Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Whale Bay
Whale Bay is a renowned
surf spot
1km west of Manu Bay. It's usually less crowded
than Manu Bay, but from the bottom of Calvert Rd you have to clamber 600m over the
rocks to get to the break.
Sleeping
Karioi Lodge
HOSTEL $
( 07-825 7873;
www.karioilodge.co.nz
;
5b Whaanga Rd; dm/d $30/75; )
Deep in
native bush, Karioi Lodge offers a sauna, a flying fox, mountain bikes, bush and beach
walks, sustainable gardening, tree planting and the Raglan Surf School. There are no en
suites but the rooms are clean and cosy. These friendly folks also run
Sleeping Lady
tion of six luxury self-contained houses nearby, all with ocean views.
Mt Karioi
In legend, Mt Karioi (756m), the Sleeping Lady (check out that profile), is the sister to
Mt Pirongia. At its base (8km south of Whale Bay),
Te Toto Gorge
is a steep cleft in the
mountainside, with a vertigo-inducing lookout perched high over the chasm.
Starting from Te Toto Gorge car park, a strenuous but scenic track goes up the western
slope. It takes 2½ hours to reach a lookout point, followed by an easier hour up to the
summit. From the east side, the
Wairake Track
is a steeper 2½-hour climb to the summit,
where it meets the Te Toto Track.
WORTH A TRIP
RUAPEKE BEACH
Whale Bay marks the end of the sealed road, but a gravel road continues to the
wild spans of Ruapuke Beach, 22km from Raglan. It's dangerous for swimmers
here, but popular with surfcasting fisherfolk. The gravel road continues to Mt Karioi
and rejoins the inland road at Te Mata.
