Cape Reinga, known in Māori as Te Rerenga Wairua, is a site of profound cultural and spiritual significance located at the northwestern tip of the Aupōuri Peninsula in New Zealand's North Island. The name "Te Rerenga Wairua" translates to "the leaping-off place of spirits," reflecting the Māori belief that this is where the spirits of the deceased depart the mainland on their journey to the afterlife. According to Māori mythology, spirits travel to Cape Reinga, leap off the headland, and descend the roots of an ancient pōhutukawa tree to reach the underworld and return to their ancestral homeland of Hawaiki.

The cape is a popular tourist destination, attracting over 500,000 visitors annually. It is often mistakenly thought to be the northernmost point of New Zealand, although the Surville Cliffs at North Cape hold that distinction. Cape Reinga serves as a natural boundary between the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean, where the two bodies of water meet in a dramatic tidal race. The Māori refer to this confluence as the meeting of Te Moana-a-Rehua and Te Tai-o-Whitirea, symbolizing the union of male and female seas.

The site also holds historical significance with the presence of Te Waiora-a-Tāne, a spring that played a crucial role in Māori ceremonial burials, symbolizing spiritual cleansing. Although the spring was capped with a reservoir following the local population's conversion to Christianity, it eventually disappeared and reemerged at the cliff's base, rendering the reservoir ineffective. The cape is also the northern terminus of the Te Araroa hiking trail.

Te-Oneroa-a-Tōhē, also known as Ninety Mile Beach, is located on the western coast of New Zealand's North Island, stretching 88 kilometers (55 miles) along the Aupōuri Peninsula. Despite its name, the beach is not actually ninety miles long. The dual name was adopted in 2014 following a Treaty of Waitangi settlement with the Ngāti Kurī iwi, with the Māori name translating to "the long beach of Tōhē," honoring an early ancestor. The English name likely originated from early European travelers who misjudged the beach's length based on their travel time.

The beach is a public highway and serves as an alternative route to State Highway 1, primarily for tourist trips. It is a popular destination for activities like sandboarding on the Te Paki dunes, which resemble a desert landscape. Historically, the beach was used as a runway for early airmail services between Australia and New Zealand in 1932. It also gained fame in 2013 when Jeremy Clarkson drove its length in a Toyota Corolla for the television show Top Gear.

Ninety Mile Beach is part of the Te Araroa hiking trail, which officially opened in 2011. The beach's scenic beauty and recreational opportunities make it a significant attraction in the Far North District. Its unique dual name reflects the cultural heritage and historical significance of the area, highlighting the importance of both Māori and European influences in New Zealand's history.

You are in the presence of one of the most ancient of trees.

In Maori Cosmology, Tane is the son of Ranginui the sky father and Papatuanuku the earth mother. Tane tore his parents apart, breaking their primal embrace, to bring light, space and air and allowing life to flourish. Tane is the life giver. All living creatures are his children. This is the largest living kauri tree in New Zealand. It is difficult to accurately estimate the age of Tane Mahuta, but it may be that Tane Mahuta sprang from seed around 2000 years ago during the lifetime of Christ. The dimensions of Tane Mahuta are; Trunk height 17.7 metres. Total height 51.5 metres. Trunk girth 13.8 metres. Trunk volume 244.5 metres. The feeding roots of kauri trees are shallow and delicate. Walking off the formed protective paths and platforms can kill these giant trees.

Here in Waipoua, it can be hard to see the forest for the trees

We often call Waipoua a kauri forest, but the giant kauri make up a small part of the whole. Look between the great trunks, look up into the canopy, look between your feet. Take your time and you will begin to see a forest of endless variety, complexity and diversity. More than 300 species of trees, shrubs and ferns are found here. Our knowledge of the native herbs, mosses and lichens barely scratches the surface of Waipoua's genetic treasure house. More than 30 species are perched in the branches of Tane Mahuta alone. All these species are arranged into a complex mosaic ifvegetation patterns, shaped by geology, climate and evolution.