Many have been amazed by the beautiful natural landscapes of the South Island in New Zealand, forgetting about its equally beautiful and remarkable counterpart, the North Island.
I went on exchange to Auckland, New Zealand in 2018, and like most people, I mainly heard about the stunning landscapes offered by the South Island. Little did I know that the North Island also has its fair share of gems to be explored and enjoyed!
Here are my top 3 favourite places to visit in the North Island!
1. Piha Beach & Muriwai Beach
I have always loved going to the beach, so it was a definite yes for me when it came to the question of whether I wanted to visit the beaches in North Island! Out of the several beaches that I went to in the North Island, I enjoyed Piha and Muriwai beach the most! These two beaches are relatively near each other, and can be enjoyed in a single day trip out of Auckland (it's very convenient to rent a car in Auckland, so don’t worry about that)!
Piha Beach is popular with the locals and is the first black-sand beach I have visited! It’s home to the well-known Lion Rock and really big waves, so don’t be surprised if you see many locals hitting the waves and surfing!
As for Muriwai Beach, it's a little less well-known, but equally beautiful nonetheless. Most people have heard of Piha Beach and generally would head there, but if I had to decide between the two, I would choose Muriwai Beach in a heartbeat. It is home to a huge Gannet colony and impressive coastlines that seem to go on forever. There are also viewing platforms that let you get close to the Gannets, and overall, it is a great place to relax and enjoy the magnificent view!
2. Cathedral Cove
Another beautiful place to visit to enjoy the distinctive coastal features is the Cathedral Cove and the Cathedral Cove walk! It's also home to the famous rock archway of Cathedral Cove. I would suggest setting aside more time than the suggested 45 mins walk each way as you might want to stop to take some photos and enjoy the view along the way!
I loved Cathedral Cove and the Cathedral Cove Walk so much that I headed there twice throughout my exchange, even though it was a 3-hour drive from Auckland. I managed to catch a beautiful sunset the second time I was there. However, my friends and I did not take into account that we would have to walk about 45 minutes in pitch darkness back to the car after the sun had completely set. We only had our trusty phone torch lights to rely on in the darkness, and although it was quite the experience walking in the dark, I would (highly) recommend beginning your walk back to the parking lots as soon as the sun starts setting!
3. Hot Water Beach
Together with the mini road trip to Cathedral Cove, we couldn’t miss out on the Hot Water Beach as they were just a 10-minutes drive apart! It was an opportunity to dig our very own spa pool in the sand and enjoy the heat from the natural springs!
We arrived at Hot Water Beach bright and early in the morning, but it was already pretty packed with locals! Having to dig our own little hole to enjoy the warmth coming from beneath the ground made the experience even more memorable and enjoyable.
Tip: make sure to pick a good spot and a good timing, or you could be digging for hours before you hit the heated areas of the beach! Most people flock to Hot Water Beach two hours either before or after low tide – so do take this into account when planning to visit and experience the Hot Water Beach!
You can rent the spades there, and please remember to check the timing of tides before you visit! You wouldn’t want the tides to be too high which might result in a less than optimal experience at Hot Water Beach!
A small final note: Please please PLEASEEEE remember to put on some sun block before you head out into the sun! If not, be prepared to look like a lobster for the next few days!
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This article was written by Jerline Lim, a final year Sociology student from the National University of Singapore. She enjoys playing the piano and hunting for bakeries.
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