Cape Reinga & Ninety Mile Beach

Cape Reinga is the spiritual end of the land for Māori, where the Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean collide in a churning line off the point, watched over by a lone lighthouse. Nearby, Ninety Mile Beach stretches endlessly and the giant Te Paki sand dunes are made for boarding.

Camp up in the far north and make the pilgrimage to the cape. It's a long haul from Auckland, so give the top of the country a few days.

Cape Rēinga is the northernmost point most people can drive to and a place of deep significance in Māori belief, where spirits depart on their journey home — the signage asks you not to eat or drink at the headland, and it is worth respecting. Ninety Mile Beach is a legal road but rental agreements almost universally forbid driving on it, including ours; vehicles get caught by the tide there every year.