The 12 Best Activities in Northland, New Zealand

Listing the best 12 activities in Northland, New Zealand. Read on for the best tips from a local!

Today marks our 3-month anniversary in New Zealand. We’ve packed so much into these short 3 months that it feels like our life is on fast-forward. We started our adventure in New Zealand, in the lovely city of Auckland. Here, we spent a few days enjoying great barista coffee, unique restaurants, and some very cool craft beer bars. From Auckland, the drive to our new home in the Bay of Islands is just over four hours and very scenic especially if you take the route via coastal Tutukaka.

In the last couple of months, we’ve also been lucky enough to do just about every activity in Northland. So, read on to find out more about the best 12 activities in Northland, New Zealand.

Unique things to do in Northland

1. Explore Kerikeri and the surrounding area

We feel the best things to do in Kerikeri are to hike the short easy trail to Rainbow Falls (it’s 4 miles round-trip), visit the Stone Store (the oldest stone building in New Zealand, which also houses one of the cutest Cafes on the North Island. It’s called the Honey House Cafe and it overlooks the river, the coffee is excellent and so are their sweet treats. And also be sure to stop by the bustling yet quirky Packhouse Market which is held every Saturday morning.

2. Drive to Opito Bay

In the nearby surrounding area, we highly recommend Opito Bay we took a drive here yesterday and found the most epic hidden beach. Yep, a 15-minute walk from the car park through the rainforest across from the Bay will bring you to a gem of a beach. Just follow the wooden signs. On this particular stretch of sand, you’re not likely to come across another soul for hours. Our kind of place!

In fact, it’s on this hidden beach that we got engaged back in 2018! And to this day we call this beach “our beach”.

3. Swim or surf at Matauri Bay

Another fabulous beach in this area is Matauri Bay. As a matter of fact, I’d go so far as to say it’s the best beach in Northland. Matauri Bay is a 30-minute drive from Kerikeri via the most epic road winding down to the beach. The view as you drive down is spectacular, just be careful not to take your eyes off the road.

Matauri Bay plays host to the Rainbow Warrior Memorial an unusual sculpture dedicated to the famous Rainbow Warrior ship – a Greenpeace protest ship that was blown up in Auckland Harbour in 1985. The wreck was moved to the waters off Matauri Bay (FYI – you can scuba dive this wreck too). Walking to the memorial is a steep 10-minute climb but the 180-degree views of the bay are so worth your aching legs. However, it’s certainly one of the best things to do in Northland!

4. Hike through the Puketi Kauri Forest

The Puketi Kauri Forest is another great stop, only a 15-minute drive from Kerikeri – there are a variety of walks you can do here ranging from quick and easy to lengthy and more difficult.

We did the Kauri Stump Walk – a beautiful wooded walkway through giant Kauri trees. It takes less than 15 minutes round-trip. It is peaceful and typically doesn’t attract too many other tourists. You can camp here too if so inclined.

5. Take a scenic drive to Mangonui

Further afield, the harbor-side town of Mangonui is pretty and picturesque and has the best Thai food in Northland and a sweet little cafe named Jesse’s on the Waterfront’s. The coffee here is strong, just how I like it!

Next to Mangonui is the very pretty Cable Bay, where we’ve taken some epic sunset shots. Did you know – Cable Bay got its name because it was home to the Pacific cable which linked Australia by telegraph with New Zealand? 

6. Drive on 90 Mile Beach

Driving further North you will come across the well-travelled 90-mile beach. This beach is officially a highway, but according to the locals “is really only suitable for 4WD vehicles and is safe to drive only at specific times of the tides”. We drove in our non-4WD Audi for a little while and were fine, although we were very cautious of the tide and didn’t drive too far from an exit.

Tip – We’ve heard lots of horror stories, of cars sinking in the sand, and when the tide is out far enough you can see the cars half-submerged under the sand! The sunsets here are pretty epic too.

7. Take photos at Cape Reinga

This is certainly one of the best activities in Northland. At the very tip of Northland is Cape Reinga, the northernmost point of New Zealand and the point where two oceans meet (the Tasman and Pacific).

