The TSF Travel Tips Thread
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@Tim said in The TSF Travel Tips Thread:
@canefan said in The TSF Travel Tips Thread:
What is the best way to get there?
It made for a long day, but we enjoyed driving up there and back, and visiting different spots on each leg.
Where did you stay?
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@canefan said in The TSF Travel Tips Thread:
I was thinking about the Cape for next holidays. What is the best way to get there? I've heard of people taking bus tours from Paihia but it's a long day. Where is the closest biggish town where you can stay and use as a jump point?
In terms of size and distance, Kaitaia is the obvious place for any plans around a day trip to Cape Reinga (that's our current plan), and Kerikeri is the obvious place for Paihia - they are the biggest towns in Northland other than Whangarei (then Dargaville and Kaihohe - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northland_Region has a table in size order).
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@Godder said in The TSF Travel Tips Thread:
In terms of size and distance, Kaitaia is the obvious place for any plans around a day trip to Cape Reinga (that's our current plan), and Kerikeri is the obvious place for Paihia - they are the biggest towns in Northland other than Whangarei (then Dargaville and Kaihohe - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northland_Region has a table in size order).
There are some nice beaches to stay at between Kerikeri and Awanui.
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@Tim said in The TSF Travel Tips Thread:
@canefan Paihia. Would stay further north, and then go to Russell on the way back, if I did it again.
We have small kids, 4 to 5 hours drive at the most is the limit. Kaitaia sounds like the way to go. Is it easy driving to the Cape?
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@Tim said in The TSF Travel Tips Thread:
@Godder said in The TSF Travel Tips Thread:
In terms of size and distance, Kaitaia is the obvious place for any plans around a day trip to Cape Reinga (that's our current plan), and Kerikeri is the obvious place for Paihia - they are the biggest towns in Northland other than Whangarei (then Dargaville and Kaihohe - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northland_Region has a table in size order).
There are some nice beaches to stay at between Kerikeri and Awanui.
Good to know! Our current plan, subject to change at a whim, is to fly into Auckland, grab a rental car, drive up to Whangarei, stay the night (day 1). Then drive to Kaitaia, stay the night (day 2). Then we drive to Cape Reinga and back down to Kerikeri, stay the night (day 3). Day 4 we go to Waitangi and possibly Russell, and then drive to Auckland.
That said, we only have Google to go on for drive time, so local advice is gratefully received.
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@Tim said in The TSF Travel Tips Thread:
@canefan Yeah, the main roads are pretty good. It's about 3 hours from Paihia. Google estimates 1h45min from Cooper's Beach. Think there's a Ramada resort in the next bay. Would be a lot nicer than Kaitia.
Yeah I looked at that just before and it would suit Mrs CFs high standards. The 1.45 drive from there definitely appeals. Do you need an off road vehicle or will a road car suit?
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@canefan My friend hired a cheap Hyundai hatchback when he got to Auckland, and that was fine. No 4WD needed between Auckland and the cape. If you want to go out to the east coast from Russell then there are some roads through bush that are a bit hairy, but they can be avoided if you plan for it.
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@Machpants The some of us did the sand dunes too. Too bloody hot that day for me to be walking up those dunes.
I would also drive back to Auckland via the west coast to take in Opononi and then Tane Mahuta. If you are never going back up north best to tick off all the boxes.
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@Bovidae yeah Tane Mahuta is amazing, was parent help on one of my boy's Opononi camps. The kids did an amazing Waiata there, and a local guide randomly there just gave us a huge and interesting history/culturally lesson. Amazing moment
Edit. Not sure about die back, just horrific ðŸ˜
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@Tim said in The TSF Travel Tips Thread:
@Bovidae said in The TSF Travel Tips Thread:
Tane Mahuta
Kauri forests might be closed at the moment due to the dieback disease?
Is open according to reviews. I thought it was mainly some of the Waitakere forests that were closed. There is a foot bath etc at the entry.
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I had 10 days in Taipa about 5 years back and it was ace. Fucking nice part of the world.
Cape is awesome. Russell is beautiful. Really glad I drove back down the West coast for Tane Mahuta, Rawene ferry etc
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@Tim said in The TSF Travel Tips Thread:
@canefan Yeah, the main roads are pretty good. It's about 3 hours from Paihia. Google estimates 1h45min from Cooper's Beach. Think there's a Ramada resort in the next bay. Would be a lot nicer than Kaitia.
Roughly this time last year I was doing a Northland trip, we stayed at Mangonui (on the Coopers beach side), would definitely agree to stay there rather than Kaitaia @canefan
Have some of the famous fish and chips, they’re nice, but they’re overrated and more Aussie style than traditional NZ, but definitely a decent feed. There’s a good Indian place there too.
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Looks like most things have been covered.
Was last in Kaitaia about two years ago for Mum's 90th, then a few months later for her funeral.
Admittedly it was winter and a little dank and dark but crikey it had regressed. Much of the town centre was government agencies and social organisations and a lot of businesses had followed the Supermarket and The Warehouse out to the edge of town.
What used to be the flash hotel/motel is now social housing so am not sure about accommodation options.
Somebody mentioned Taipa for accommodation. That'd work well.
Other stuff.
May be worth loking into a cruise on the Whangaroa Harbour. Little known gem.
No-one has mentioned the Milk Run or Hole in the Rock or even dolphin cruises out from Paihia.
Treaty House is must do.
Is the original Kelly Tarlton museum on the boat still going? Used to be moored near the bridge over to Waitangi. Not sure of quality if indeed it's still there.
Puketi forest inland from Kerikeri is good, nearly as good as Waipoua just no Tame Mahuta.
Glow worm cave as mentioned South of the BoI isn't bad as mentioned.
Plenty of other historic sites around as well, battlefields, Pas, churches, missions, The Stone Store etc
On the way to the Cape (of course you can bus instead of drive, and I assume they still go up or down (tide dependent) 90 Mile Beach) stop at Ka Uri in Awanui where they make stuff out of the Kauri they dig out of the swamp. And Gumdiggers Park near Waiharara (a locality, not a town ) which is as the label says , an old kauri gum diggers village.
Cape is as Tim said amazing. Was there about 5 years ago. Did pick our day: weather was perfect and pretty calm but felt a real buzz.
Local Kaitaia bus company used to run a trip called The Tutu which was a four wheel drive bus up the hills behind Ahipara at the South end of 90 Mile. Took in the gumfields up there, then back across the big sand dunes (with a bit of tabogganing), possibly the chance to grab some mussels off the rocks , and crawling back round the coast to Ship Wreck Bay. Worth a look if still running.
If you head down the West coast be careful of the Mangamukas if you get car sick kids :). Scenic if you can stand the twisting.
But worth heading that direction to jump the car ferry from Kohukohu to Rawene. Cuts out a lot of travel too.
Gets you to Opononi and Omapere then Waipoua.
That went on a bit.
All of the above is subject to change since I no longer live there, nor visit regularly any more.