Whangarei
Whangarei (Maori:Whangārei)(Pronounced:Faa - ngaa - re - i) is the major population centre (Pop ~50,000) of Northland and the northernmost "city" in the North Island of New Zealand. It has a warm semi-tropical climate, with summer daytime temperatures around 24-26 degrees Celsius, regular rainy days year round and mild winters that rarely have frosts and are mild enough for the region to be described as the winterless north.
Get in
Whangarei is around two hours drive north from Auckland. Flying time from Auckland is 30 to 40 minutes.
Get around
Bus
Whangarei's only form of public transport is the bus service being run as a trial by the Whangarei District and Regional councils. It covers most of the suburbs and the inner city. Tickets are $2.00 for adults and can be purchased from the driver.
See
- Claphams Clock Museum The largest clock museum in the country with a enormous variety of things that tick.
- Regional Musueum
- Whangarei falls
Do
- Big game fishing - off the coast.
- Diving - off the coast
Buy
The Piggery - High quality and hard to find (mainly secondhand) books
Marina Gallery - An always interesting collection of New Zealand and overseas artists
Eat
Around the Mall
- Pimarn Thai Restaurant - Very popular restaurant. Reservations a must.
- Shiraz - Indian Restaurant
- Killer Prawn - Popular restaurant and bar with very tasty food and huge wine list
Around the Town Basin.
- Mochaba - Good coffee, pleasant food but slow service. It shares a building with The Batch, an arts and crafts shop
- Reva's - Terrific waterfront location but variable food and service.
- Mondos - Always busy but the quality of food tends to be low.
- Vinyl - Small restaurant away from the main town basin restaurants on the other side of the water.
- Gybeshiny new building shame about the food and service
Get out
Whangarei is only 70 kilometres from the Bay of Islands and is the primary gateway to the rest of Northland. Alternatively you can take the road to Dargaville and travel north from there through the Kauri forests and along the rugged west coast beaches to Opononi and the Hokianga.
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