Explore Opononi and Omapere in the Hokianga Harbour
The Hokianga Harbour is full of beauty and history. Over 1,000 years ago, the first Māori arrived in New Zealand on the shores of Hokianga and some of the earliest European settlements were built here.
Two of the most popular towns to explore Hokianga are Opononi and Omapere. These seaside settlements provide amazing harbour views and are within driving distance of Hokianga’s main attractions.
What are those attractions? Well, take a look at the list of the things to do in Opononi and Omapere!
Table of Contents
1. Check Out the Koutu Boulders
You might have heard of the Moeraki Boulders in the South Island but have you heard of the Koutu Boulders? Northland has its own set of naturally rounded stones scattered along the shoreline between Koutu and Kauwhare on the edge of the Hokianga Harbour.
The quiet harbour setting and uncrowded beach give these boulders a distinct character. Time your visit with low tide when more of the shoreline is exposed and the boulders are easier to reach and explore!
Location: Waione Road off Koutu Loop Road, approximately 8 minutes drive from Opononi.
© NZPocketGuide.com2. Walk in the Arai Te Uru Reserve
The Arai Te Uru Reserve, or Hokianga Heads, is a culturally significant place where it is said the first Māori explorer, Kupe, arrived in New Zealand. The headland is also associated with the taniwha Ārai-te-uru, adding another layer of cultural significance to this stunning coastal spot.
The easy 813 m (889-yard) Signal Station Track takes around 15 minutes one way, following the cliffs to grassy viewpoints with sweeping views across the harbour, coast and Niua sand dunes. Along the way, you’ll spot remnants of the signal station that guided ships across the treacherous harbour bar from 1838 to 1951.
A separate track descends to picturesque Martins Bay (watch the kids on those steep drop-offs). Experienced walkers can tackle the 10.1 km (6.3 mi) Waimamaku Coastal Track, which takes around 4 hrs and crosses private land and tidal beaches, stick to the markers and avoid high tide.
Location: Signal Station Road off State Highway 12, approximately 2 minutes drive from Omapere.
© NZPocketGuide.com3. Visit New Zealand’s Largest Kauri Tree in the Waipoua Forest
See some of the most breathtaking trees in New Zealand in the Waipoua Forest. A short walk leads to Tāne Mahuta (the Lord of the Forest), New Zealand’s largest known living kauri.
The wheelchair and buggy-accessible Tāne Mahuta Walk covers 166 m (181 yards) one way and takes around five minutes, ending at raised viewing platforms beneath the 51.2 m (168 ft) giant.
You can also walk to Te Matua Ngahere (the Father of the Forest), one of the oldest living kauri trees in New Zealand.
For a cultural perspective, take a guided twilight tour with Footprints Waipoua, who provide pick-ups in Opononi and Omapere.
Location: Waipoua Forest, 20 minutes drive south of Omapere along State Highway 12.
© NZPocketGuide.com4. Check Out Waiotemarama Falls
For a picturesque bush walk and to see the beautiful Waiotemarama Falls, take the Waiotemarama Waterfall Walk. The easy 546 m (597-yard) return track takes around 30 minutes through the rainforest of the Waimā and Mataraua Forests.
You’ll follow the Waiotemarama Stream through a gorge lined with tawa, taraire and other native hardwoods to reach a 20 m (66 ft) cascade.
Beyond the waterfall, the track crosses an unbridged stream and becomes rougher as it joins the advanced Hauturu Highpoint Track (casual visitors should turn around at the falls).
Location: Waiotemarama Gorge Road (gravel road), 15 minutes drive from Omapere.
© NZPocketGuide.com5. Experience the Māori Culture at Manea, The Footprints of Kupe
Learn about the Māori culture and get a hands-on cultural experience at Manea, The Footprints of Kupe. The guided “Footprints of Kupe Experience” is a 75-minute multisensory journey that weaves together storytelling, taonga, live performance, film and digital displays with views across Hokianga Harbour.
You’ll be welcomed through a pōwhiri ceremony before exploring the interactive gallery and immersing yourself in a 4D theatre presentation that brings Kupe’s voyage to life.
The experience shares the cultural importance of Te Hokianga-nui-a-Kupe through stories passed down by local kaumātua, who developed Manea from their vision to preserve and share their knowledge with visitors.
Location: 41 Hokianga Harbour Drive, Opononi.
© Northland Inc6. Sandboard Down the Niua Sand Dunes
The North Head sand dunes, otherwise known as Niua, are an amazing playground created by nature! Cross the harbour by boat to these towering slopes on the northern side of Hokianga Harbour, where you can climb up before sliding back down on a bodyboard.
Hokianga Express Charters has traditionally operated crossings from Ōpononi Wharf and supplied boards for sandboarding. The trips depend on weather conditions, harbour tides and having enough passengers to run.
