The colourful geothermal attractions add a special touch to the New Zealand North Island. On my list of things to do in New Zealand North Island, this was a special one.
We found a great RV rental deal for an NZ north island road trip from Christchurch to Auckland. It was a relocation through Wilderness and involved us having to take the vehicle to a specific location during a specific time frame.
RV Relocation in New Zealand
Basically, it’s a mutual favour. The company gets the relocation they need and you get a huge discount and perks. The price was $25 per day plus $50 insurance. They also paid for the ferry crossing from the South Island to the North Island covering $50 for the driver (we had to pay one of the two tickets) plus the expensive passage for a medium-size RV which is around $200. The trip lasts around three hours.
We didn’t stay in Wellington and drove until we reached Palmerston North. It was decided to stay at Almadale Recreational Area, a quiet green flat area for camping. We were the only ones there and really enjoyed the privacy!
One of the main attractions in the North Island is the Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland. The entrance is $20 per person and the hike is around 75 minutes return. You’ll walk on paths built above boiling sulfur. The Champagne Pool, with its colourful shades, is one of the most photographed sulfur pools in the world. It’s impressive, but I also loved the unique neon green of the Devil’s Bath. It is one of the most interesting places to visit in North Island.
I was surprised to see a lush green forest growing next to the pools because usually, the surroundings of active volcanic areas don’t have plants. In my experience in Big Island in Hawaii and Teide in Tenerife, the landscape is rocky and dark. I think it’s amazing to see that nature thrives in places that don’t appear suitable for life. It made me think about how earth was boiling hot millions of years ago, and when it cooled down plants started to grow. In this park, it was like seeing the past and present of earth’s history together in the same place and moment in time.
It was a very special moment.
The Rainbow Mountain is also one of the top north island destinations. I recommend it instead of standing with one hundred people in front of the Lady Knox Geyser. The hike lasts around one hour and the ideal time to start is 9 AM so you can get to the top when the Lady Knox Geyser starts at 10.15 AM. Bring binoculars, if you have them, to better appreciate the view. The Mud Pool is also free and worth seeing.
It’s very unique scenery and also interesting to mention here that the mud forms when geothermal features meet water. Be aware that the geothermal attractions are smelly so if you’re sensitive to bad smells don’t get too close.
If you want to discover the beauty of the countryside try the new app, Parkable. Unfortunately the service hadn’t launched yet when we were there, so we didn’t get the chance to try it. Parkable is an app that helps you find parking, and they recently added a new service for tourists that offer the possibility to camp inside farmer’s land, get to know their work and taste the local life.
We spent the Christmas week in a secluded house in Opuawhanga, on a lovely farm with horses, cows, ducks and dogs (found on Airbnb). It was a quiet spot about an hours drive from points of interest, but cheaper than staying in the Bay of Islands/Russell area. From there you can take day trips to the Bay.
I recommend checking out Elliot Bay, a scenic bay on private land (NZ$2 to pay for parking). The water is cold but the crystalline color is so inviting that we had to give it a try. We didn’t last more than 15 minutes, but it was fun to play in the waves for a bit.
In Auckland, we stayed at an Airbnb in Mission Bay (Marina area). The host, Belinda, was nice and welcoming. The area is the prettiest spot in the city, a bit removed from the centre but it has all the services you need. There is a promenade with cafes and restaurants, where I recommend Cafe on Kohi for fancy for breakfast/lunch. You should add this to your New Zealand north island itinerary for sure.
Honestly, I think that the South Island has more to offer in terms of natural beauty, but it’s also good to check out the North Island to have a sense of the country as a whole. We loved our north island road trip and would recommend it to future visitors. Between all of the places to visit in the north island, we were never bored.
