Click HERE for a map of Whangarei and surrounding areas

Whangarei is the northern most city in New Zealand, (there are towns that are further north, but no cities) and is the capital of the Northland Region.  It's a 105 mile (167kms) drive up Highway 1 from Auckland, and is 40 miles (60 kms) south of the Bay of Islands area.

The first European visitor was Captain Cook, sailing on the HMS Endeavour, who arrived on the 15th November 1769, and entered Whangarei's natural harbour, where the crew caught fish to replenish their larder.  As the fish they caught looked like bream to them, they named the area Bream Bay, a name that has stayed till this day.

The first Maori settlers arrived in the early 1800's followed by the first European settlers in 1839.  Over the next 16 years, there were a number of clashes between the Maori's and the Europeans, before the area settled down, and the town started to develop in 1855.  Today, the city has an estimated 52,000 residents.

To the northeast of the city centre is Mount Parihaka's volcanic dome, which rises 800 feet above Parihaka Scenic Reserve, a park area which provides great walks through the reserve.  The mountain is said to be over 20 million years old.  Another scenic area is the Hatea River which flows through the city into Whangarei Harbour, and just 4 miles from the city is the location of the Tikipunga waterfall, which has a 86 foot drop, providing the visitor with a spectacular sight.

The city has daily air service to Auckland  and is connected to the rest of the country by the Intercity coach service.

As Whangarei is a modern, cosmopolitan city, there are plenty of services and accommodation on offer to visitors, to provide everything you would need for a short or a longer stay in the area.

ACCOMMODATION DETAILS AND PRICES ARE CURRENTLY BEING CREATED, IF YOU NEED DETAILS AND PRICES AT THIS TIME PLEASE CALL OUR RESERVATIONS TEAM.