Mark Hayes
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North Island ▷ Northland ▷ Kerikeri ▷
Aroha Island
Perfection: Peace, Tranquility, Terns, Oysters and of course Kiwis.
Helen and Tim, the winter managers, were charming, thoughtful, informative and made us feel part of the family. Aroha Island is a paradise compared to the bustle of Kerikeri. We arrived at the island unannounced but were made welcome and we found a great powered site for the rental campervan. Helen and Tim gave us an expert briefing on Kiwi spotting at night, even providing the all important red lights to ensure that the Kiwis are not disturbed unduly. As well as hearing and seeing "Henrietta" the matriarch of the Kiwi clan we marvelled at the diving Terns and jumping Snapper. We met Henrietta on the last night of our NZ adventure and it crowned an amazing trip. Seeing a wild Kiwi at night compares favourably with with other wildlife "must-sees" such as Tigers, Polar Bears and Mountain Gorillas. Finally we were humbled by the gift of wild oysters collected by local Maori women at low tide. We were so taken with Aroha that we have signed up to becoming Life Members of the Aroha Island Charitable Trust. We cannot recommend Aroha Island too highly, please visit and see for yourselves.
Jane and Mark, thank you for this review. It was wonderful having you here and enjoying this little piece of paradise.
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North Island ▷ Coromandel ▷ Hahei ▷
Hot Water Beach
Nature at its best!
With nothing more than more than a small shovel you can create your own hot pool at low tide. We were lucky enough to be there at low season so there were enough people for it to be communal but not so many as to make it overcrowded.
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North Island ▷ Northland ▷ Dargaville ▷
The Kauri Museum
Understated but marvellous museum and a must see before venturing into the woods to meet living Kauri.
Inside an unassuming building is a treasure trove of archive material. The museum lays bare the story of Kauri logging, deforestation and destruction of the pristine landscape but it does this in a way that allows you to feel great sympathy for the individuals doing the logging, for they lead truly hard lives for very little material gain. The saddest thing for me is that it also shows how slowly we learn and how we still condone the ongoing devastation of our forests worldwide.