Unforgettable things to do in the North Island, New Zealand
Discover all the must-do things in the North Island/Te ika-a-Māui
Tongariro National Park
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If you ask New Zealanders which island they think is more beautiful, most will say the South. Down where the mountains, glaciers, and fjords are. Fewer will say the North Island.
Which would I choose? I’m not sure I can say decisively; what I can say is that although I visit the South Island every year for months at a time, and I think the hiking in the South Island is unparalleled anywhere in the world, I still call the North Island my home.
Born in the Coromandel Peninsula, I now live in Rotorua, in the heart of the North Island. Evenings and weekends are spent swimming in lakes, or hiking in forests. In a few hours driving, I can be on the shores of Lake Taupo, setting off on a hike in Tongariro National Park, or on my way to a winery in the Hawke’s Bay. East coast beaches are only an hour away.
I’m enamoured with the diversity of things to do in the North Island (and the climate – I’m not sure I would make it through a Queenstown winter). I’m not alone in this; three out of four New Zealanders live in the North Island. It's one third smaller than the South Island, so you might think the North Island would feel more crowded than the South.
Deserted beaches at Castlepoint
Volcanic landscapes on Mount Tarawera
But, I often find the North Island to feel much quieter, (especially when compared to the tourist hot spots of the lower South Island). There are corners of the North that feel like the end of the world. Like the road out to Cape Palliser, a thin line between a ridge of hills and an angry ocean taking bites out of a rocky shore. Or Northland, which feels like its own country.
In Northland, or Tairawhiti/East Cape, or even Rotorua, you’ll hear locals speak in Māori, see marae (meeting grounds) with their proud carvings, and have the chance to go on tours with Māori guides. An estimated 90% of Māori people live in the North Island, mostly in the central and upper regions.
A long Māori history in the North Island comes with a deep connection with the land; Taranaki mountain, the Whanganui River, and the Te Urewera Forest all have the same legal rights as people.
The Māori name for the island is Te Ika-a-Māui, which means ‘the fish of Māui;’ in Māori tradition, Maui hauled a great fish out of the sea, and it became the North Island (and his canoe the South Island). The island is indeed a catch, and I’m excited to share it with you.
This guide is a selection of my favourite destinations and things to do in the North Island, including must-sees and unique places to visit; I’ve tried to include a mix of hidden gems and more popular spots.
This isn’t an exhaustive list of North Island attractions, but a more curated look at what someone who loves food, culture, and the outdoors might enjoy. Places that make the North Island so special.
To see the best of the North Island, you’ll need wheels — check car rental prices on DiscoverCars »
The best adventure activities in the North Island
The South Island – particularly Queenstown – is an adventure activity hub, but the North Island holds its own on the adventure front.
Black water rafting in Waitomo
The Waitomo glowworm caves are a highlight of the North Island, but there’s more to them than just seeing glow worms.
If you’re up for several hours of getting wet, cold, and slithering through dark crevasses, black water rafting takes things up several notches from the standard cave visits. On the Black Abyss tour, I loved the mix of stomping around flooded caves, climbing underground waterfalls, and floating along in inner tubes under the glowworms, in the pitch dark of the caves.
The details
Visit Waitomo as part of a North Island itinerary
One night near Waitomo is enough — you can also just visit for the day on your way from Auckland-Rotorua, or from Auckland-Hobbiton
Whitewater rafting in Rotorua
The Kaituna River near Rotorua is the perfect playground for whitewater fiends, featuring grade 5 rapids and the highest commercially rafted waterfall in the world (it’s allegedly 7 metres high, but having gone over it twice, I can reassure you it only feels like half of that).
As well as delivering thrills, this stretch of river is stunningly beautiful.
Go on the whitewater rafting trip with Rotorua Rafting and you get to enjoy a free sauna afterwards.
The details
Visit Rotorua as part of a North Island itinerary
Or visit as part of a longer, North to South itinerary
Cycling the Timber Trail
You don’t need to be an experienced mountain biker to tackle the Timber Trail; I hadn’t been on a bike in many years and I made it from one end to the other without pitching over the handlebars.
The 85 kilometre trail is best experienced over two days; enough time to enjoy exceptionally beautiful native forest, and has long and speedy downhill sections. Stay at Camp Epic and enjoy glamping tents, a kitchen stocked with marshmallows and hot chocolate to enjoy by the fire pit, and gloriously hot showers.
The details
The Timber Trail is just to the west of Lake Taupo in the centre of the North Island — it’s within easy reach of both Waitomo and Taupo/Rotorua.
The best hikes in the North Island
The Tongariro Crossing
The North Island’s mountain ranges might pale in the shadow of the Southern Alps of the South Island, but the volcanic landscapes stand alone, shunning all comparison. There truly is nothing like Tongariro National Park, a landscape of volcanic cones and desert so surreal it’s one of only two UNESCO sites in New Zealand. Then there’s Taranaki, a perfect cone standing proud right alongside the sea.
