These are the photos I’ve taken during my time exploring Northland attractions in New Zealand. Hopefully, you not only enjoy the images but get inspired to visit this area yourself. Don’t forget to take your camera.
If you are travelling around New Zealand, the best way is by car. Not only do you get to see more but you will find more hidden gems that the average traveller doesn’t see.
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Northland Attractions
There are so many Northland attractions to see when you visit. Basing yourself in Paihia is a great option for those wanting to take tours like the Cream Trip cruise in the Bay of Islands and up to the most Northern point in New Zealand Cape Reinga.
Cape Reinga
One place that was a pilgrimage for me is the very top of New Zealand, Cape Reinga. Not only is Cape Reinga the northernmost point of Northland but also of New Zealand.
It is here that the spirits of departed Maoris set forth on their journey from the roots of the pohutukawa tree to their ancestral home of Hawaiki.
If you do the day tour from Paihia, you’ll find yourself on 90-Mile beach and the Te Paki Sand Dunes.
You’ll even be able to see giant Kauri trees protected in the Puketi Forest.
For lunch, you’ll get to enjoy fish and chips at the Houhora Heads.
If you’d like to read more about my day tour to Cape Reinga, you can here.
KeriKeri
If you take a 21-minute drive north of Paihia, it will take you to Kerikeri. Known as the fruit bowl of Northland, this small town has plenty to offer the visitor.
The Stone Store and Kemp House are both from the early white settlement in New Zealand. Here you can learn all about white settlement and the effect it had on the local Maori.
There is also nature in abundance in this area, with two walks to take in the waterfalls located here.
One track takes in Rainbow Falls and Wharepuku Falls. If you start from the Stone Store end, you will reach Wharepuku Falls first, then Rainbow Falls.
On the other side of the Stone Store, you have St. James Church and the Wairere Falls walk.
The start of the track to Wairere Falls you’ll find behind the car park below St. James Church.
If you would like more information on Kerikeri, you can find it here.
Paihia, Haruru, and Waitangi
Paihia is the base for your time in the Bay of Islands. It is here that you find more about nature on land and sea as well as the history of white settlement in New Zealand.
Paihia is an area where you can do as much or as little as you like. The beach is right in front of the township with shops, restaurants, cafes and more to keep you occupied.
Although not a very old church, St. John’s Anglican Church in Paihia is beautiful. You can go into this bluestone building, which is just as beautiful on the inside. You could also explore the old gravestones at the back.
Just out of town is Haruru Falls. You can get there by car, or you can walk from Paihia or Waitangi.
You walk along the foreshore to Waitangi, where you’ll find all about the history of the Treaty of Waitangi and the early history of New Zealand.
You can take the guided tour, take in the views over the bay and learn all about New Zealand in the museums.
The Cream Trip, Bay of Islands
From the wharf, you can catch the ferry to Russell, take in some big game fishing or take a boat out into the islands.
I did the Cream Trip out of Paihia, out to the Hole in the Rock, Urupukapuka Island for lunch and around the Bay of Islands.
Russell
From Paihia, you can take the short ferry across to Russell, the first capital of New Zealand and previously known as Kororareka.
Here you have beaches to enjoy, a walk up to the flagstaff that was cut down by Hone Heke’s men and dark history at Christ Church, the oldest existing church in New Zealand.
After getting off the ferry, you can walk up Flagstaff Hill to not only get views over the Bay of Islands and Russell but see where the flagstaff stood that Hone Heke’s men cut down on his behalf.
On the 11th of March 1845, the Maori were dissatisfied with British rule. The church took the brunt of the Battle of Kororāreka. Today you can see where the church was hit by stray musket balls and cannonballs.
On the other side of Russell Village is Pompallier Mission House. Set up by French Marist Brothers in 1842, it was used as a printery where Church texts were translated from Latin to Maori.
It is now the oldest industrial building in New Zealand, and you can do a guided tour of the property and see the heritage gardens.
You can read more on Paihia on my blogs, A Day on the Bay in NZ and A Day to Remember at Waitangi.
Whangarei Falls
When you are travelling north or south from Auckland to Northland, you can stop off at Whangarei Falls for a bit of nature and fresh air.
There is an excellent circular track from the car park. On the track, you can see all the lookouts as well as down to the pool below the falls.
Conclusion
I hope that you have enjoyed viewing Northland attractions through my Nikon. If you would like to read the blogs from the area, click here. Hopefully, one day, you can visit and have your own experiences of Northland attractions.
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Thank you for taking me back to the North Island. We spent three weeks there, and went to almost all the places you mention. I would love to go again. Sometimes I think the North Island get’s less attention, undeservedly, than the South Island. I love them both.
I couldn’t agree more, Laureen. I still have to properly visit the South Island, like I did the North Island, and hopefully, that will be next summer.
Absolutely stunning photographs. I haven’t been to New Zealand (yet), but I would very much like to get there one day. It’s just so, so far and I don’t like flying!
Thanks, Elaine. I know what you mean about flying. I don’t like it as well, and it is a very long flight.
such a beautiful post! As soon as we can travel again we want to take a trip to the top of the North Island.
If there’s one thing we learnt from our time north, it’s that we barely scratched the surface of all the amazing beaches, lush forests and impressive waterfalls that make up the Far North.
I hope that you get back one day, Tony and Kim, to explore more of New Zealand.