December 2012 – March 2013
One great excursion north of Opua is Whangaroa and its Scenic Loop Drive through hilly farmland and along scenic coastline. We did this drive both on a gray cloudy day and a sunny day, and both were beautiful. –Cyndi
How to do the Whangaroa Scenic Loop
1. First, detour north another 30 minutes or so to Mangonui to eat fish and chips. It’s famous, so you really should go while you’re in the “far north” area. Plus, it will be your last opportunity to eat for awhile.
2. Make your way toward Whangaroa and look for the north entrance to the Scenic Loop. Get confused at road sign and make wrong turn. End up in town of Whangaroa. Look around as it’s interesting to see.
3. Go to end of road, marvel at most beautiful and intriguing driveway you’ve ever seen. Imagine the house you’d have at the end of it. Daydream about life you’d have in imaginary house, conveniently forgetting how cold it gets in the winter.
4. Turn back, find way back to Scenic Loop road and head south. Stop and marvel at all scenic viewpoints. Take too many pictures. Curse yourself later as you have to weed through them all: why do I keep taking 10 pictures of the same thing?
5. Stop and be awed by Mahinepua Bay view. Wonder if you can bring your boat up.
6. Stop at Wainui area and admire pohutukawa trees hanging over river. With difficulty, make way across grassy area and a fence to the ocean and notice beautiful little beach. This is probably a well-kept secret by the locals. Make note to remember it in case you ever have time to do a beach afternoon.
7. Stop at Piapia Bay and admire the colors in the water—what a pretty beach! Think about coming here instead for imagined beach afternoon. Remember that husband is too restless to sit on a beach for more than 10 minutes. Wonder what you could do to get husband to relax on the beach.
8. Keep driving to Te Ngaere Bay, more active and crowded with people. Watch dogs surf. Think this would be a fun place to swim and body surf. Wish there were a restaurant nearby as fish and chips lunch is wearing off and you’re getting hungry.
9. Make the turnoff for Matauri Bay, take pictures from the road as you head down towards it. This is supposed to be a good surfing beach. Wish some enterprising ex-Californian would open fish taco place on surf beach. Wish it were there right now. That, or an ice cream truck.
10. Take loop back to main highway back to Opua, taking pictures from the road as you go. Realize husband is tired and hungry and decide not to ask him to stop for a picture unless you really want it.
11. Miss photo op, be bothered, and make husband come back for missed picture 2 days later. (Luckily it’s at the south end of the loop drive and not that far from Kerikeri.) Happy to now have missed photo, be satisfied. Celebrate with lunch in Kerikeri.
In all, we highly recommend this excursion! –Cyndi
