Ninety Mile Beach and Cape Reinga - North Island, New Zealand

Ninety Mile Beach and Cape Reinga are part of the Aupori Peninsula at the northernmost point of New Zealand. The Maori call it Te Hika or the tail of the fish, part of the legend of Maui hauling up the North Island or the fish from the sea while in his canoe (the South Island).

Cape Reinga is the northernmost accessible point on the peninsula. Maori legend has this place as the Place of Leaping where the souls of the dead depart to the ancestors in Hawaiiki.

Ninety Mile Beach is actually a 64 mile long blacksand beach running along the western coast of the peninsula. There are specially designed buses for carrying visitors along the hard packed sand at the edge of the beach into the softer "quicksands" of Te Paki stream before returning to the road. Paihia is an okay base from which to travel on day-long bus tours to Cape Reinga and Ninety Mile Beach.

Ninety Mile Beach and Cape Reinga Accommodation

Accommodation here is in the form of DOC campsites, motels, lodges and hostels. These places are busy in the aftermath of Christmas. Eating options are limited and nothing is open after 8pm.

Ninety Mile Beach and Cape Reinga Activities

The best way to experience the amazing length and stunning beauty of Ninety Mile Beach is to go on a bus tour from Kaitaia, Ahipara, Mangonui or Paihia. The majority of buses leave Paihia at 7.30 am. A fun adventure activity is boogieboarding down the huge sand dunes that flank the Te Paki stream.

Car rentals and private vehicles are not insured to travel on Ninety Mile Beach. Vehicles often break down in the sand. There are no rescue operations to pull vehicles out before the tide comes in. This is further hampered by the lack of mobile phone coverage.

LooknbookNZ can organise your Ninety Mile Beach and Cape Reinga accommodation and Ninety Mile Beach and Cape Reinga activities bookings and let you and your family/friends have a fantastic time in the Bay of Islands.