Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
WHANGAREI DISTRICT
To truly experience this area you'll need to get wet, and scores of beaches offer opportunit-
ies for swimming, surfing or just splashing about. The hot spots heave with Kiwi holiday-
makers at peak times, but even then it's possible to find isolated stretches of sand where
your footprints are the only ones.
North of Whangarei, the Tutukaka Coast is one of the planet's top three coastlines, ac-
cording to
National Geographic Traveler
magazine, and the late Jacques Cousteau rated
the neighbouring Poor Knights Islands as one of the world's best dive sites.
Online, see
www.whangareinz.com
.
ESSENTIAL NORTHLAND
Eat
Kumara, Dargaville's knobbly claim to fame
Drink
Orange juice, Kerikeri's signature squeeze
Read
The House of Strife
(1993), Maurice Shadbolt's riveting novel set during the Northland War
Listen to
Cape Reinga Way
(2011) by The Nukes, ukeleles heading to the afterlife
Watch
Land of the Long White Cloud
(2009) - fishing philosophers on Ninety Mile Beach
Festival
Waitangi Day
Go green
Sing to the trees with Footprints Waipoua
Area code
09
TOP OF CHAPTER
Mangawhai
POP 2400
Mangawhai Village sits at the base of a horseshoe harbour, but it's Mangawhai Heads, 5km
further on, that's really special.
Various Maori tribes inhabited the area before the 1660s, when Ngati Whatua became
dominant. In 1807, Ngati Whatua defeated Ngapuhi from the north in a major battle, letting
the survivors escape. One of them was Hongi Hika, who in 1825 returned, armed with mus-
kets obtained from Europeans. The ensuing bloodbath all but annihilated Ngati Whatua and
