90 Mile Beach and Karikari Peninsular

We enjoyed our stay at the POP in Houhora but it is now closed however the new owners will be reopening it some time with the date to be advised.
No exploring of the top of the NI is complete without a walk on 90 Mile Beach which is in fact only about 88kms! We walked and watched as lots of vehicles drove to their favoured fishing spot. Shoes stayed on as there were blue bottles on the beach. Gorgeous and flat with beautiful sand. On the drive in we were intrigued with what we're calling the dead forest. No idea why the high tops of the trees are green but from there down the trees look dead. Another intriguing first was a significant roundabout smack in the middle of crossroads which are gravel. These roads are forestry service roads as well as access roads for the beach. A roadside stall delivered gold for me! Beautiful avocado and tamarilo were cheap as chips so I nabbed as many as we could reasonably handle in our home on wheels. Delicious!
AND then we drove on to discover a real jewel in NZs crown..... the Karikari Peninsular. We're staying at an excellent POP at Tokerau Beach and from there we've explored Waikato Bay, Maitai Bay and Rangiputa Bay and its' back Beach. This place is gorgeous. Blue blue skies, warm days, refreshing water and fabulous beaches and quaint little hamlets and villages where a slow relaxed pace is the order of every day. Tomorrow we'll explore Puwheke Beach and walk to the lookout and then over the dunes to the beach. Then we'll head to Cable Bay and Coopers Beach.... what a way to begin July 26!Read more