Wai Ora Spa in Hell's Gate, Rotorua

With these postings on Hell’s Gate and Rotorua, I would be doing injustice not to mention another main attraction that visitors come to Rotoura for: hot springs and spa. There were a couple of options available in Rotorua but I decided to experience something more raw and unique …… and I could play with mud!

At Hell’s Gate, you will find Wai Ora Spa. Hell’s Gate or Tikitere has been known by the local Maori for over 800 hundred years. It is renowned as a place of healing and revitalizing. Besides its sulphurous waters, its specialty is also in its mud! The mud found at Hell’s Gate is very fine (smooth) and it is said to be among the finest in the world. If you are into spa and body mud, you may wish to visit Wai Ora Spa when you are in Rotorua.

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Signpost to Wai Ora Spa
Hell’s Gate, Rotorua, May 2006
This is not the typical commercial spa with enclosed or private rooms. Instead, it is in the outdoor and each pool is separated by wooden partitions which offer little privacy. No skinny dipping or frolicking in the buff! Bring your swimming trunk/costume if you want to enjoy the mud spa. By the way, while I was seated in the pool, Wai Ora staff came in and put a dipstick into the water to measure water temperature.

Each pool is a rectangular concrete pool which holds the warm muddy water. So where was the mud? Well, I had to scoop (or scrape) it from the bottom of the pool with my fingers! There was not much mud to play with but sufficient to coat all over my body. The mud was easy to spread and felt very smooth. After coating myself, I sat on the pool edge to let the mud dry up. It was very late autumn and the wind was a little chilly. So after a while I was back inside the pool to enjoy the warm water, then coating myself with mud again and letting it dry up.

It would have been better if there was more mud in the pool. The mud in Hell’s Gate must be a precious commodity as it is also used in a range of beauty spa products. More in the pool means less products to go around.

When the time came to leave the mud pool, I had to do the unpleasant thing of taking a cold shower to wash off all the mud before heading over to the hot sulphurous pools for a good soak.

The spa was a good experience! I felt really good and relaxed. My skin felt smooth too except that I carried the smell of sulphur for another few more days.

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Signboard – Map of Hell’s Gate
Hell’s Gate, Rotorua, May 2006

Hot Waterfall in Hell's Gate, Rotorua

Within the compound of Hell’s Gate, lies another world of lush greenery that is very different from the landscape of craters, sulphur deposits and boiling pools. A short walk through lush forest and we saw below waterfall. Kakahi Falls is the largest hot waterfall in the Southern Hemisphere. In the past, Maori warriors after battle would bathe in these waters to heal their wounds and remove their “tapu” of war. The sulphurous waters is said to promote the healing of wounds.

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Kakahi Falls
Hell’s Gate, Rotorua, May 2006
Kakahi Falls looks like a nice spot for a relaxing bath. I can imagine the Maori warriors sitting with their backs against the stone walls (see close-up) with the hot water flowing over their bodies. In such a tranquil spot with surrounding greenery and hot water, I would certainly enjoy my bath there too!

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Close-up of Kakahi Falls
Hell’s Gate, Rotorua, May 2006

Muddy Pools, Sulphur Deposits and "Fart" Holes in Hell's Gate, Rotorua

Hell’s Gate will not be complete without a mention of the Devil. Below photo shows a small crater/pool with the signpost tagging it as "Devil’s Cauldron". What was different about this pool from most others, was that it looked murky, muddy and there was an oily film on the water. My guide said perhaps there is oil in the ground!

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Devil’s Cauldron
Hell’s Gate, Rotorua, May 2006
Below photo shows another larger but similarly murky, muddy and oily pool. Look at the other pool in the background. It is an interesting contrast because you can catch a reflection of the sky, clouds and trees in the water. If you are wondering about the yellow "soil" around this muddy pool, yes, these are sulphur deposits.