The Tongariro Crossing
The Tongariro Crossing is a full-day walk covering the highlights of Tongariro National Park; red-hued volcanic craters, emerald pools, and a vast, rocky landscape.
As a one-way walk, there are some logistics involved (you’ll need a shuttle), and it’s possibly the busiest day walk in New Zealand (you’ll be walking in a long line of people). But the payoff is one of the most spectacular day walks you can do in New Zealand.
The details
The Tongariro Crossing is part of the multi-day Northern Circuit, one of New Zealand’s Great Walks
Tongariro is a great place to stop on a road trip from Auckland to Wellington
Ruapehu Crater Hike
A fairly gnarly alternative to the Tongariro Crossing, this is one for the experienced hikers only. There’s no marked route up to Ruapehu’s crater, but if you know how to navigate it’s straightforward enough – just be prepared for scree, climbing over a lot of rocks, and hours spent under harsh sun. It’s worth it once you reach the top and see the milky green crater lake, as well as views out across the national park.
The details
There is no official track to the crater lake — you’ll need to confident navigating over rugged terrain.
Only go when the weather conditions are perfect. I use NIWA to check the weather in national parks.
Tama Lakes Track
A late evening walk to Tama Lakes
This 5-6 hour day hike covers some remarkable terrain, without requiring any big climbs. At 17.6 kilometres, it’s a long walk but a relatively gentle one, on a well-graded track.
From Whakapapa Village, the track heads to Taranaki Falls then continues on across tussock country and alpine herb fields. There are expansive views of both Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe well before you reach the Lower Tama Lake. From there, the track becomes a route up loose and uneven rock – it takes around 35 minutes to reach the Upper Tama Lake viewpoint. Both lakes are beautiful.
The details
Pouakai Tarns
Taranaki National Park has some stunning alternatives to Tongariro. The best day walk option is the Pouakai Tarns track, which climbs through goblin forest to reach a brand new (as of 2025) Pouakai Hut, and reflective tarns just beyond.
This is a favourite spot for photographers – time it right, with no wind and clear skies, and you can get mirror-like images of Mount Taranaki reflected in the pools.
Cape Brett
A rugged coastal track, complete with steep cliff drop offs, leads to an old lighthouse keepers cabin and its accompanying lighthouse on a lonely, rocky promontory in the Bay of Islands. The cabin now provides overnight accommodation for hikers, but you can also do this as a day walk, with a ferry to and from Deep Water Cove.
Even tackled as a day trip, this is a tough hike with most of the day exposed to the sun. If you’re up for the challenge, it’s worth it for the sea views and sense of isolation.
Mercer Bay Loop Track
Although short, the Mercer Bay Loop delivers some of the best views in the Auckland area. The track follows cliffs high above the wild west coast waves, with views towards Piha and the distinctive Lion Rock in the middle of the beach.
It’s particularly stunning close to sunset (and easier to find a carpark in the late afternoon) but don’t go alone around that time – multiple women have gone missing from the track in the evening, and there are spooky rumours of a killer on the loose in the area.
The details
Mercer Bay and Piha Beach are around 1 hour from the centre of Auckland
This makes Mercer Bay a great day trip destination
Te Whara/Bream Head
A challenging day walk, but one of the best coastal tracks in the North Island. The views from this track feel almost tropical, with white sand beaches and patches of coastal rainforest draped in thick supplejack vines.
A shorter option if you don’t have a whole day to spare is the Mount Manaia walk, which also gives you superb views of the Whangarei harbour and coast.
To see the best of the North Island, you’ll need wheels — check car rental prices on DiscoverCars »
Māori culture in the North Island
A performer at Te Pa Tu in Rotorua
Rotorua was the birthplace of Māori tourism in the 19th century, and is still the place you’ll find the most easily accessible Māori cultural activities; kapa haka and haka (traditional performances) and hāngī (traditional food cooked in an earth oven) are staples of Rotorua’s cultural experiences.
The dinner-and-a-show format popular in Rotorua isn’t to everyone’s taste, though (they are all Māori-owned operations, so they are ‘authentic’; they are also a little commercialised and designed to cater to large groups).
For more intimate experiences, or encounters geared toward learning more about Te Ao Māori (the Māori worldview) in more depth, you may want to venture a little off the beaten path to Northland, or the eastern edges of the North Island – both regions with significant Māori presence and history.
Whirinaki Forest Footsteps
Whirinaki Forest Footsteps offers a chance to learn about Māori culture on a walk through a podocarp forest. A local guide will lead you through the podocarp forest, and teach you about the trees – how to identify them, their key characteristics – but also about traditional medicine, history, and local communities today.
Tours are kept to small groups, so the experience feels intimate and unrehearsed; much more immersive than the more mass-market experiences in Rotorua. If you have a full day to spare, and the idea of learning about culture in a stunning natural environment appeals to you, I highly recommend this tour.
