Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
( 09-405 0496;
www.sunseekerlodge.co.nz
;
Old Hospital Rd; dm/s/d/tr $25/50/66/90, units $120-150; )
Up
the hill in Whangaroa, this friendly lodge has a spa with a jaw-dropping view, hires out
kayaks and motor boats, and will pick you up from Kaeo on SH10.
PUB
$$
Marlin
(Whangaroa Rd; mains $15-20; lunch & dinner)
A friendly local pub with good honest tucker
served from the attached cafe.
Information
8am-7pm)
General store and tourist information
Boyd Gallery
(
09-405 0230; Whangaroa Rd;
office.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Doubtless Bay
POP 6030
The bay gets its unusual name from an entry in Cook's logbook, where he wrote that the
body of water was 'doubtless a bay'. No kidding, Cap'n. It's a bloody big bay at that, with
a string of pretty swimming beaches heading towards the Karikari Peninsula.
The main centre,
Mangonui
(meaning 'Big Shark'), retains a fishing-port feel, despite
cafes and gift shops now infesting its well-labelled line of historical waterfront buildings.
They were constructed in the days when Mangonui was a centre of the whaling industry
(1792-1850) and exported flax, kauri wood and gum.
The popular holiday settlements of
Coopers Beach
,
Cable Bay
and
Taipa
are restful pockets of
beachside gentrification.
Sights & Activities
Grab the free
Heritage Trail
brochure from the information centre for a 3km self-guided
walk that takes in 22 historic sites. Other walks lead to attractive
Mill Bay
, west of Man-
gonui, and
Rangikapiti Pa Historic Reserve
, which has ancient Maori terracing and a spectacular
view of Doubtless Bay - particularly at sunrise and sunset. A walkway runs from Mill
Bay to the
pa,
but you can also drive nearly to the top.
Butler Point Whaling Museum
MUSEUM
