Upper half of the North Island

During the last part of our trip to New Zealand, the upper half of the North Island, we saw various beautiful places again. So it's high time to update you accordingly.

One thing we definitely learned on our journey is that places that are easily accessible are often overcrowded with Asian bus tourists. And that automatically means that all attractions are marketed at ridiculously high prices. We also experienced this in Rotorua, the geothermal capital of New Zealand. We quickly left the city where steam comes out of holes and smells like rotten eggs behind us.

Instead, we were drawn back into nature. For example, to the Blue Springs. The water at this spring was so clear that you could easily see the vibrant colors of the water plants in the current. And since there were no Asian bus tourists around, everything was free!

On the way back to the east coast, we passed by some very beautiful waterfalls. Like the McLaren Falls or the Kaiate Falls. In general, the North Island had many beautiful waterfalls. And as you know, we love landscapes with water!

Our route then took us around the Coromandel Peninsula. Here, we found beautiful beaches and bays again and again. One example is Cathedral Cove. The two bays are connected by a huge natural tunnel.

On the beaches here in New Zealand, it can get very hot... but not in the way you might think. We are referring to the Hot Water Beach. Here, a hot spring bubbles directly into the sea. With a little bit of trial and error, we found the perfect spot between the hot spring and the cold seawater.

We also found other beautiful beaches in the Whangarei area, north of Auckland. Further up is the Bay of Islands. And what we experienced there on a boat tour, we won't forget anytime soon. Because on the boat tour through the beautiful, South Pacific-like islands and past rugged cliffs, we encountered dolphins - a unique experience. And if that wasn't enough, a penguin swam by.

Another highlight followed just two days later. We drove to Cape Reinga, the northernmost point of New Zealand. Here, we found the most beautiful bay in all of New Zealand. But the lighthouse in front of the deep blue sea could also compete in terms of beauty.

And just a few kilometers away were the Te Paki Sand Dunes. Like camels, we slowly climbed up the sand dunes (one step up and half a step back down) and then went back down even faster. In doing so, we filled our shoes with sand. And it was so fine that it seeped into every small crack in the shoe. It's still trickling out of the shoes to this day...

From the North Cape, we then headed south along the Kauri Coast. As the name suggests, we drove through dense forests with Kauri trees. These trees grow to be enormous. The "Tane Mahuta" Kauri, for example, had a circumference of 13.8 meters.

Just before Auckland, we took a short detour to the Waitakere Ranges. Here, we enjoyed beautiful black sand beaches again, magnificent views of bays, and an almost perfect waterfall. So it was another fantastic finale.

We only planned one day for Auckland itself. This time was enough, because besides a delicious pizza, the big city didn't have much noteworthy to offer.

With both sadness and joy, we now leave New Zealand. During the 7,337 kilometers, we found beautiful places. The more than 3,300 photos are a testament to this. Now our journey continues to Hawaii. As always, you can find out what we experience there on this travel blog.