The free camp @ Kawhia roadhouse
Kawhia roadhouse
Kawhia Beach. First time on a black sand beach in NZ~~~ very windy day, and to access the beach we have to walk up a sand dune...
Really nice wide beach, with freezing water! in this spring weather! As you can see what we wearing in the picture means we not going into the water. During low tide, tourist dig up pools using a spade and soak in the hot thermal pools :) unfortunately, its not the low tide when we get there...
After leaving Kawhia Beach, we stopped kiwizai at roadside when we saw some local children played around the seaside and they seemed like colleting shellfish, we thought we might catch some for dinner too!
The only thing we found was that dead jellyfish =.=
From Kawhia, it took us about an hour to reach Waitomo. Remember to get groceries at Otorohanga before entering Waitomo since that's the bigger town before reaching Waitomo from north.
There are quite a lot of sight seeing to do in Waitomo area, besides the legendary black water rafting and glow worm tours in the caves. Waitomo has an extensive cave system and has more than 300 limestone caves. This first place we visited is the Mangapuhoe Natural Bridge*****, 17metre high limestone arch! NICE~~
Piripiri Cave*** A small cave with free entrance and remember to bring a torchlight!
Marokopa waterfall*****, really tall waterfall (30metres) with a rainbow behind us!! A nice place to just stand there and gaze at the water =)
The valleys in Waitomo, imagine there are hundred of caves system right under this precious land, it just looks all normal up here.
It's full moon tomorrow night! And it is the chinese mid-autumn festival tomorrow, as we call it in Malaysia Moon cake festival where family reunions and eats the moon cake. That time when we look at the moon, we both miss home and family so much.
That night we stayed at the YHA Juno Hall, taking a non power site for $15 pp with Yha card. Normal is $16pp. Probably the cheapest around Waitomo area. Very comfortable hostel with full kitchen facilities and nice lounge area, and not crowded since its only beginning of spring.
The Hamilton Garden @ Hamilton is a must go, cause it's FREE and they have really nice gardens with international appeal. They are open from 7am - 6pm and it's also a nice place for a picnic! