Ahipara

If you want to see a dramatic sunset, enjoy an evening walk along the beach at Ahipara. This town has a rich history and a big choice of activities.

The relaxed, subtropical town of Ahipara sits at the southern end of Ninety Mile Beach. In the Maori language, Ahipara means ‘sacred fire’, in reference to a fire that was kept constantly burning by the local Te Rarawa people. Ahipara prospered during the kauri gum digging days of the 1800s, when bullock teams would cart gum to the beach at Shipwreck Bay for shipment to Auckland. Visitors to Ahipara can enjoy surfing, surfcasting, shellfish gathering, quad biking, walking in the gumfields and horse riding. Sliding down the huge sand dunes on body boards (known as dune surfing) is massive fun.

Functional facts: Approx. population 1100, fuel, restaurant, food store.