Location: Access by boat via Ōpononi Wharf.
© NZPocketGuide.com7. Marvel at the Wairere Boulders
Explore house-sized volcanic rocks at the Wairere Boulders Nature Reserve, where unusually deep grooves have formed across enormous basalt boulders beside the Wairere Stream. The private 353-acre (143 ha) reserve combines subtropical bush, bridges, boardwalks and rocky passages.
The easy “Boulder Loop Track” takes around 40 minutes to one hour. You can extend the walk to the lookout or complete the longer “Magic Rock” route, which takes approximately 2 hrs 30 mins to 3 hours and provides views towards Hokianga Harbour.
Location: 70 McDonnell Road, Horeke, approximately 45 minutes drive from Opononi.
© Tramp at English Wikivoyage8. Visit Hōreke
This picturesque little port town is the second oldest town in New Zealand and a must-visit for lovers of history and charming towns. Hōreke was originally established in 1826 when merchants from Sydney set up a mill and shipyard here (originally called Deptford) after Ngāpuhi leader Patuone encouraged trade.
Take a slow waterfront walk through the harbour landscape that once supported this bustling shipbuilding industry, stop at the historic Hōreke Hotel and combine your visit with nearby Māngungu Mission, where 64 signatures were added to the Waitangi sheet of Te Tiriti o Waitangi on 12 February 1840.
Check out more places like this in the 10 Historical Places in Northland You Can’t Miss.
Location: Hōreke, approximately 50 minutes drive from Opononi.
© Ulrich Lange on Wikipedia9. Step Back in Time in Rāwene and Kohukohu
For more history of the Hokianga Harbour, visit Rāwene and take the ferry to Kohukohu.
Rāwene is the third oldest European town in New Zealand with some excellent cafés, craft shops and the historic Clendon House, a heritage house that witnessed the Treaty of Waitangi. The preserved home of a prominent bicultural nineteenth-century whānau opens from 10 am to 4 pm Saturday and Sunday during summer.
You can also take the scenic car and passenger ferry trip over to Kohukohu, which takes approximately 15 minutes from Rāwene.
The heritage buildings in Kohukohu recall the harbour’s kauri-milling era. Visit Village Arts, a community gallery displaying painting, photography, sculpture, ceramics and Māori art.
Location: Rāwene, approximately 20 minutes drive from Opononi.
© Northland Inc10. Take it All in from the Pakia Hill Lookout
Finally, before you head south perhaps to the Waipoua Forest or Dargaville, get one last look at the beauty of the Hokianga Harbour from the Pakia Hill Lookout.
The lookout is signposted along the roadside of State Highway 12, where the harbour suddenly opens into view below the road. You’ll enjoy majestic views across Ōmāpere, the harbour, the harbour entrance and the sand dunes beyond, right out to the Tasman Sea.
It’s recognised as an important rest stop along the highway, though parking space is limited.
The surrounding Pakia and Te Hunoke landscape also holds cultural significance through traditions associated with the ancestor Tohe.
Location: State Highway 12, approximately 1 km (0.6 mi) south of Ōmāpere.
© NZPocketGuide.comMore Things to Do Near Opononi, Omapere and Hokianga
Omapere, Opononi and the Hokianga Harbour are in a section of the Northland region known as the Kauri Coast. Find out what else you can get up to in this area of the North Island in the following guides:
- 10 Best Things to Do in Dargaville
- 15 Best Things to Do in Mangonui, Doubtless Bay
- 10 Best Things to Do in Ahipara
Finally, plan the rest of your trip around Te Ika-a-Māui with the 50 Best Things to Do on the North Island.
Sources:
The information in this guide has been compiled from our extensive research, travel and experiences across New Zealand and the South Pacific, accumulated over more than a decade of numerous visits to each destination. Additional sources for this guide include the following:
- Tourism New Zealand (General travel advice - Updated [2025])
- Department of Conservation (Tracks, hikes, campsites and more - Updated [2025])
- AdventureSmart (Know before you go - Update [2025])
- Tiaki Promise (Care for people place and culture - Updated [2025])
- NZ Māori Tourism (Official Māori Tourism platform - Updated [2025])
- Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (Road and transport tips - Updated [2025])
- DriveSafe (Road safety - Updated [2025])
- Council websites and freedom camping maps (Local travel advice region by region - Updated [2025])
- Safe Travel (NZ travel advisories - Updated [2025])
- Tourism Export Council New Zealand (Tourism trade association - Updated [2025])
- TIA (Independent tourism association - Updated [2025])
- Visit Northland New Zealand (Regional tourism website)
- WhangareiNZ.com (Regional tourism website)
- Whangarei District Council (Local council website)
- Northland Regional Council (Local council website)
- Far North District Council (Local council website)
- Kaipara District Council (Local council website)
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