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Another larger pool of "hot chocolate"
Hell’s Gate, Rotorua, May 2006
Below, more photos of sulphur deposits. You will find these throughout the landscape of Hell’s Gate. It is all these sulphur fumes emitting from the ground that gives Hell’s Gate and Rotorua their infamous rotten-egg smell! Do you see the hole in the ground (bottom photo)? The sulphur gases would have been released under much pressure to have caused this hole. Another motivation to stay on the pathway is that we can never know when the ground will release these gases suddenly. Imagine what it would be like to be "farted" at close range! ..... Awesome! ;-)

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Sulphur deposits

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Beware of "fart" holes!
Hell’s Gate, Rotorua, May 2006

"Land Coral" in Hell's Gate, Rotorua

One of the unusual things we saw at Hell’s Gate pertains to something called “land coral”. On the guided tour, we got the opportunity to venture out of the pathway with the guide to get a closeup of some interesting sights. If you are self-guided, please stay on the pathway for your own safety as the ground is rather unstable and the Hell’s Gate terrain is filled with craters, boiling mud and boiling ponds!

After the guide had given his safety instructions, he divided the tour into small groups of 3-4 persons each and we made our way in single file behind him. In spite of strict and clear instructions that we were to follow him directly from behind, to walk where he walked, nevertheless the guide saw someone taking a few steps off from his route and he had to ask if the guy understood English at all!

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Terrain of craters, boiling mud and boiling ponds!
Hell’s Gate, Rotorua, May 2006
In above photo, the guide (in red) was pointing to a pond where steam was rising from. What we were looking at was the pond in below photo. Along the edge of the pond, was some kind of “deposit” called “land coral”. It seems that this “deposit” was the evidence of a certain form of bacteria that could thrive in such harsh conditions of boiling water and acidity. As the bacteria grew and multiplied, the “deposit” becomes larger. It is fascinating to learn that Nature provides an abundance of life even in such an environment. What would kill a human being was life-giving to a bacteria!

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Boiling pond teeming with bacteria life
Hell’s Gate, Rotorua, May 2006
Below two photos show the close-ups of “land coral”.


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“Land coral”
Hell’s Gate, Rotorua, May 2006

Mud Volcano at Hell's Gate

Given its unique landscape, Hell’s Gate presents an excellent opportunity for academic learning and research. My guide told us that the geothermal park had even played hosts to student groups from USA and Singapore. These students had spent several days in the park having their field lessons in geography and chemistry.

There have been geologists spending considerable time studying the unique land features in the park too. Below is a mud volcano which is still growing. Hot mud oozes from the ground and builds up to form this mud volcano. Notice the amount of steam in below photo. At the bottom right, you can also spot an impression of a footprint!

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Steaming hot mud volcano
Hell’s Gate, Rotorua, May 2006
Below photo puts the size of this mud volcano in perspective.

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Mud volcano
Hell’s Gate, Rotorua, May 2006
This mud volcano has attracted the attention of a number of geologists. About 2-3 years ago, there was a French volcanologist who was especially interested in it. Unable to contain his curiosity, he got off the designated pathway for a closer look. He wanted to examine the top portion of this mud volcano so he decided to step on it. His initial steps must have been well supported because when he was somewhere in the middle of the volcano, his leg went right through into the mud! What happened thereafter was a frantic rescue. This volcanologist suffered serious burns on his leg and was hospitalized for more than a month!

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Where the volcanologist sank in
Hell’s Gate, Rotorua, May 2006
Above photo shows the side of this mud volcano where this volcanologist sank in. If you are all ready for an adventure in New Zealand, then it would be good to restrain yourself and stay on (not stray off) the path in Hell’s Gate. You wouldn’t want to spend your New Zealand vacation in hospital, would you? Instead, keep your adventure spirit and put it to good use when you are in Queenstown, which is the Adventure Capital of the World.

Staying On The Path Inside Hell's Gate

Unlike Wai-O-Tapu, Hell’s Gate looks more raw and rough and it lacks the commercial development of a typical New Zealand tourist site. Its natural landscape looks uniquely different too.

If you have not got used to the sulphurous odour of Rotorua, then you may find the rotten egg (or fart!) smell here too overpowering. Hell's Gate claims to be the most geothermally active field and you are right in the heart of stink country with all these fumes around you! Well, one good thing is that you can fart here and no one can smell the difference in the air quality! Looking at these photos, you will find that Hell's Gate will be the steamiest part of your vacation in New Zealand. Besides visiting these geothermal parks, do plan to enjoy Rotorua's tourism appeal as a spa destination too.

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Unique landscape of this geothermal park, with lots of steam & smell too!
Hell’s Gate, Rotorua, May 2006
There are lots of interesting land features to look at. However, do heed the warning signs and stay on the path at all times. The whole area is rather unstable and you never know when the ground beneath your feet will collapse!