From $295 for an adult. Whirinaki Forest Footsteps kindly hosted me on this tour
The details
This tour starts in Rotorua and visits the Whirinaki Forest, a 90 minute drive southeast — allow a full day
Te Puia
Traditional kapa haka performances
The Māori Arts and Crafts Institute
First established in 1963 as an institute for teaching and preserving traditional Māori arts and crafts, Te Puia is a pillar of Rotorua. Set in the Whakarewarewa geothermal valley, Te Puia is home to the mighty Pohutu Geyser, which regularly sends water shooting up to 30 metres high, along with the NZ Māori Arts & Crafts Institute (NZMACI), and a kiwi conservation centre. It’s a big operation.
The basic experience is a 90 minute guided tour on which you can see Māori artists and carvers at work, live kiwi birds, and erupting geysers (Te Rā Guided Experience). During the day, you can choose to add on a 30 minute cultural experience (Te Rā Guided Experience + Haka), and a hangi lunch (Te Rā Combo). In the evening you can start with the 90 minute valley tour, followed by a buffet dinner, a 45 minute cultural performance, and a hot chocolate down by the Pohutu geyser (Te Pō Combo), or skip the valley tour and just go for the dinner/performance/geyser by night (Te Pō Experience).
Cotton candy clouds during the Te Pō Combo
Sunset at Te Puia
Te Puia
If you want to see a haka, taste hangi food, and see some geothermal activity into the bargain, Te Puia is a great choice. In terms of value for money, it’s hard to beat. Of the ‘dinner and a show’ options in Rotorua, this is the one I would go for. For me, the extra things like seeing a kiwi, and seeing the geyser both during the day and after dark, make Te Puia’s Te Po Combo feel more comprehensive than Te Pa Tu’s evening of dining and kapa haka performances.
The details
Te Puia is located right on the edge of Rotorua
I recommend going for the Te Pō Combo, which covers traditional Māori food and performances.
There’s a lot to do in Rotorua; two or even three nights will give you enough time to explore.
Tāne Mahuta in Waipoua Forest, Northland
Tāne Mahuta is New Zealand's largest known living kauri tree. Nearly 2,000 years old, standing 51 metres high, and with a trunk 13 metres wide, Tāne Mahuta is known as 'Lord of the Forest'.
In Māori creation traditions, Tāne is the son of Ranginui, sky father, and Papatūānuku, earth mother. Tāne was the child who separated earth and sky, creating the world of light. Visiting Tāne Mahuta with Footprints Waipoua is a chance to learn more about these stories, and the affinity and spiritual connection Māori have with the forest.
The details
Wisteria Way is a lovely place to stay only 10 minute from Tāne Mahuta
Take a tour with Footprints Waipoua
Visiting Cape Reinga/Te Rerenga Wairua
Drive all the way to the end of State Highway 1 and you’ll reach Cape Reinga/Te Rerenga Wairua. This is a beautiful road trip and itself, with a lonely lighthouse looking out over the rugged water where the Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean meet.
But it’s made even more special when you understand the spiritual significance of this place to Māori. In Māori tradition, after death, Māori spirits travel to the gnarled pohutukawa tree clinging to the rocky headland on at Te Rerenga Wairua. Spirits descend into the underworld by climbing down the roots to the sea below before travelling across the ocean to the land of their ancestors.
The details
Ideally you need around one week to get from Auckland to Cape Reinga and back down again
There isn’t a lot of accommodation aside from campgrounds near Cape Reinga, which makes it an excellent destination for a campervan trip
Ahipara is a small settlement at the very bottom of 90 Mile Beach, which makes for a good base for exploring the far north
Waitangi Treaty Grounds
Much of New Zealand’s history between Māori and Pakeha (white New Zealanders) was shaped at Waitangi, where Māori chiefs and the British Crown first signed the Treaty of Waitangi and Te Tiriti o Waitangi in 1840.
The site continues to be a centre for debate around Aotearoa’s bicultural identity, and anti-colonial protests; Waitangi Day celebrations take place here on 6 February every year, commemorating the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and our country’s conflicted past.
Visiting the Waitangi Treaty Grounds means learning about this past via a guided tour and two museums, but also getting to enjoy a Māori cultural experience and see a ceremonial waka (canoe).
The details
The Waitangi Treaty Grounds are located in Paihia, in the Bay of Islands. It’s a 3 hour drive from Auckland to Paihia, so you’ll need at least two nights there.
The Bay of Islands is a destination in itself, but you can easily add Paihia into a longer itinerary around Northland. It’s a very rich area in terms of culture and history.
Volcanic and geothermal North Island
It sometimes still takes me by surprise, driving through the centre of Rotorua and seeing clouds of steam billow up on the side of the road. The sulphur smell in the air also serves to remind me that the heart of the island is alive with volcanic activity barely contained beneath the surface.
