Tutukaka's Quality Hotel Oceans is on the waterfront.
Discover rugged walks, warm hospitality and seaside charm with a quick trip to Tutukaka, writes Helen Van Berkel.
The Thelma and Louise vibes were strong as we pulled out of my North Shore driveway.
A decades-long friendship; a desire to get away – but not too far away - from it all, and a roadtrip playlist. We were the iconic characters, scarves and sunglasses and all. Yes, we were safely buckled into a Hyundai rather than a 1966 Ford Thunderbird convertible, but we felt wild.
Tutukaka, here we come.
The first thing to know about the Tutukaka Coast is that it is way closer than you’d think. We had dogs to drop off at sitters, kids to send to uni, and partners to get to work. But we arrived shortly after midday to put the kettle on for a nice cup of tea despite the obligatory coffee (and bathroom) stopoff at Kaiwaka’s Eutopia cafe, shopping stopoffs (Kaiwaka’s Dutch shop) and scenic photo stopoffs (those Whangārei Heads!).
The next thing to know is that the Tutukaka Coast is just as fabulous outside of peak summer season. We were pulling into Tutukaka’s Quality Hotel carpark way sooner than expected, unhindered by queues of steaming traffic trailing Captains Oblivious, refusing to pull over.
Our bags unpacked in our spacious two-bedroom apartment at the hotel, and armed with directions from the reception staff, we headed to the lighthouse.
Tutukaka’s lighthouse was designed more to warn incoming ships of the rugged coast than to sparkle on Instagram. We parked as close as we could and followed the path through the coastal forest over the headland to Kukutauwhao Island. The walk boasts spectacular views of the restless Pacific Ocean shredding itself into lacy skeins upon the shore.
A narrow, rocky isthmus separates the island from the mainland and the path then continues up the headland of Kukutauwhao to emerge in a windswept, grassy plateau with views across the rolling sea. Whitecaps top the blue-green swells in all directions as the tide rushes in from the distant silicified rhyolite breccia formations better known as the Poor Knights Islands. We could feel the booming billows in our feet as we stood a sensible distance from the edge of the cliff.
Overhead, a dome of winter blue was almost unsmudged by cloud on a gloriously clear day in the middle of July.
High tide covers the isthmus and even as we returned, greedy fingers were exploring the spaces between the rock to reclaim the land for the sea.
And the madding crowds? Well, there were none – just us, a pair of teenage boys and an older couple, plus the gannets diving for fish in the bay.
We followed the silvery path of the setting sun westward and returned to the colourful hotel with its English seaside vibes for dinner.
A cosy fire was already alight in the Te Akau Roa Restaurant & Bar dining room as we took a seat in the corner. The restaurant overlooks the Tutukaka marina, its berths full of tethered craft at this time of the season. And it may have been the off-season, but the Te Akau Roa chef was on the top of his game: veering off menu to serve fat oysters in foam for our entree. My friend’s glazed eye fillet was a mound of meaty perfection and my slow-cooked lamb melted in the mouth. The chocolate brownie that staff forced us to eat – honestly, we had no choice! - rounded off our meals with crusty, chocolately sweetness.
For a small community – fulltime permanent population fewer than 1000 souls – Tutukaka has an active nightlife. A steady stream of cars criss-crossed the road in front of the Quality Hotel and the next night we followed them to see what the fuss is about.
Marina Woodfired Pizzas delivered what it says on the box. A light sprinkling of rain held off until we were snug under the restaurant’s covered waterfront veranda before becoming a downpour. We dug into a prosciutto and parmesan deliciousness while the rain pattered on to the darkening waters of the marina outside.
We’d spent the day exploring the lonely Northland roads, heading first to Russell. Google usurped our plan to drive up the coast and avoid the ferry, but our grumbles quickly turned into joy at the unexpected journey as we trundled across the harbour in impossibly smooth seas under a glorious sky. Even in winter, the ferry makes the 15-odd-minute trip every half hour. We weren’t the only ones to hop out of the car and take selfies and photographs of ourselves and each other grinning on the gunwales.
The stunning weather continued to smile on us as we explored the stories and cafes of Kororāreka. The historic community continued the northern hospitality vibe felt in Tutukaka: so friendly, engaging and helpful through every doorway we darkened: from the women in the Pompallier Mission House gift shop, to the St John op shop, to the hilarious wait staff over lunch at the Duke of Marlborough.
Spending too long in Russell meant missing the strict cut-off time to bathe at the Ngawha Springs. Time your visit carefully: the gates are opened every two hours for a $40 dip. So we left our togs in the car and headed instead south to Ruapekapeka Pā.
A short diversion from State Highway 1 takes you to the site of the final battle sites of the Northern War. Trenches are still visible on the sloping plateau, overlooked by a giant carved pou staring north, gathering lichen in its carved curves and cracks. Despite enjoying the solitude here, Ruapekapeka is a place I wish more people visited.
It was only a two-hour unhurried drive home again the following morning, rested, relaxed, fulfilled – and already planning our trip back.
New Zealand Herald Travel visited courtesy of Choice Hotels.