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Big stink-hole, the ground looks deceivingly stable and firm!
Hell’s Gate, Rotorua, May 2006
Above crater is just about 1.5-2m away from the pathway. The guide told us that this steaming big hole had suddenly appeared one morning. He had guided a tour group along the pathway in the morning and the ground at that spot had appeared normal. By afternoon when his fellow colleague guided another tour, they discovered this big gaping hole in the ground. It would have been a disaster if the ground had collapsed and someone had fallen into the boiling mud beneath!

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Staying on (not straying off) the path!
Hell’s Gate, Rotorua, May 2006
It took 6 photos to compose above panorama. If you are on the guided tour, you may get the opportunity to venture out of the pathway with the guide to see some interesting features at close up. Remember the prayer/chant that the Maori guide said at the waharoa and watch your step!

Entering Hell's Gate

Entering Hell's Gate, the visitor will pass beneath a wooden Maori archway called a waharoa. It contains elaborate carvings and tells the legend of the early Maori chief who settled here and whose descendants today own Hell's Gate.

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Waharoa
Hell's Gate, Rotorua, May 2006
If you join the guided tour, the group will first stop in front of the waharoa to listen to the legend. Afterwhich, the Maori guide will say a short prayer/chant for the blessing and protection of the group before entering Hell's Gate. While some may feel uncomfortable about this, believe me, it is a very good way to get the attention of everyone to watch their steps the moment they are inside Hell's Gate! You will do well to heed the warning signs in this place.

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Welcome signboard explaining the Waharoa
Hell's Gate, Rotorua, May 2006

A Steamy Vacation in Rotorua !

How about spending a steamy vacation in New Zealand? That’s what playwright George Bernard Shaw did in his visit to Rotorua in 1934! He must have been awed by the landscape of boiling mud pools, steaming fumeroles and caught a glimpse of what he thought hell would look like that he gave a geothermal reserve its famous name “Hell’s Gate”.

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Your kind of steamy vacation ?
Hell’s Gate, Rotorua, May 2006
Hell’s Gate Geothermal Reserve covers 50 acres and claims to be the most active geothermal field in Rotorua. It is also the only Maori owned geothermal reserve in the Rotorua / Taupo region. It’s Maori name, Tikitere is an abbreviation of “Taku tiki i tere nei” which means “my daughter has floated away”. The legend concerns Maori princess Hurutini who threw herself into a boiling pool in this place because her husband had treated her with contempt. Hurutini’s mum was very upset by her daughter's death and seeing her body afloat on the water. Hence, the name Tikitere.

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Another steamy photo
Hell’s Gate, Rotorua, May 2006

The Grandfather at Wai-O-Tapu, Rotorua

The following are some of the interesting features found in Wai-O-Tapu. The Oyster Pool is named after its distinct shape and it is one of the smallest pools in this geothermal park.

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Oyster Pool
Wai-O-Tapu, Rotorua, May 2006
Below Frying Pan Flat is an eruption crater with an unstable floor. The pool is characterized by lots of bubbling hot springs and fumeroles. The water flows from the Champagne Pool, crosses this Frying Pan Flat to emerge as a stream that flows into Lake Ngakoro.

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Frying Pan Flat
Wai-O-Tapu, Rotorua, May 2006
Below panorama was composed from 6 photos. From the right, the water flows from the Frying Pan Flat, tumbles across the rocks and ends as Lake Ngakoro Waterfall which empties into the green waters of Lake Ngakoro, The Grandfather. Lake Ngakoro covers about 12 hectares and was formed after an eruption about 700 years ago. Notice the rough rock edges along the stream as well as the rocks littering the edge of the lake.

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Lake Ngakoro Waterfall
Wai-O-Tapu, Rotorua, May 2006
It was raining and misty on my day of visit last May. I will surely revisit Wai-O-Tapu to see it in bright sunny weather when its brilliant colours are at their best. The thought of my next vacation to New Zealand gets me excited again! Look out for my next posting as I will introduce another interesting place in Rotorua.

Where the "Devil" Lives and Bathes at Rotorua

At Wai-O-Tapu, you will see the Devil’s Home. It is a collapsed crater which underground acid action has caused the ground to give way. You can see the grooves and rough edges caused by the acid erosion. The yellow/green colours on the walls of the crater are caused by the sulphurous fumes arising from beneath , the ground.