Hot springs in Rotorua
Wai Ariki thermal pools in Rotorua overlook the lake
Hot water springs straight out of the ground around Rotorua; visitors are spoiled for choice when it comes to bathing in thermal water.
The most rustic options are natural hot streams. The most deluxe is the Wai Ariki luxury wellness complex on the shore of Lake Rotorua. My favourite might be Waikite Valley, a series of pools in a quiet valley, fed by the impressive Te Manaroa Spring – the largest single source of boiling water in New Zealand
The details
Visit Wai Ariki for the full thermal bathing experience, including saunas and plunge pools, in a spa complex with beautiful Maori architecture and design throughout.
Head to Hot N Cold stream for the best wild hot spring experience.
Waikite Valley is great value for money.
Orakei Korako
Halfway between Rotorua and Taupo, Orakei Korako is a colourful little wonderland of silica terraces and geysers.
It’s more out of the way than the other geothermal parks in this area, the peaceful and quiet location out of reach of the tour buses which deposit crowds at more popular spots closer to Rotorua town.
The details
Visit Orakei Korako when travelling between Rotorua and Taupo on an Auckland to Wellington road trip, or a North Island itinerary.
Waimangu Volcanic Valley
When the Mt Tarawera eruption in 1886 destroyed the Pink and White Terraces, it created Waimangu Volcanic Valley (the terraces are thought to be beneath the waters of Lake Rotomahana in the Waimangu reserve).
Waimangu is explored via a gentle downhill walk of 1-2 hours through the valley. Along the way are thermal and volcanic features like Frying Pan Lake, a vast hot spring, and Inferno Crater Lake, which has pastel blue water in the right conditions (the intensity of the colour depends on the water level, which rises and falls in a 38 day cycle, and how much you can see depends on the amount of steam blowing around), and colourful silica terraces.
The walk concludes on the shore of Lake Rotormahana; you can opt for a boat trip on the lake, for a closer look at steaming cliffs, or catch a shuttle back up the hill to the beginning.
The details
Waimangu is located 25 minutes south of Rotorua. Allow at least half a day to visit; after the valley walk, Hot N Cold stream is located nearby, as are Waikite Valley Hotpools, which can extend a visit to the area to a full day out.
Waimangu is on the road between Rotorua and Taupo, so it can also be a stopover on your way south.
The Lost Spring in Whitianga
Hot springs bubble up in various spots around the North Island, but few hot pools are as geared toward indulgence as The Lost Spring. Set in tropical gardens, with kitschy fake caves, colourful lighting, and cocktails brought to you poolside, this is easily the most fun thermal spring in New Zealand.
Wine in the North Island
The Hawkes Bay wine region, in the east of the island, is New Zealand’s second largest, producing a diverse array of full-bodied reds and aromatic whites. The area is also something of a fruit basket, with orchards producing everything from figs to apples. Vineyard restaurants reflect this bounty; Craggy Range is supposed to be one of the best places to eat in the whole country (I have yet to verify if this is true, but it is very high on my list).
To the south of Hawkes Bay is the Wairarapa wine region, centred around the village of Martinborough. Wineries in this area tend to be boutique affairs, with vineyard owners both growing the grapes and making the wine.
The Auckland area has several vineyards of note, but the main area worth visiting is Waiheke Island, where beaches, food, and luxurious accommodation add up to make it one of the most lavish places to drink wine in New Zealand.
Waiheke Island
A straightforward 40 minute ferry ride from Auckland city, Waiheke Island is the ideal laid-back winery destination to bookend a New Zealand trip. Visit for a day tour of the wineries – most of which specialise in Bordeaux style reds – or stay overnight to enjoy the island vibes and intersperse the eating and drinking with beach walks and art galleries.
If you’re aiming to explore the vineyards, the easiest way to get around is to book a wine tour. I recommend going with Kiwi Connect, a small local company, because they like to strike a balance between seeing wineries and scenic places.
The details
Visit Waiheke on a day trip from Auckland — I recommend joining Kiwi Connect if you’d like to go on a wine tour. Their Far End tour is great.
Or, stay overnight — there aren’t any large hotels, but you will find many beachy holiday homes
Check out the best wineries on the island
Le Grá Vineyard and Winery
Le Grá is a small family winery in the Wairarapa, located just outside the town of Masterton. You can just stop by the cellar door for a tasting, but stay in their bed and breakfast accommodation to really savour the small-batch wines and platters packed with homemade preserves and treats. It’s a little bit out in the middle of nowhere, but it makes a good stopover on the road to or from Wellington, and a convenient base from which to visit Castlepoint.
It’s also a brilliant winery stay; hosts Nicky and Brian are warm and kind, with a clear passion for bringing people together and having a good time (the winery hosts various events throughout the year, listed on their website as ‘fun things we do’). The accommodation is a comfortable studio just off from their main house, and they generously welcomed us to enjoy the spa and swimming pool area, as well as electric bikes.
