Auckland - New Zealand's North Island - page 189

Activities, Courses & Tours

Hooked on Barrier (see 11)

Sleeping

1 Aotea Lodge D6

2 Crossroads Lodge C4

3 Kaiaraara Hut A2

4 Medlands Beach Backpackers D5

5 Mt Heale Hut B3

6 Shoal Bay Lodge D6

7 Sunset Waterfront Lodge D6

8 Tipi & Bob's Waterfront Lodge D6

Eating

9 Claris Texas C4

Currach Irish Pub (see 10)

Tipi & Bob's (see 8)

10 Wild Rose D6

Shopping

11 Aotea Community Art Gallery C4

12 Stonewall Store D6

Activities

Water Sports
The beaches on the west coast are safe, but care needs to be taken on the surf-pounded
eastern beaches. Medlands Beach , with its wide sweep of white sand, is one of the most beau-
tiful and accessible beaches on the island. Remote Whangapoua , in the northeast, requires
more effort to get to, while Kaitoke , Awana Bay and Harataonga on the east coast are also worth
a visit.
Okiwi Bar has an excellent right-hand break, while Awana has both left- and right-hand
breaks. Pohutukawa trees shelter the pretty bays around Tryphena.
Diving is excellent, with shipwrecks, pinnacles, lots of fish and more than 33m visibil-
ity at some times of the year.