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Where the “Devil” lives
Wai-O-Tapu, Rotorua, May 2006
I took this photo from another angle which shows a tunnel at the side of this crater. I guess this is where the acidic water had flowed out and caused the ground to collapse.

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The tunnel leading to the “Devil”
Wai-O-Tapu, Rotorua, May 2006
The Devil’s Bath is a large crater and it is an amazing green colour! It took 4 photos to compose below panorama. Where the “home” is a drained-out crater, the “bath” is filled up and it is a result of excess water from the Champagne Pool mixing with the sulphur and ferrous salts in the ground to give the pool its amazing colour.

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Where the “Devil” bathes
Wai-O-Tapu, Rotorua, May 2006

Primrose Terrace and Bridal Veil Falls at Wai-O-Tapu, Rotorua

The Primrose Terrace is a landform created by silica deposits. Covering an area of 3 acres, it is the largest in New Zealand since the famed Pink and White Terraces were destroyed in the eruption of Mt Tarawera in 1886. The Primrose Terrace is formed by water from the Champagne Pool which contains dissolved silica. As the water evaporates, the silica is left on the ground. It is a very gradual process of formation, very much like how stalactites and stalagmites are formed. It is estimated that the Primrose Terrace have been forming over the past 700 years since the last major geothermal activity in Wai-O-Tapu.

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The Primrose Terrace on the left side of the boardwalk
Wai-O-Tapu, Rotorua, May 2006
On the left side of the boardwalk, the Primose Terrace is relatively flat with a down slope gradient. Towards the end of the boardwalk, the slope becomes more prominent. Below photo continues with the view of Primrose Terrace after the boardwalk crossing.

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The Primrose Terrace
Wai-O-Tapu, Rotorua, May 2006
It may not be apparent in above photo but there is only a thin layer of water trickling over the silica deposits. The graduated lines of the terraces can be seen in the foreground of above photo and the formation follows the pattern of water trickling down slope.

The Primrose Terrace ends with a drop and as seen in below photo, there is no longer any graduated lines of the terraces but an uneven splattering of deposits. Where this drop begins, the silica deposits has been named the Bridal Veil Falls and we can see why it was named as such.

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Bridal Veil Falls
Wai-O-Tapu, Rotorua, May 2006

Champagne Pool at Wai-O-Tapu, Rotorua

One of the most photographed sections of Wai-O-Tapu is the Champagne Pool. It gets its name from the constant bubbling of its water. The water fizzles and reminds of champagne though its colour is a tinge of blue and green. Along the edge of the lake, is a brilliant shade of orchre.

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Champagne Pool
Wai-O-Tapu, Rotorua, May 2006
Unfortunately, the day I was there, it was raining and the raindrops and runoffs into the the pool had made the water murky. Otherwise, on a sunny day, the colours in the photos would have turned out brilliant!

Champagne Pool is the largest spring in the area. It has a diameter of 65m and is 62m deep! It’s surface temperature is 74 degrees Celsius and steam constantly arises from the pool. The bubbles in the pool are due to carbon dioxide, just like champagne! Like all the natural features in Wai-O-Tapu, Champagne Pool was formed by geothermal activity. From the nearby rocks found at the embankment, it is believed that the pool was formed by a hydrothermal eruption 700 years ago.

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Crossing the Primrose Terrace on the boardwalk
Wai-O-Tapu, Rotorua, May 2006
Across the boardwalk, on the right side where the steam arises, the blue & orange shade of water indicates where the Champagne Pool is.

On the extreme right side is Artist’s Palette. When water overflows from the Champagne Pool, it brings with it minerals which are deposited on this side of the pool which results in a multitude of colours in the water. Hence, this side of the pool has been named Artist’s Palette.

On the left side of the boardwalk lies the Primrose Terrace which I will mention more in a subsequent posting.

Lady Knox Geyser at Wai-O-Tapu, Rotorua

There are two main geyser attractions at Rotorua: The Whakarewarewa Thermal Park and the Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland.

At Whakarewarewa, among the other geysers, the star is Pohutu which means “Big Splash” in Maori. If you wish to see the greatest geyser in New Zealand, then this is the one. It erupts as many as 20 times a day and reach up to heights of 30 metres. Within this thermal park, you will see bubbling mud and hot thermal springs too. If you would like to experience Maori culture too, the New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute is located in the park. You will see skilled Maori carvers and flax weavers at work. There are concert performances in the evening and you can get to experience the hangi, the traditional Maori earth oven meal.

