked the peace and the fact no one knew who he was.
The Hundertwaser Museum is was based on Hundertwasser designs and is a unique and interesting place to visit.
The other must-visit attraction in Whangarei is the Whangarei Falls. Nearly all visitors to Whangarei will visit the falls. When I used to visit as a child the falls where always empty. But they are a secret no longer!
Despite receiving more visitors the falls are still very beautiful and a great place to have a picnic.
Whangarei Heads
The Whangarei Heads is a beautiful rocky peninsula that is covered in extinct volcanoes and beautiful bays.
It is a 30-minute drive outside of Whangarei and I think it is a must visit during a Northland Road Trip.
I spent many summers here while growing up and I think it is an underrated part of Northland that not many tourists will visit.
On the Whangarei Heads, I recommend climbing Mount Manaia. This is an extinct volcano that has amazing views over the countryside from the top.
After climbing Mount Manaia I recommend visiting Ocean Beach. It is a beautiful beach that will most likely be deserted if you visit during the week.
Dive Or Snorkel The Poor Knights Islands
The Poor Knights Islands are the best diving location in New Zealand. The islands have been a marine reserve since 1981 so they are teeming with marine life.
New Zealand is not well known for scuba diving but the Poor Knights are a world-class diving destination. Jaques Costeau one of the world pioneers of diving rated the Poor Knights as one of his top 10 favorite diving locations in the whole world.
So you will surely have a good time if you dive or snorkel here. If you want to snorkel I recommend booking with Perfect Day.
A snorkeling tour with them is not cheap at 245 NZD per day. But it includes a full buffet lunch with fresh coffee plus wetsuits, paddle boards and all other equipment is included.
Matapouri Bay
The Tutukaka Coast where the Poor Knights are located is also full of beautiful beaches. I recommend visiting Matapouri Bay and Whale Bay.
They are both super beautiful bays with sparkling clear blue water.
Paihia and the Bay of Islands
The Bay of Islands is one of the premier tourist destinations in Northland. With 144 islands it is the perfect place to go on boat cruises, island hopping, and more.
One of the most popular trips to take here is the hole-in-the-rock tour. This boat trip will take you cruising around some beautiful islands with 2 island stop overs. You will then cruise out to the famous hole in the rock. This is a massive rock archway that the boat will drive through if the conditions allow.
There is also a good chance of seeing dolphins on the cruise. The full price of the tour is 150 NZD per person. But if you use the link below you can get up to 40 percent off.
Click here for up to 40 percent off The Hole In The Rock Tour
The Bay of Islands is also home to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. This is a very important site in New Zealands history as this is where the Treaty Waitangi was signed.
This Treaty laid the groundwork for the creation of New Zealand as a country. Although the treaty is controversial for some it is an important part of our history. V
Lane Cove Hut and Dukes Nose Hike
On a recent Northland Road Trip we decided that we would stay in the night in Lane Cove Hut and hike Dukes Nose.
It is not a well known hike but it is in my opinion the most beautiful hike in the whole of Northland.
Staying in Lane Cove hut is also an amazing experience. In four years of travelling the world it may be the most beautiful place we have spent the night.
Read more about Lane Cove Hut here
Cape Reinga
Visiting Cape Reinga is the end destination on many tourists Northland Road Trip. The famous lighthouse of Cape Reinga is at the point where the Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean meet.
Contrary to popular belief Cape Reinga is not the northernmost point of New Zealand! I only found that out while writing this article. The northern most point of New Zealand 30 km to the west.
So when visiting Cape Reinga remember you are visiting the northwesternmost point of New Zealand. Not the northern most point!
Cape Reinga is very remote as it is 2 hours from Paihia and there are no large settlements in between.
Ninety Mile Beach
As you can tell from the name Ninety Mile Beach is a very long beach at the top of the North Island. But funnily enough, it is not Ninety Miles long.
The beach is only 55 miles or 89 kilometers long. So it is still a very long beach but not 90 miles long.
It is claimed that when Europeans first arrived their horses could walk 30 miles in a day. As it took them three days to walk the beach it was thought to be 90 miles long. But because of the sand they were walking slower than on land. However, it is not clear whether or not this is just an urban legend.
Ninety Mile Beach is also officially a state highway. When roads are closed traffic is sometimes diverted along the beach! However, it is not recommended to drive on the beach unless you know what you are doing.
Rental car companies will not allow their cars to be driven on the beach. But if you like driving on the beach and have your own vehicle then go for it!
Opononi Sand Dunes
On the way to Waipoua Forest, you will drive through Omapere and Opononi. These are two quiet coastal towns with not a whole lot going on.
But across the harbor there is a huge sand dune. It is an impressive sight and although you cannot go and climb the dunes. I recommend taking a pitstop here to have something to eat and admire the sand dunes.
Waipoua Forest
One of the best nature experiences on a Northland Road Trip is to visit the Waipoua Forest. This forest is the last of New Zealand’s once majestic Kauri Forests.
When European settlers arrived in New Zealand the North Island was covered in huge Kauri Forests. These trees are unique because they have enormous trunks with not many branches.
So they were great for building ship masts and houses. This meant that most of the Kauri in New Zealand was cut down in a very short time after colonization.
The Waipoua Forest is the only area in New Zealand where you can see large numbers of old Kauri Trees. They are a unique and impressive tree and it is an amazing forest to drive through.
Most visitors to Waipoua Forest will head to Tane Mahuta which is the largest Kauri Tree in New Zealand. It is only a short walk from the side of the road but is super impressive and something you have to see.
But I highly recommend walking to Te Matua Ngahere as well. This is the second largest Kauri Tree and it receives far less visitors because you have to walk a little further.
I think the walk to Te Matua Ngahere is even nicer than Tane Mahura as there are so many huge Kauri alongside the path.
Kai Iwi Lakes
The Kai Iwi Lakes are some beautiful lakes three hours north of Auckland. If the weather is nice they are a good spot for one last stop before driving back down south.
On a clear sunny day the waters of the lakes are crystal clear and almost look like Bacalar in Mexico.
Unfortunately when we visited it was overcast and the lakes did not look very impressive. But if the weather is nice the detour to Kai Iwi Lakes is well worth it.
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Have Fun On Your Northland Road Trip
Northland is such a special part of New Zealand that I love exploring. I hope you enjoy your Northland Road Trip and that you are lucky with some sunny weather.
If you would like to find out some more travel tips for New Zealand make sure to read our other articles below.
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