Cape Reinga is very popular and can get quite crowded so try to get here early or late to avoid the tour buses. There’s an absolutely incredible beach about a 25-minute walk from the lighthouse called Te Werahi Beach. To be honest, we spent more of our time here than at the Lighthouse itself. To get the best photo of the Lighthouse stand at the top of the hill directly facing it.

8. Take a bath at Ngawha Hot Springs

One of the most unique activities in Northland is Ngawha Hot Springs. The hot springs are located in the center of a geothermally active area, an area that produces a considerable amount of Northland’s electricity. – all while feeding over a dozen hot pools of all sorts of colors, element make-ups, and temperatures.

Beware – it stinks and it’s a little run-down but that adds to the appeal of it. We met quite a few interesting characters here – one dreadlocked ‘dude’ insisted on teaching us the Maori alphabet and another guy from London believes the hot springs have healed him (two years earlier he was completely paralyzed).

9. For something a little unusual – Kawiti Glow Worm caves

The Kawiti Glow Worm Caves are another top attraction in Northland, again we haven’t made the visit but have heard great things. Yes, it’s not as ‘touristic’ as its famous sibling the Waitomo Caves, but we prefer off-the-beaten-path attractions, don’t you?

Here, you’ll get up close to thousands of glow worms as you wander through a 656-foot long cave that’s also lined with stalactites and stalagmites. You can do a 45-minute tour of the caves during the day or book a super-unique twilight tour to the glow worms where you’ll also learn about Maori culture in the area and enjoy a special dinner in the cave!

The Kawiti Glow Worm Twilight Tour costs from $200 NZD per person and can be BOOKED HERE!

10. Indulge yourself in Paihia

Paihia, as mentioned earlier is a bit of a ‘backpacker haven’, with an abundance of hostels & seasonal work. The town runs the length of a golden sandy beach and has lots of great bars & restaurants – one of our favorites being El Cafe a Mexican cafe with great prices. From here, you can catch the passenger ferry to Russell.

There’s loads to do in Paihia from a boat cruise to the famed hole in the rock this one os 5-hours-long and includes some time on a secluded island. If you’re lucky you may even spot some whales and dolphins – the water here is teeming with marine life! It costs under $150 NZD per person.

We also loved this adrenalin-pumping jet boating experience. It’s just 30 minutes long so ideal if you’re tight on time and features some mind-bending 360-degree turns in Paihia Bay on board a special jet boat! You can even go on a dolphin watching tour here, which I loved.

11. Take the ferry to Russell

Historic Russell was once known by the unflattering nickname of ‘Hell-hole of the Pacific”. It was the first permanent European settlement and sea port in New Zealand, so was once full of rowdy British sailors and prostitutes (hence, its nickname).

Like Paihia it is a very popular stop with tourists, so justifiably is full of restaurants & tourist shops. Still, it is a very pretty town to spend the day, take lots of photos, and have a good hearty lunch. We recommend getting a seat outside the ever-popular Duke of Marlborough.

12. Go on a yoga retreat

If you’re keen for a bit of a different vacation in Northland, then look no further than a yoga and hiking retreat in the stunning Whangarei Heads area of Northland. On this 6 day hiking tour, you will get to enjoy yoga and meditation. And immerse yourself in the breathtaking beauty of the area on several hikes. Two of which are listed as New Zealand’s top 10 great walks.

Your accommodation boasts spectacular sea views, a private deck, and amenities like a hot tub and sauna. You can read more about this unique tour here!

Thanks for Reading!

And there you have it, that’s the best activities in Northland, New Zealand. I hope you enjoyed reading our recommendations for this beautiful part of the world which we are lucky enough to call home. I’m sure I will be writing a follow-up to this post very soon, seeing as Summer is here and there are lots more beaches and attractions waiting for us to explore.

Have you been to Northland? Have I missed anything here? If you think so, pretty please let me know in the comment section below.

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Last Updated on November 14, 2024 by snaphappytravel