The other main geyser attraction is at the Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland. I chose Wai-O-Tapu because besides the geyser, I had wanted to see the colourful pools and lakes of this geothermal area.

At Wai-O-Tapu, I was all excited to see the Lady Knox Geyser because it erupts daily at about 10:15am, reaching up to heights of 20 metres. It is amazing to know that even Nature has its own bio-rhythm and “clock” and keeps rather precise time too.

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Lady Knox Geyser minutes before she blows
Wai-O-Tapu, Rotorua, May 2006
As 10:15am approached, a park warden/guide walked into the enclosed area and stood in front of the geyser. I thought it was foolish of the guide to have done that because we can never be sure of the exact moment the geyser blows. In spite of safety precautions, we should never trifle with this hot shower system. The guide went on to explain about the phenomena of geysers and this guy acted so coolly as if he had eyes behind his head to keep watch on the geyser!

It was then he revealed that someone discovered soap powder could enhance the buildup of pressure and activity which causes the geyser to erupt! This discovery could have been made by convicts who in the past were using the water for their bathing and washing. The guide proceeded to pour soap powder into the mouth of the geyser and a few moments later, Lady Knox began to regurgitate and then she finally blew up.

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Lady Knox Geyser blows after taking in a mouth of soap powder
Wai-O-Tapu, Rotorua, May 2006
Without soap powder, Lady Knox will not be blowing at 10:15am every day. Left on its own, its cycle varies and the interval of its next eruption could be as much as 1.5 days later.

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Lady Knox Geyser blows at full force
Wai-O-Tapu, Rotorua, May 2006
It was spectacular watching the force of water coming out from Lady Knox but I could not help feeling kind of cheated. Human kind has once again interfered with nature for the sake of tourism dollars! However, the amazing colours of the pools and lakes in Wai-O-Tapu more than made up for this disappointment.

Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland, Rotorua

Wai-O-Tapu means “sacred waters” in Maori. For many tourists, the colours of the pools and lakes in Wai-O-Tapu are simply amazing!

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Amazing colour of a pool
Wai-O-Tapu, Rotorua, May 2006
Covering 18 square km, Wai-O-Tapu is covered with collapsed craters, cold and boiling pools of mud, water and steaming fumeroles. Beneath the ground, streams are constantly heated by magma and water has been recorded at up to temperatures of 300 degrees Celsius! The water is so hot that it absorbs minerals out of the rocks and passes out as steam at the surface which is ultimately re-absorbed into the ground. The wide range of colours of the pools and lakes in Wai-O-Tapu are due to the rich mineral content in the waters.

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Collapsed crater
Wai-O-Tapu, Rotorua, May 2006

Rotorua – Geothermal Hotspot

In terms of geothermal activity, Rotorua ranks as one of the most active hotspots in the world. At one of the thinnest sections, the Earth’s crust is only about 17km thick and beneath it, molten magma!

The two main attractions that people come to Rotorua to experience are its geothermal activity and Maori culture. Rotorua is a city of about 53,000 people and of which a third is Maori. The city is located on the southern shore of Lake Rotorua. In fact, Lake Rotorua with a diameter of 16 km is the circular depression of a massive volcano! If you get your hands on a topographic map, you would recognize this feature of the land. Being at Rotorua, I would not have realized this at all. So while at this city, I was actually walking and sleeping on the rim of a massive volcano! This Rotorua “volcano” is one of several large volcanoes in the Taupo region. It is estimated to have last erupted about 140,000 years ago and the magma chamber had collapsed to result in the Lake Rotorua we see today.

