Hibiscus Coast
The Hibiscus Coast and its seaside resorts lie between Whangaparaoa and Warkworth. While beautiful, the area is busy as it is easy accessibility lends itself to be a favourite for Aucklanders. The Whangaparaoa Peninsula is ideal for water sports lovers: Manly beach is home to windsurfers while Weiti River and Gulf harbour provide good boating. Shakespeare Regional Park offers swimming in its beautiful bays and wildlife with various birds and waders. Here the native forests contain karaka, kowhai and aged puriri. There are various walks which cross the park and include farmland walks. For more information get a copy of the Walks of the Hibiscus Coast which is available from the Hibiscus Coast Information Centre (09 426 0076). Orewa is another Auckland suburb whose main attraction is a good beach running along the highway.
Just 48km north of Auckland lies Waiwera and Thermal pools. The hot spot was first discovered by the early Maori who built a pa (fortified village), to guard it, on a nearby headland. The resort provides pools, hot springs and hydro-slides. Heading north Wenderholm Regional Park is a reserve which has strived to leave its wilderness unspoilt. The sandy beaches are edged by the pohutukawa. The park also offers walking tracks, a river estuary and the historic Couldrey House built in 1857. Puhoi, tiny village founded in 1862 by Bohemian immigrants, is worth the short detour off SH1.
Today you can walk back through time and take a look at the several early houses and church. The local library is a curiosity in itself. It is a wooden shed lying by the side of the road and possibly the smallest in New Zealand. The Puhoi Hotel also dates from the 19th century and is a classic two-story pub. Continuing along SH1 signs will direct you to turnoffs into the Mahurangi National Park. Here well-marked tracks will take you through dense native forest and punga (tree ferns) to paradise in the form of the beautiful and deserted beaches lining the Mahurangi Harbour. Wenderholm Regional Park offers canoeing and great mountain biking.