Kayaking Whale Island

Rain jackets with hoods up sums up a January summer in New Zealand these last few years. We had a big storm just a couple of days ago, so I knew the water would still be a mucky soup of driftwood, but the rain stayed with us as we kayaked around Whale Island.

Whale Island (Moutohora) is a dormant volcano (although there are active fumaroles) about 9km offshore from my hometown of Whakatane. It is currently a Department of Conservation Nature Reserve, and landing on the island is by special permit only and subject to strict quarantine conditions. Owner and operator of KG Kayaks, Kenny McCracken, is allowed to land on the island, and the tour includes landing on a couple of beaches, which includes Hot Water Beach on Onepu/Sulphur Bay.

The Hamilton Gardens

Two of my favourites are the Italian and Japanese gardens. The Japanese garden for its Bonzai trees, water features and understated tranquility, while the Italian gardens for its romantic vines, statues and fountains. There was a couple having their wedding photos in the Italian gardens, which made us feel a bit voyeuristic, but we were respectful not to intrude and kept out distance.

The Local Tourist, HamiltonRonna Grace Funtelar22 December 2017thelocaltourist, hamilton, hamiltongardens, flora, gardens, newzealandComment

Whitepine Bush Scenic Reserve

Whitepine Bush Scenic Reserve is a beautiful Kahikatea Forest and just a 15 minute drive out of Whakatane on SH2. It’s a 250m loop track nestled in native NZ bush and would be an ideal walk for families with young kids, or bird watching enthusiasts. Two weekends in a row with great weather meant no excuse to stay indoors, and although it’s a short walk, I spent a good hour walking around taking photos.

Cathedral Cove In The Rain

You’ve seen the photos of picturesque Cathedral Cove - smiling tourists, face bathing in sunlight, selfies capturing the scenery as well as the hundreds who walked it with you. This is more likely a scene in the summer months. My friend Jemma and I decided to bend the norm and check it out two days into New Zealand’s spring.

Bay of Plenty: Exploring The Geothermal Walk At Hell's Gate

Walking through Rotorua’s Hell’s Gate is an interesting contrast of lush green nature versus the barren geothermal landscape of steam vents and bubbling mud baths. On a cloudy day the steam looks even more foreboding, and the heat that radiates is surprisingly intense in some craters.

Ziplining with Rotorua Canopy Tours

We met at Rotorua Canopy Tours’ headquarters on Fairy Springs Road, where we were checked-in by super-friendly staff. There usual waiver and emergency checklist to be completed, but since I had booked and paid online, it was all pretty straight forward. Soon we were greeted by our guides who kitted us with jackets and harnesses. After a quick (and humour-filled) safety briefing, we hopped into the van and made our way to the Dansey Road Scenic Reserve, which took about 15 minutes.