Beach

by Barbara Ann Weibel of Hole In The Donut

Paihia and the Bay of Islands on the North Island of New Zealand is the staging place for most visits to 90-Mile Beach, the pristine stretch of sand on the west coast that is the gateway to the northernmost tip of the country. Since the journey requires negotiating quicksand streams, traversing rocky outcrops, barreling through surf, and precisely timing the journey to avoid high tide, most visitors make the trip in specially designed four-wheel drive vehicles provided by local tour operators.

At various places along 90-Mile Beach, jagged lava fingers jut into the sea

The name of this beach stems from camels that were originally used to transport goods up and down its remote sands. It was believed that a camel could traverse sand at a rate of 30 miles per day and since it required three days for camels to reach Cape Reinga at the northern point, it was dubbed 90-Mile Beach.

That was all well and good until someone actually measured the beach and found it was only 64 miles long, causing some consternation in the Northland. Should they rename it 64-Mile Beach? Ultimately, it was decided to keep the original name because Australia has 80-Mile Beach and New Zealanders wanted to have a beach longer than Australia, if only in name (note of interest here – Australia’s 80-Mile Beach is only 72 miles long).

High dunes behind the beach are ideal for sandboarding

The tour initially follows paved roads through a lush landscape of rolling hills carpeted in a sea of waving grass where thousands of sheep of sheep contentedly graze. But the moment the pavement ends, dramatic stretches of windswept sand, wild horses, and jagged lava shoreline dominate the landscape. An hour further north, rocky coastlines segue to giant dunes, where hearty souls trudge to the top and sandboard down, trying mightily to stop before crashing into the river at the foot of the dunes.

Beyond the dunes lies Cape Reinga, the northernmost spot on the island and site of lovely Cape Reinga Lighthouse. Scenery shifts once again at the tip: an azure ocean provides a stunning background for the brilliant white lighthouse, perched on an onyx volcanic precipice carpeted in emerald grasses. From atop the cliff, visitors are treated to a stunning vista of the beach they have just traversed.

Cape Reinga lighthouse stands at the northernmost tip of the island and looks back over the miles of pristine sands forming 90-Mile Beach

There are of course no hotels at Cape Reinga, however visitrs to the North Island will find plentiful accommodations in the Bay of Islands, which is also the stepping off point for the plentiful activities and attractions on offer in this exquisite part of New Zealand.

Photos Courtesy of Barbara Weibel