The details
Visit the cellar door for a tasting and a platter
Martinborough
The Wairarapa Plains would be largely featureless if it wasn’t for a series of boutique wineries clustered around pretty little Martinborough. Hemmed in by grapevines, the village features some delightful old buildings and a central square with streets radiating out in the shape of the Union Jack – a design intended to stamp a symbol of the British Empire on the landscape by the village’s namesake, John Martin, back in the 1880s.
These days, Martinborough feels whimsical in nature, with boutiques selling artisanal groceries and rustic homewares, wide, leafy streets and flat lanes inviting languid bicycle rides to one of the area’s cellar doors.
Stay at the historic Martinborough Hotel to be right in the middle of the village, and within easy reach of the many wonderful wineries.
Martinborough highlights
Margrain’s cellar door has a laid-back environment and delicious Chenin Blanc
Colombo has excellent pizza paired with wine flights
Moy Hall serves great food in a cosy restaurant
Poppies has sumptuous platters and excellent Pinot Noir Rose
Stay
Barrelled Wines, Raglan
Sunset over the vines at Barrelled Wines
Wine tasting at Barrelled Wines
There’s no wine region near Raglan – there’s just one family, doing their thing at Barrelled Wines.
As well as beautiful wines, there’s beautiful studio accommodation that comes with your own private sauna and sunset viewing deck. Stay for a night, and enjoy a bottle overlooking the rows of vines and the sun setting into the sea beyond.
The details
FEATURED STAY
Barrique Studio at Barrelled Wines Raglan
One of my favourite North Island stays is the studio at Barrelled Wines, which comes with a private sauna and sunset views over the wild west coast.
The best beaches in the North Island
Rarawa beach in Northland
The North Island does beaches exceptionally well. On the east coast you’ll find sheltered bays with white sand and gentle surf; on the west coast, black sand beaches and towering dunes, with lashings of waves rolling in from the Tasman Sea.
With fewer sandflies and warmer temperatures than the South Island, the north is ideal for beachy getaways – coastal drives with the window down, camping beachfront and waking up to sunrise, and jumping in and out of the water several times a day.
The Northland camping trifecta; Maitai Bay, Spirits Bay, Rarawa Beach
Horses on the beach at dawn, Spirits Bay
The far north is an ideal campervan destination, thanks to the coastal campgrounds. It’s hard to pick a favourite between Maitai Bay, Spirits Bay, and Rarawa Beach; calm Maitai is perfect for swimming, Spirits Bay has free roaming horses, and Rarawa has white silica sand so fine it squeaks underfoot. If you have the time, a night at each campsite makes for a dreamy coastal road trip.
FEATURED STAY
Endless Summer Lodge
My favourite place to stay in the far north was Endless Summer lodge, a stunning lodge in a restored kauri villa. It’s right opposite Ahipara Beach, and it’s the perfect place to embrace coastal New Zealand living.
Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach
Cathedral Cove, bordered by cliffs of pale limestone with pillars of the white rock rising from the surf and a large stone archway bisecting the beach, lies a short walk, kayak, or water taxi north of Hahei.
In summer, Cathedral Cove is swarmed with people. Go in the early morning for the best chance of a peaceful beach walk (and sunrise), otherwise be prepared for crowds. DOC (who manage the track to Cathedral Cove) even suggest going at low tide – not only because it’s easier to walk through the rock arch at that time, but because there’s more space on the beach when the tide is out.
A 10 minute drive from Hahei is the Coromandel’s other (literal) hotspot, Hot Water Beach.
In a small area of the beach, thermal springs filter up through the sand. The springs are covered at high tide; you can only access them for around 2 hours either side of low tide. They are easy enough to find, located just beyond the rocks at the southern edge of the beach. You’ll probably spot the crowds first, with many people packed into the small area – the springs are only spread across roughly 20 metres of the beach.
You’ll also need to dig into the sand for the hot water to pool enough to sit in, so take a shovel (some accommodation providers have them on hand, but you can also rent one from the small store by the Hot Water Beach carpark). The end result is a shallow pool that will barely cover your thighs; but, it has great novelty value.
The details
The Coromandel is ideal for a road trip — allow for 2-3 days to make your way around the peninsula
The Coromandel fits well into longer North Island itineraries
Stay
Wairua Rainforest River Retreat (I highly recommend)
Whale Bay and Matapouri
Northland is really one long series of beautiful beaches, but I am particularly fond of Matapouri and Whale Bay. The former is a perfect horseshoe of white sand; the latter a calm place to swim in turquoise waters.
Oke Bay, Bay of Islands
Oke Bay, in the Bay of Islands. The water here was so calm and clear.
As the name suggests, the Bay of Islands has no shortage of beaches, but my favourite swimming spot is an out of the way bay at the start of the Cape Brett track. It’s more than an hour's drive from Paihia, which might be why there’s a good chance you’ll be the only person on Oke Bay beach. All the better to enjoy the calm, blue water framed by lush green hills.