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Hot, bubbling mud pool
Rotorua, May 2006
The attractions of Rotorua mainly revolve around hot thermal springs, geysers, bubbling mud pools and other geothermal features. You will know you will soon arrive at Rotorua when you smell a rotten-egg odour in the air! This pervasive smell is due to the sulphur fumes which arise from all these geothermal activity. You may find this smell overpowering initially and it kind of makes your head woozy. Not to worry, you will soon get used to it and perhaps you will even crack some jokes about the smell too. My coach driver was joking about passengers boarding the coach and giving him funny looks because they must be thinking that he has been farting on the trip! Kiwi humuor. :-)

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Bubbling mud, contributing its share of “fart” smell in Rotorua
Rotorua, May 2006

Giants of the Puketi Kauri Forest

The main purpose of my vacation to the Northland in May 2006 was to see the giant Kauri tree. I had read about it and just had to see one for myself. As recent as two hundred years ago, there were still large tracts of these Kauri forests throughout New Zealand, especially in North Island. However, the arrival of the European settlers in the 1800s led to massive logging and decimated much of these ancient forests. The Kauri tree was prized for its huge size and strength of its timber and these qualities made it especially suitable for ship building. A mature Kauri tree is bare of branches at its trunk, except at its crown, so this made it particularly attractive for use as the masts of sailing ships.

The Kauri tree is a coniferous tree. Like the giant Sequoia tree of North America, the Kauri tree can grow to become a very large tree and it can live beyond a thousand years! A mature Kauri can grow to heights of 40-50 metres with trunk diameters of 3-4 metres. A young Kauri is characerised by branches along its trunk which gives it a shape of a cone (hence coniferous tree). As it grows, it continually sheds its lower branches. At maturity, branches are found only at its crown and the mature Kauri is characterized by its imposing trunk that is bare of branches.

Today, the largest area of mature Kauri forest is found in Waipoua Forest in Northland. It is a 2,500 hectare forest which contains three quarters of remaining New Zealand Kauri. The largest living Kauri, named after the Maori god Tane Mahuta, which means “God of the Forest”, has a height of 51m, trunk diameter of 4.4m and a girth of 13.3m ! Te Matua Ngahere, which means “Father of the Forest”, is believed to be the oldest living Kauri and estimated to be more than 2,000 years old! Some of the larger Kauri trees felled in the past could be older than Te Matua Ngahere.

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Giant Kauri 600-800 years old, trunk bare of branches
Puketi Kauri Forest, May 2006
Instead of Waipoua Forest, I had visited Puketi Forest to see these giant trees. That morning had begun with rain and mist. Fortunately, the mist had started to clear up when we made our way into the forest. My original photos of these trees did not turned out well and resulted in the blurred effect. I am a little disappointed that this is the best photo I have of these Kauri giants. This Kauri tree is estimated to be 600-800 years old and compared to Te Matua Ngahere, it would only be a teenager! Nevertheless, it was a great experience to have met and be awed by a living thing this old !

If you want another glimpse of the giant Kauri tree, turn on your speakers, click here for the video and don’t wait too long before you experience your magical New Zealand vacation:

100% Pure ! video (click here)

World Famous Mangonui Fish and Chips Shop, Doubtless Bay

Mangonui is located at the Doubtless Bay region of Northland. Once a bustling and busy whaling port, today it retains its charm as a quaint fishing village with many of its historic buildings housing restaurants, cafes, gift shops and the post office. Interestingly, Mangonui means “big shark” in Maori. However, it is not shark or its fishing industry that draws many tourists and Kiwis here but fish and chips! The star attraction is its world famous Mangonui Fish and Chips Shop which is sited along the main road and enjoys especially good business from the tour coaches.

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World Famous Mangonui Fish and Chips Shop
Mangonui Village, May 2006
This shop has the reputation of having been voted several times as the best fish and chips in New Zealand! As it is also a fish shop which serves the locals with fresh fish every day, I guess its “secret” lies in the freshness of the fish. I quite enjoyed its fish and chips and the order came with a generous serving of chips. Usually, being famous means a premium price but the price was reasonable at this shop (though I can’t recall how much I paid for the meal).

As a fish shop, it offers many varieties of fresh fish. You will get to select which type of fish to go with your chips. You will given an order number while your meal is being cooked. Many of the tours stop at this place so be prepared to wait for your food but you will get enough time to enjoy your meal. You may wish to dine on the deck which overlooks the harbour.

I had the time to wander along the road to enjoy this peaceful scenic view. There were a few albatrosses in the air that afternoon. They would glide slowly in the air, gain some height and then suddenly plunging down into the water with a “smack”, to emerge later from the water (could even see the fish in their beaks in some instances) and then flying off. It was kind of enchanting to see them do that again and again. The memory that Mangonui left with me was that of the albatrosses gliding overhead in this peaceful scenic place and less of the fish and chips in my tummy!

