Day 4: Auckland - Kawakawa - Bay of Islands (Paihia) - Visit Cape Reinga
Visit Cabo Reinga It is our goal today, with which we can also say that we started the route through the North Island of New Zealand.
The morning starts a little rough and it is that although yesterday after making the route through the places to see in Auckland in one day, we thought that the jet lag had not affected us, they only had to spend several hours to see that this was not quite right. Our first night of the New Zealand in a motorhome has gone through innumerable moments of sleeplessness, which in the end have made us collect everything, take a shower, and after a quick breakfast, start the second day of the trip to New Zeeland
As we mentioned at the beginning, Cabo Reinga is going to be the final destination of the day, a magical and mythical place for Maori culture, which is 320 kilometers from Auckland and about 4 hours away, although before we will stop in Kawakawa to 211 kilometers from Auckland, where we will make one of the probably most original visits of the route.
Road to Cabo Reinga
Little can we explain the first part of the day, in which the driving and the first moments of relationship With our house on wheels they have been a constant, but at the same time, they have served us to realize things that we had not even considered at the time of renting the Jucy motorhome in New Zealand.
One of them is how important it is to take your driving calmly and be aware that although you have already driven on the left on other occasions, in each country it is different, so it is worth going slowly until you see that you have mastered the situation. This process will not take you more than a few hours, but if it is your first day in New Zealand, it is worth assessing.
It is for this reason that if you decide to do this journey from Auckland to Cabo Reinga in one day have a couple of hours more than what is marked on your GPS since the first hours are probably not going at speed normal and you need that extra time to adapt to the new situation.
Also remember that if you are interested in making a trip of this type, we recommend you to look at the Motorhome Republic page where you can see all the available options, prices and make the reservation directly.
After a few minutes of driving and going through some landscapes of infarction, which make us shudder to think that we are only a few kilometers from Auckland and are signs of what awaits us, we make a brief stop, which in the end becomes more than one hour, in a Pak'n Save supermarket, one of the largest in New Zealand, which also has very tight prices, where we take the opportunity to make the first purchase of the trip, loading the refrigerator and cupboards with food for about 4- 5 days, for about 110 euros.
Pak'n Save
After several stops to stretch our legs and drink coffee, we arrive at Kawakawa at 1 noon, to park the motorhome for free on the main road, something that as the trip progresses we will see that it is a constant, since the 99% of New Zealand locations grow on the margins of the main road to plant in two seconds compared to what will be today's first visit.
What to see in Kawakawa
This small town 200 kilometers from Auckland we could say that it would not receive any visit if it were not for something very special that makes it unique in New Zealand: its public toilets, located 60 Gilles St.
Designed by the famous Austrian architect Friedensreich Hundertwassen, author of the Hundertwasser House, one of the essential places to visit in Vienna, these basins are an example of his work in which he emphasizes the brightly colored mosaics and the undulating shapes that characterize him so much .
Hundertwassen lived in Kawakawa for several years until his death in 2000 and built these toilets with recycled material, moving even the trees cut down for the work to the roof of the same. Something that today can be seen on the roof, where the grass and plants coexist in true harmony.
Hundertwassen Baths in Kanakawa
Although there is not much else to see in Kawakawa, this is a recommended stop to also see the curious toilets, stretch your legs and eat on the way to Cabo Reinga. Also keep in mind that 2 kilometers before reaching Kawakawa are the Kawiti caves, where you can also see luminous worms on guided tours.
For this experience, Waitomo is much more recommended, where we will go in a few days, but this option is somewhat cheaper, so if you do not want to go to Waitomo, this may be a good alternative.
Kanakawa
Taking advantage of the moment, after visiting the toilets of Kawakawa and taking a walk along the main street, we make an express meal in a small pizzeria, for when it is almost 2 in the afternoon continue with the route of the day, now yes Direct to Cabo Reinga, our final destination of the day 200 kilometers from Kawakawa.
Keep in mind that from this area or the Bay of Islands, another of the most famous places in this area, to Cabo Reina there are not many gas stations, so it can be interesting to fill here the tank and thus not take any fright or pay more in the northernmost part of the country where prices are usually somewhat higher.
After just over two hours of driving, we arrive at Cabo Reinga when it is 5 pm, perfect time to enjoy one of the essential places to see in New Zealand.
More practical information to prepare your trip to New Zealand
- 10 essential tips for traveling to New Zealand
- 10 essential places to see in New Zealand
- The best travel insurance for New Zealand
Cape Reinga, one of the most magical places in New Zealand
Cape Reinga or Cape Reinga is known to be the northernmost point of the North Island of New Zealand. Although if we have to be totally strict, this is not the case, since there is another geographically located further north, the magic of this place is partly due to this belief that makes it one of the most sacred places for Maori culture.
According to this tradition, this is the place where the souls of the dead leave the earth on the way to the underworld. This step is done through a pohutukawa, a tree of more than 800 years, located on a rocky promontory, through which souls travel this path through their roots, passing in front of the Three Kings Islands, to the In the end, move on to the next life.
