Northland: The Winterless North
Heading out of Auckland, we didn’t have a solid plan for what we wanted to do, but we thought this would be the easiest time to drive through Northland, a lesser-traveled region north of Auckland. Known as the Winterless North, the region promised mild weather and beautiful beaches, convincing enough for us!
On our way up north, we stopped at a few different stores to prepare for van life! We bought a bunch of cheap groceries at Pak’nSave, the NZ equivalent of Costco (sans membership requirement), and then made our way to their equivalent of Target, called Warehouse, where we got some decorative/practical items to spruce up the van. With some string lights, a candle, a sheet for the bed, and some tubs for organization, it was feeling more like home. We squeezed all of our luggage under the platform bed, stuffed our groceries in the ‘kitchen’ in the trunk, and laid our sleeping bags out on foam mattresses on the bed.
After much deliberation, we named the van Mayo as its exterior is completely white. A slightly ironic name as Kay will not come within ten feet of a sandwich with mayo on it…
We began our trip through Northland, enjoying finally being out on the road. Overall, Northland is pretty rural with tons of sheep and cattle farms and tiny towns that you wouldn’t even realize were towns if there hadn’t been signs stating so. However, there was lots of beautiful nature to be explored; here are some of the highlights of our five days in Northland.
Mount Manaia Track
A steep hike that concluded atop Mount Manaia, a sacred place for the local Maori, where they used to bury their dead high on the mountain. It was a beautiful lookout point, boasting views of the water in every direction.
Matapouri Bay
There is an endless supply of awe-inspiring beaches and bays on Northland’s coast. It was a bit chilly the day we were here, but that didn’t deter us from enjoying the white sand beach and bright blue water. We stopped at a small shop for some fish and chips while there and were surprised to have it served wrapped in newspaper, with no utensils or ketchup for the fries. We asked for some, but the cashier looked at us like we were crazy and told us to just eat it. We unwrapped the newspaper, dug in with our hands, and were blown away - the fish practically melted in your mouth and the fries were so plump they didn’t even need ketchup. Guess there’s no reason for plates or forks when your food is this good!
Matai Bay
Another beautiful beach that we enjoyed mostly thanks to a kind Maori man who we chatted with for a while. He lived in New York City for a few years and understood why we had abandoned the US! He recommended a hike off the beach that we had no idea existed, so we set off for that and enjoyed the beautiful views of the beach from a ridge above. He had given us the hang loose gesture about 4 times in our 5 minute conversation, so we knew better than passing up his recommendation. He was the only other person we encountered the whole time here!
Cape Reinga
The northernmost point in NZ, where the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean come together. There is a lovely coastal walk down to a lighthouse that is probably the most recognizable feature of the cape.
Te Paki Giant Sand Dunes
The name says it all… it was so wild to see endless rolling dunes in one direction, coming together with lush green forest for as far as you can see in the other. A friendly 10 year old Scottish boy who had been sprinting around the dunes as we walked up became our guiding light and helped us maneuver our way across a small stream and get to the dunes. Hans ran into the dunes with him and frolicked for 15 or 20 minutes getting all of their energy out and exploring together.
Waipoua Forest
A sanctuary forest that houses the two largest living kauri trees. The kauri trees are endangered from a disease called kauri dieback which is spread from moving infected mud. Therefore, there were boot washing stations before entering the forest to help prevent further spread of the disease.
Waterfalls
As it seems like they are everywhere in NZ, we got to see many beautiful waterfalls. Whangerei Falls and Rainbow Falls were the main attractions, but there are tons of unnamed ones throughout the region.
All in all, we had a great few days in Northland. We were happy to finally be out on the road and adjusted to van life well. Next up, we head south!
For more pictures, check out our Instagram, from_oakland_to_auckland, also linked below!