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Mangonui Village, May 2006

Giant Sand Dunes at Ninety Mile Beach, Cape Reinga

Below photo was taken on the hill at Cape Reinga. The islands off the coast are the “Three Kings” which according to Maori belief is where the spirits of the deceased would turn around to have one last look at land before heading out to the open sea towards their spiritual homeland of Hawaiki. The beach on the left leads to the Ninety Mile Beach and on the other side of Ninety Mile Beach lies the Giant Sand Dunes.

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The "Three Kings" off Ninety Mile Beach
Cape Reinga, May 2006
The Giant Sand Dunes are a popular tourist spot. Many tourists take the opportunity to slide down the huge sand dunes. It probably is fun playing on the sand and even though the sun was out that day, I was not too keen to join my fellow tourists. It was very late autumn, perhaps even the start of winter, and we were all wearing our jackets and shoes when we stepped out of the coach. Taking my jacket, socks and shoes off for one hour in rather cool weather is definitely not my idea of fun!

If some day you plan to see the sand dunes and have your fun too, do come prepared to get dirty and wet. Some fellas got bumped off their boards on the bottom slope and flipped over and some others could not stop in time and ended up in the stream below!

Below photo puts the size of these giant sand dunes in perspective. Be forewarned, the ride down is exhilarating but you will find it a challenge walking up the sand dune for the next ride again.

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Boarding on the Giant Sand Dunes
Ninety Mile Beach, Cape Reinga, May 2006

Te Paki Quicksand at Ninety Mile Beach, New Zealand

Ninety Mile Beach (the New Zealand one) is located on the western coast of Aupouri Peninsula. It is just a short drive away from Cape Reinga. Ninety Mile Beach is not really ninety miles long. It is actually only 55 miles (88 km). How did this “error” come about? My guide explained that in the past, cattle were herded along the beach. As cattle would travel about so many miles a day (sorry, I forgot how many) and it took several days/weeks to move the cattle from one end to the other end of the beach, it was deduced that the beach was 90 miles long! Haha……

The beach is quite flat and the sand compact and firm for most parts of it, so even large vehicles like coaches could travel on it at speeds of 100km/hr. However, if you plan to self-drive on Ninety Mile Beach, you will need to be aware that rental vehicles are prohibited from being driven on the beach. Rental car companies will bring to your attention that vehicle insurance cover excludes any loss from driving on this beach. It is because there have been enough instances of visitors driving on to the Te Paki Quicksand streams and having to abandon their cars!

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Car caught on the Te Paki Quicksand streams
Ninety Mile Beach, May 2006
On my vacation in May 2006, my guide pointed out that above car got stuck in the sand just 3 weeks earlier. Any car caught on the quicksand would be completely submerged in just 2 months. Whether it was a rental car or owned, this trip would have cost that driver a hefty bit ! In the photo, you can see the sand dunes which comes right up to the beach.

Instead of self-drive, you could book one of many coach tours which include Cape Reinga, Ninety Mile Beach, boardsurfing on the giant sand dunes and a trip into the Kauri forest to meet the giants! If you book the 4x4 Dune Rider, you may wish to get into the front seat and have someone snap a photo of you in the “bikini”. ;-)

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4x4 Dune Rider, May 2006
On that day, we had the opportunity to walk on the beach, right up to the edge of the waves, to dig for Tuatuas (shellfish).

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Digging for Tuatuas
Ninety Mile Beach, May 2006

Pacific Ocean Meets The Tasman Sea, Cape Reinga

Cape Reinga Lighthouse was built in 1941. In 1998, it became fully automated and there was no longer any need for lighthouse keepers. Today, it still serves its function as a lighthouse. It took 6 photos to compose below panorama. You can catch a glimpse of the giant sand dunes again on the bottom right corner. Cape Reinga is at the northern tip of North Island and Bluff (indicated on the yellow signpost) is at the southern end of South Island. Between them, a long journey and I traveled that distance in May-June 2006.

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Cape Reinga Lighthouse, May 2006
Off the cape, you can see where the Pacific Ocean meets the Tasman Sea. This meeting of the seas produces very choppy waters. Do you see the two persons at the bottom right corner of the photo? Take note of their size and you can imagine how huge those white frothy waves are!

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Pacific Ocean meets the Tasman Sea
Cape Reinga, May 2006