As soon as our van was fully upgraded, it was time to relax on a beach. We drove up north to where the climate tends to be warmer, and found Tawharanui Regional Park. The sand is soft and white, the ocean is mellow, and you may even hear the call of the endangered kiwi bird late at night.

We first got to this beach in October, which is early spring in New Zealand. It’s on the east coast of the northern peninsula. This meant the water was quite cold, ~15 degrees celsius. Refreshing! Apparently the springtime currents bring water from Antarctica, but these currents shift later in the year.

Te Arai beach is similar to Tawharanui, but with bigger waves. It’s a popular surfing spot, I even took a lesson there myself. Very fun!

Later on, we explored the western side of the Northlands. Muriwai is a very popular beach, but the ocean is much rougher on this side of the island. The sand is black and coarse here. Massive waves make it hard to enjoy swimming, but it is great for surfing.