Aspen Hotel – Auckland affordable small hotel

Visiting the North Island? Here are some ideas on trips to see some of the incredible landscapes around the country.  Three day trip to Northland 

Stay overnight in Auckland at Aspen House Hotel, affordable and economical as well as centrally located but easy to hit motorway to leave! Get your rental car from JUCY and head north. If you leave early enough consider having lunch at Leigh (1 ¼ hours from Auckland and north of Warkworth – well signposted). Great fish and chip shop, or restaurant at the Leigh Saw Mill, or two wineries on the way , Ascension or Heron’s Flight (great views and superb food). Saturdays is the Matakana market (10 minutes on from Warkworth and on the road to Leigh) – loads of delicious local produce to make a great picnic.

The views of the sea and Little Barrier from Leigh are stunning. If you like snorkelling then drive 10 minutes further on to Goat Island Bay, a marine reserve. Gear can be hired. This is what the sea looked like before the Europeans settled – absolutely teaming with fish. 

If time is short leave Auckland and head  straight for Whangarei. At Whangarei take the turn off for the Tutukaka Coast. Aim for  Tutukaka where you will see some wonderful island and sea views. Accommodation ranges from small  B & B’s to luxurious accommodation. We can recommend Pacific Rendevoux – two bedroom self-contained apartments perched on a hilltop – absolutely stunning views and only 5 minutes from restaurants.

Why Tututkaka?  Because here you will find Dive Tututkaka. Don’t worry you don’t have to be a diver to have a great time. Their Perfect Day outing is incredible. Travel in comfort for around an hour out to the Poor Knights (described by Jacques Cousteau as one of the Top 10 dive spots in the world). This relaxing ocean cruise shows you the islands up close; you’ll go through a giant sea arch and enter the world’s largest sea cave (a Japanese submarine stayed here for a while during the war!!). The well-informed crew ( we had Ben, a great guy from Aussie and Dawn a local) will tell you the Maori oral history of the Island and how the whiteman, Captain Cook later named them! (lots of stories on this). If you want to snorkel (and we did even though it was a bit cold) try it. Dive Tutukaka provide incredibly snug wetsuits and all the gear you could need.

 I’ve snorkelled in Fiji and the Great Barrier Reef but this was completely different. It’s a Marine Reserve so there are plenty of fish to see, but seeing schools of fish familiar to you is amazing as well as the biggest snapper I’m ever likely to see. This was a spectacular day and I can’t recommend it highly enough for the active or the inactive. The trip caters for all.

It’s only an hour and a half to then head further north to another spectacular area -  Kerikeri or further north, Coopers Beach in the Doubtless Bay area.

Lots of accommodation choices depending on your budget. From Backpackers, camping grounds (eg. Whatawhiwhi on the Karikari Peninsula). We chose By the Bay – it’s literally right on Coopers Beach – you can’t get any closer.  With 3 spacious apartments (and a self contained studio – perfect for families with teenagers so parents can get a rest!)  it can sleep 2 to 10. Each apartment has decks with fabulous sea views.  

This is a great spot to either do the drive up to Cape Reinga (allow a half day) or to play golf at the nearby Carrington Resort or Kauri Cliffs.

Carrington Golf Course is quite a special golf course if you’re an aficionado. It has elements that reminded one of the golfers on our trip of playing Cyprus Point! (For those who know – it is described as being rather like an Alistair McKenzie golf course – it’s carved out of nature and the fairways are surrounded by nature). Kauri Cliffs, at Matauri Bay is another well known and expensive but impressive course set up high looking out over some of the exquisite islands in the ocean. 

By the Bay apartments is an excellent base for seeing the tip of the North Island and having an explore of the Bay of Islands. (only 30 minutes away) It is only  5 minutes to Mangonui and it’s famous fish and chip shop with its restaurant out over the water. There are other restaurants too.

We did this same trip over 3 days – we played Carrington after driving up from Leigh. Had an exquisite evening meal at their 5 star restaurant washed down with some of the local wine from the estate vineyard. 

The next day we drove to Cape Reinga. You can’t take your rental car up the beach but there are plenty of tourist buses that do this wonderful ride up Ninety Mile Beach and then hair raising drive up Te Paki Stream (believe it – you drive up through a sandy river!) before you arrive at giant sand dunes. You must if you are adventurous have a go surfing the sand dunes. You can rent boards at Te Paki stream. ($15 for 2 hours) 

Then we drove to Tutukaka, stayed the night and by 8.30 were on the boat ready to head off to the Poor Knights.  We arrived back around 4 pm and had an easy 2 ½ hour drive  back to Auckland.

 Staying for more than 5 days

If you have more time – you can easily drive to the Bay of Islands from your base at Coopers Beach or stay a night at Paihia. The Waitangi golf course is a great course (the back 9 are coastal – superb views and a lot cheaper than Kauri Cliffs!). Catch the Cream trip out to see the islands or do a cruise to the Hole in the rock.  This area has lots of history.  keep reading other blogs for more info…. to come…