Piha Beach, Auckland
Piha is a 45 minute drive west of Auckland's city centre, but don’t let the proximity to New Zealand’s largest city fool you; once you start driving through the Waitakere Ranges, the roads narrow dramatically, rainforest rises up around you, and most signs of civilisation fade away.
Piha is the only one of the isolated west coast communities approximating a town. There you’ll find a small general store which doubles as a coffee joint, a couple of restaurants, and ice cream served out of a converted shipping container.
Grab something to go and head down to the black sand for a stroll (just beware in summer – the black sand can be impossible to walk on barefoot after a day of hot sunshine).
The details
Kawhia Beach, Waikato
Something of a hidden gem, Kawhia is an alternative to the overcrowded Hot Water Beach on the Coromandel.
Stop by Kawhia’s charming information centre (which doubles as a museum) to get intel on where to find natural hot springs in the black sand beach – just make sure you’re aiming to be there a couple of hours either side of low tide.
A 5 minute drive from the centre of Taupo are the Huka Falls, a thundering waterfall formed where the Waikato River – New Zealand’s longest river – narrows into a channel of rock only 15m wide, whipping bright blue water into a white froth. There are short walking tracks and lookout points on both sides of the river. The Huka Falls Lookout Track only takes around 10 minutes out and back, but has two fantastic points from which to observe the falls. Being so accessible, it is a busy walk, but it’s worth braving the selfie-taking crowd to see the waterfall.
The details
Huka Falls is a quick stop to make while in Taupo (allow 30 minutes).
Marokopa Falls
A 30 minute detour from Waitomo village takes you to Marokopa Falls, an impressive waterfall 35 metres high. We’re spoiled for waterfalls in New Zealand – maybe because we have so many, it takes a lot for me to really be blown away by one. Marokopa blew me away. There’s a viewing platform, but if you’re willing to scramble over slippery rocks you can make your way to the face of the waterfall, where the spray is so strong it’s like standing in a shower.
Tawhai Falls (Gollum’s Pool)
Taranaki Falls is the most popular waterfall in Tongariro National Park (and for good reason, it’s very pretty and makes for a great 2 hour loop walk) but I have a soft spot for Tawhai Falls.
This waterfall is mostly famous thanks to its appearance in Lord of the Rings as a fishing spot for Gollum (even all these years later, people visiting the falls still faithfully recreate this scene). Aside from that, it’s picturesque, perfect for a cold plunge, and an easy 20 minute return walk from the road to Whakapapa Village.
Tarawera Falls
Spectacular Tarawera Falls isn’t easy to get to, but if you make the trek it’s one of the most unique waterfalls I’ve seen in New Zealand.
The waterfall is 35 metres high, fed by the Tarawera River flowing out of Lake Tarawera. The river disappears underground, into flooded caves formed by old lava, before surging out through fissures in the cliff face.
The trail is relatively flat and gentle, following the bright blue river. Keep an eye out for whio (an endangered native duck) swimming in the river, or North Island robins hopping about in the bush.
The details
Visit Tarawera Falls as a day trip from Rotorua.
Although close to Rotorua as the crow flies, the falls are tricky to get to via road. If driving, you’ll need to stop in the small town of Kawerau to get a forestry access permit from the Information Centre ($10). Permits are only available on weekends or during school holidays. After Kawerau, you still need to drive for around 45 minutes on dusty, unsealed roads. The total drive time from Rotorua is around 1.5 hours.
A faster way to get there is across Lake Tarawera. Totally Tarawera operates a water taxi across the lake, dropping you off at a beach beside the outlet of the Tarawera River outlet. From there, the return walk is 3.5 hours along the river.
Wildlife
Patting wild stingrays
Out east, a little north of Gisborne in beautiful Tatapouri Bay, is one of the most unusual wildlife encounters you can have in New Zealand; stroking wild stingrays. After getting booted up in waders and trekking out into shallow waters of the bay, local stingrays will swoop in and say hello, giving you the chance to run a hand over their firm, fleshy backs.
The gannet colony in Muriwai
One hour west of Auckland city is black sand Muriwai Beach, where you’ll find a spectacular colony of gannets nesting on rock towers rising above the heaving waves at Ōtakamiro Point.
The Maukatia Gannet Track leads to platforms with close-up views of the colony and the birds – with wing spans of up to two metres – spinning and turning in the air above. If you’re interested in birds or photography, it’s a remarkable location.
Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari
The world's largest fenced eco-sanctuary, Sanctuary Mountain sprawls across the top of a hill in the middle of the Waikato. The huge predator proof fence is a triumph of conservation, and it paints a stark picture of what New Zealand is like with and without humans.
Outside the fence is nothing but farmland and grass.
Step through the gates and you’re immediately surrounded by an ancient forest alive with native birds. Keeping the fence intact and the birds inside safe takes a massive amount of money, so your entry ticket for either a self-guided or guided walk helps keep the sanctuary running.