Cabo Reinga
As we told you, this place is very special and sacred to the Maori, so it is essential to show respect and not approach the tree (although this would not be precisely easy because of its location), or eat or drink in the surroundings.
In addition to the spiritual burden of the place and the magic of the area if we think about where we are and what it means, visiting Cabo Reinga also means visiting its lighthouse, another of the most important places in this area of New Zealand that we recommend you not to miss.
Visit Cape Reinga
To reach the Cape Reinga lighthouse you must follow a 1 kilometer path from the parking lot, through which you can read the history of the place on the different posters. As you get closer to the lighthouse you can see the exact point where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific Ocean, something as impressive as easy to see, since at that point you can perfectly observe the color change and how On storm days, waves of more than 15 meters rise.
Union of the Tasmanian Sea with the Pacific Ocean
Almost at the end of the path, before reaching the lighthouse, you must look to the right to see the pohutukawa, the tree of more than 800 years of which we were talking about previously and through which, according to Maori tradition, they cross the souls to the other world.
Pohutukawa
Another of the things that you cannot miss in Cabo Reinga is to travel, even if it is a part, of the Te Werahi Beach trail, which takes you through a couple of kilometers along the coast, with really incredible views.
You can find the beginning of this path before reaching the lighthouse, on the left.
Te Werahi Beach Trail
Tips for visiting Cape Reinga
- You can park your car or motorhome in the parking area enabled for it.
- At the entrance you can find a small Visitor Center and bathrooms.
- Admission is free and there are no schedules.
- As we mentioned before, due to the sacredness of the place, it is not allowed to eat or drink in the area.
- Although any time of day is good for visit Cabo Reinga, if you can try to make your visit coincide with the sunset. We assure you that the moment is incredibly magical. By having a different time at each time of the year, we advise you to check before going to Google schedules.
- This area is usually very windy and sometimes cold, so it is important to be warm.
- The path from the parking area to the Cabo Reinga Lighthouse is 1 kilometer and although in some sections it is pending, it is fully accessible.
- The visit, if you do not stay to watch the sunset, it will not take you more than 1 hour.
- If you are going to stay in the area, we strongly recommend doing it at Tapotupotu Campsite, a low-cost campsite, where you can spend the night in front of the beach and enjoy one of the most incredible views of New Zealand.
The price is 13NZD per person and you must register at the caravan at the entrance where the ranger is. - If you go by car, we advise you to consult the best accommodation in Cabo Reinga.
Visit Cabo Reinga in New Zealand
After these hours, we have to say that visit Cabo Reinga It was the best gift that New Zealand could give us this first day of the route. A magical place where we have been able to live an unforgettable first sunset in front of one of the most spiritual places in the country.
Without a doubt, a very TOP journey begins that only makes us think that if this has been the beginning and supposedly the lightest part of the country, how can the rest be ...
Sunset in Cabo Reinga
And so, after two hours and enjoy an unforgettable sunset, when it's 8 in the afternoon, we go to Tapotupotu Campsite, a low-cost beachfront campsite, located 2 kilometers from Cabo Reinga, which is considered as one of the most scenic places to sleep in New Zealand and also, was another reason to come to this incredible enclave of New Zealand.
And here, in this wonderful place, we spend the night in front of the beach beginning to be aware that this trip will be a great travel in capital letters.
Camping Tapotupotu Campsite
Before finalizing this post, we want to comment after our experience, several things:
- If your trip is only 15 days, although visiting Cabo Reinga for us has been an insurmountable experience, we believe that because of the distance, you should discard it. There are other impressive places on the North Island that we believe are also very worthwhile and are much more affordable in a matter of kilometers.
- Another important thing to keep in mind, if you want to make the journey from Auckland to Cabo Reinga in one day, is the amount of kilometers that separate both places. If you have not been in New Zealand for several days, it is more, we have often covered longer routes in less hours, but if it is your first day in the country, jet lag can play tricks on you. It is best to be very attentive to your body and any signs of fatigue, stop to rest to avoid any setback.
- If you have extra days, a good alternative would be to cover this distance in a couple of days, staying overnight in Paihia, in the Bay of Islands, which is another of the best known areas of the North Island of New Zealand.
Excursions to Cabo Reinga or the Bay of Islands
If you have a couple of days to get from Auckland to Cape Reinga, we advise you to look at one of the following excursions, which can perfectly complement the visit to Cape Reinga, one of the most magical places in New Zealand.
- Bay of Islands: 1-day express tour from Auckland: With this tour that combines bus and cruise travel, you can discover two of the most incredible areas of the North Island of New Zealand: the Bay of Islands and Cape Reinga.
- 2-day tour to Bay of Islands, Hobbiton and Waitomo from Auckland: Perfect tour if you want to know besides the Bay of Islands, two of the most visited places on the North Island of New Zealand: Hobbiton and Waitomo.
- Tour Bay of Islands and Cape Reinga: Meet for 3 days two of the most historic places in the North Island of New Zealand.
Day 5: Cabo Reinga - What to see in Northland: Te Paki Giant Dunes - 90 mile beach - Kauri Coast: Waipoua Forest - Kauro Coast Top 10 Holiday Park
