I was on a 1-week road trip in North Island, New Zealand. The ultimate goal was to arrive at Cape Reinga, the sacred spot where Maori spirits (after physical death) leap off and fly onwards to their spiritual homeland. More on that, later.
For now, I’ll like to share a super fun stopover we discovered on the way — Te Paki Sand Dunes! While driving up to the furthest North, we noticed little scraps of wooden sign by the road, pointing us towards a detour for “sandboarding!!” Curious, we turned in for just a “quick” look.
Turns out it was a whole load of sandy fun! Here’s why you should stop over too.
Free entry to the sand dunes!
Yes! You heard us right, entry is FREE! What I did was pull off my shoes and socks, roll up my pants, cross an ankle-deep stream, and shuffle right into the sand dunes from the carpark — no fees required! It was a lovely surprise. I arrived wondering how much it would be, and how much I would be willing to pay to enter. Turned out, it was free! We hung out there for about an hour or maybe even more.
Photo opportunities everywhere
Instagrammers and influencers, get your iPhones ready. Te Paki Giant Sand Dunes are called ‘giant’ for good reasons! We arrived without expectations of the size of this place and were blown away. One hour of trudging in powder soft sand and the horizon is still that of blue skies and silky blush brown sand. We did think of exploring the entire sand dunes initially — what an impossible joke!
Check out my Insta-worthy shot:
Roll down gentle sand dunes for free
I emphasise, “gentle”. The steeper slopes require sand boards, so you won’t get injured or abrasion. Being just slightly cheapo, I decided not to pay for a sandboard (though it was cheap) and go rolling in my yoga wear. Screamed a little because momentum was unpredictably fast down a small slope, and pockets full of sand after. It was pure (and free) good fun!
Sandboarding for the crazy thrill-seekers!
Hire a sandboard for only $15 from Ahikaa Adventures. For the little ones, there are toboggans. We saw a few signs offering boards along the drive in. They look to be signs by the residents living in the area, sharing their boards. You may like to consider those as well – just ensure your boards are smooth and sleek to get you going real fast!
The best thing is, there is no time limit for the board rentals. That said, it is seriously tiring for walking up soft, powdery sand. It feels like one taking two steps forward, and sliding one step back.
Met a guy from Australia who had a kick of a wild time by himself though! We helped with videoing him going at it twice, felt tired watching him climb back uphill, though he claimed the thrill is massively worth it.
Did you know? Te Puki Sand Dunes can reach up 100 metres, with the longest run nicknamed “Devil’s Hook” — a long sandy surf of 350-metre downslope.
Location/DOC: Te Paki Giant Sand Dunes NZ is located near the very top of the North island, close to Cape Reinga.
Board hire timing: 9.30am to 6pm in the summer, 10.30am to 4pm in winter
Travel tip 1: You’ll have to cross an ankle-deep stream with squishy sand to get from the carpark to the sand dunes. Leave your shoes in your car and go bare footed!
Travel tip 2: Kiwis respect and love their nature, and at the same time, trust all us of to love Mother Nature as deeply as they do too. Besides free entry, you are also entitled and free to do anything here without anyone breathing down your neck. Just remember to not to leave behind any trash 🙂