Kapiti Island Nature Reserve
One of New Zealand’s oldest nature reserves, Kapiti Island has exceptional bird spotting opportunities – this is the only place I have ever seen and heard the elusive kokako.
I visited for a day trip, but you can also stay overnight if you’d like to spot kiwi.
Zealandia
Located close to the centre of Wellington city, Zealandia is a hopeful conservation story (if you hear terradactyl-like screeching while you’re in the city, it will be kaka parrots which have been brought back thanks to the eco-sanctuary). The sanctuary is easily accessible, but I found birdlife there harder to spot than in other places, as there are quite a few people walking the trails.
The highlight for me was getting to spot tuatara, New Zealand’s ancient reptile. Zealandia is the only place I have ever seen them, which felt very special. Visit on a sunny day for your best chances of seeing them.
Cape Palliser seal colony
Although hunted to the brink of extinction by fur traders, the New Zealand fur seal population has rebounded. They are now relatively easy to see at various places around Te-Ika-a-Maui’s coastline, but nowhere is more impressive than out at Cape Palliser, home to the largest colony on the North Island. Noisy, ungainly, smelly, and mostly unbothered by visitors, seals haul themselves over rocks and under bushes right by the road.
Kayaking in bioluminescence in Auckland
Paddling around in glowing waters only 30 minutes north of Auckland city centre is a somewhat surreal experience. I have encountered bioluminescence in a few spots around New Zealand’s coastlines (calm, sheltered areas are your best chance of spotting it) but this activity with Social Nature Movement is the first time I have kayaked in it.
Waitomo glow worm caves
Glow worms light up caves and bush walks around New Zealand, but the network of caves around Waitomo provide some of the most accessible, and most impressive places to see them.
There’s more than just the main glow worm cave (confusingly called Waitomo Glow Worm Cave).
I recommend a cave tour with Spellbound, a small family-run operation that takes you into a glow worm cave so bright you can walk without torch light.
I would like to visit the Down to Earth Eco Cave tour soon.
Quirky and unusual things to do in the North Island
The North Island has its fair share of fun and offbeat attractions.
Hobbiton
One of the North Island’s main attractions is Hobbiton, the movie set tour that will transport you to Middle Earth.
The most immersive way to experience Hobbiton is via an Evening Banquet Tour, which includes the set tour, followed by a dinner feast, and a return walk through the Shire by lantern light. I wouldn’t describe myself as a die-hard Lord of the Rings fan, but even for me, this was surreal. You need to be organised enough to book the experience months in advance, but it’s worth the effort and expense.
The details
You can self-drive yourself to the Shire’s Rest (where Hobbiton Movie Set tours leave from) but you need to join a tour to visit Hobbiton itself.
It’s possible to visit on a day trip from Auckland, but that makes for a long drive.
Hobbiton is located between Auckland and Rotorua, so you can work it into a North Island itinerary fairly easily (it’s also relatively close to both the Coromandel and Waitomo).
Hobbiton is located in the middle of Waikato dairy farming country; it’s rolling green hills in every direction. Matamata is the nearest town (15 minutes from Hobbiton) but there are also some lovely rural Airbnb accommodation options.
There are a number of hobbit-themed places to stay nearby as well, with the most impressive being Underhill Valley, a proper hobbit-hole inspired property.
Forgotten World Adventures
Tunnels are a highlight of the trip
One of the most unique things you can do in the North Island is cruise along a disused railway line, in a custom golf buggy.
The Forgotten World Adventure tour takes you to Whangamomona by road, then sends you back to Taumarunui via the railway. On the way, there are many kilometres of tunnels, epic views of vast sheep country and Whanganui National Park, and several history lessons on the making of the railway.
You can spend a night in the ‘Republic’ of Whangamomona, or just get your passport stamped at the country pub on the way through. All 40 local residents love to riff on the status of Whangamomona as an independent state.
The trip is a long day of sitting in the golf cart, but that does make it ideal for younger or older travellers — it’s an accessible way of seeing some of the most remote corners of the North Island.
The details
Driving Creek Railway, Coromandel
Just outside of Coromandel town, on the Coromandel Peninsula, a tiny mountain train that trundles through native bush to incredible views.
Driving Creek Railway was originally built back in the 80s by Barry Brickell, a potter who wanted to use the rails to transport wood, clay and sculptures up and down the hillside. Today the train carries visitors instead of clay, but there is still a working pottery studio for a rotation of artists.
The details
Stopping overnight in Coromandel Town is a chance to see the railway and the more alternative side of the Coromandel Peninsula. In Hahei on the eastern coast, it’s all expensive holiday homes — in Coromandel, it’s artistic hidey holes in the native bush.
FEATURED STAY
Bali Haven
A beautiful Bali-inspired garden tucked into native bush, opposite Driving Creek Railway. I loved the outdoor fireplace and shower surrounded by ferns; this is an ideal nook for nature lovers.
