Twin Coast Discovery Highway

Renew your love affair with the ocean and discover some significant moments in New Zealand's history.

The Twin Coast Discovery leads you to the far north, where the subtropical climate promises a warm welcome and the people always have time for a good conversation. If you want to hook a game fish, hear an ancient legend or find the perfect uninhabited beach, you've found the ideal road adventure.

Route Summary

The Twin Coast Discovery Highway begins in Auckland and travels north, tracing both coasts to Cape Reinga and back. The east coast is memorable for white sand beaches, relaxed seaside towns and ports where you can catch a cruise or dive trip. The west coast has fewer people, wilder beaches and giant kauri trees.

Key Features

At any time of the year, Northland's beaches are enticing. From Orewa to Spirits Bay you'll find postcard-perfect sweeps of white or golden sand - some fringed with pohutukawa trees, others decorated with colourful beach houses. From October to April, grab a boogie board and catch a wave at surf beaches like Pakiri, Mangawhai Heads and Waipu. When the water's too cool for swimming, you can still find enjoyment at the beach. Try surfing down the dunes of Ninety Mile Beach or the giant sand hills opposite Opononi - fast, fantastic fun.

All kinds of on-the-water experiences will deliver a camera full of memories. Key ports include Tutukaka, for dive and fishing adventures; Paihia and Russell, for sightseeing cruises, sea kayaking, dolphin tours and game fishing; and Whangaroa Harbour for houseboat stays and sport fishing expeditions. In Opua you can charter a yacht, bareboat or skippered, and discover the beaches and coves of the offshore islands.

Northland is often called 'the birthplace of the nation' - a name that recognises the importance of the Treaty of Waitangi, signed between the Maori people and the British in 1840. As well as the historic Treaty House, the Waitangi National Trust Treaty Grounds include a Maori meeting house and one of the largest ceremonial war canoes in the world. During summer, evening cultural shows are staged in the whare rununga.

85% of New Zealand's kauri trees grow in Northland. In the magnificent Waipoua Forest you'll be astounded by Tane Mahuta, New Zealand's largest kauri (51 metres high and a girth of over 13 metres). The Trounson Kauri Park, a little further south, is the place for an after-dark forest experience - kiwi, native owls, glow worms and native bats are some of the things to look for. At Matakohe, an engaging museum explains the life and times of the kauri tree.