Hundertwasser Art Centre (and toilets)
Friedensreich Hundertwasser (1928-2000) was an Austrian avant garde artist, architect, and environmental activist who spent the last 30 years of his life in the Bay of Islands.
He believed that “the geometric straight line is not a creative line, it is a duplicating line, an imitating line, not existing in nature;” his architecture is accordingly wacky. The Hundertwasser Art Centre in Whangarei displays his eclectic style (he designed the centre in 1993. It was built posthumously and opened in 2022), as do the famous Kawakawa toilets, the last project completed in Hundertwasser’s lifetime .
Waiheke Island
Food in the North Island
Graze Wine Bar, Wellington
One of my favourite restaurants in the whole country is Graze, run by a husband and wife duo in Wellington. The pescatarian restaurant focuses on ethical ingredients and low food waste. The blackboard menu lists sharing dishes like tomato and mozzarella tart with oyster mushrooms, basil and beans pierogi honey roasted pumpkin with macadamia and fig.
There’s much much more to each dish than the menu suggests, so each one is a small surprise when it arrives, delivered with an explanation of where each component comes from (herbs from the neighborhood, flour from Shelly Bay Baker, fish from a local fisherman). In an innovative move that I wish more restaurants would adopt, you can order half serves for each dish – ideal if you’re a solo diner, like me.
Sitting at the chef’s bar is a treat, as you get a front row view of Max and his team crafting each dish.
The Chef’s Table at Blue Duck Station
I have yet to make it to this teeny tiny 10 seat degustation restaurant – which isn’t too surprising, given that it’s set in the remote Blue Duck Station in Whanganui, reached only by ATV.
With a menu focused on foraged or sustainably grown ingredients, and views across the heart of the North Island, it sounds like one of the most unique dining experiences in all of New Zealand.
TALA, Auckland
The brainchild of trailblazing chef and owner Henry Onesemo, TALA offers a contemporary Samoan dining experience – one of the first in Auckland, a city with a huge Pasifika population, to offer an elevated take on Samoan cuisine.
Paua Pie at Cafe 35, Tokumaru Bay
Not all the best food experiences are fine dining; sometimes it’s just a humble pie. On a road trip around East Cape, stop in at Cafe 35 in Tokumaru Bay, and pick up a paua pie.
Te Matuku oysters, Waiheke Island
Oysters are grown in the waters just off Waiheke; at restaurants like The Oyster Inn, you can eat freshly harvested oysters, shucked to order.
Te Pa Tu, Rotorua
Hangi is a traditional Maori way of cooking, where a pit is filled with hot stones and baskets of meat and potatoes are layered on top. The smoky, steamed food is usually served at large gatherings and celebrations.
For visitors, Te Pā Tū in Rotorua offers a chance to try hangi in a dinner-and-a-show style setting, where you get to enjoy kapa haka (traditional singing and performances) while eating.
Blueberry ice cream at Blue River Orchard
Real fruit ice creams – vanilla ice cream blended with fresh or frozen berries for an airy, summery treat – are fairly common around the island, but my favourite spot is near Kerikeri. Blue River Orchard make real fruit ice creams from their spray-free blue berries (and you can pick your own to take away as well). They have a coconut ice cream option for the dairy intolerant.
Raglan is a laid-back coastal town two hours south of Auckland.
It’s one of my favourite places in the North Island to hang out for a weekend.
Renowned for its world-class surf breaks, Raglan attracts surfers of all levels seeking the perfect wave. The iconic left-hand point break at Manu Bay is a magnet for goofy-footed surfers.
Beyond surfing, Raglan offers coastal walks, beautiful beaches, and striking viewpoints.
Bridal Veil Falls and Mount Karioi provide excellent hiking opportunities with breathtaking scenery. The artsy town center is filled with galleries, cafes, and boutique stores, adding to its bohemian charm.
ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHT
North Island road trips and itineraries
Two weeks is the perfect amount of time for a road trip around the North Island. This gives you enough time to experience the top things to do in the North Island, while not having to rush, skip places, or have long driving days.
If you only have one week in the North, you can still hit the highlights.
Three weeks gives you ample time to explore off the beaten track. I personally find less visited regions like Taranaki, Northland, and the East Cape, to be just as beautiful and rewarding as top destinations like Rotorua and Taupo.
Of course, it depends how you like to spend your time. If you like hiking, camping, and enjoying landscapes, you’ll love Taranaki. If you want to see geothermal attractions and do a lot of jet boating, bungy jumping, and zip lining, Rotorua and Taupo make more sense.
Here are a few of the road trips and itineraries I have put together, for exploring the North Island’s best places.
AUTHOR BIO
I’m a freelance travel writer from New Zealand with bylines in National Geographic Travel, Conde Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure and more.
I’ve travelled up and down beautiful Aotearoa and I love sharing my recommendations for the best places to visit in New Zealand.
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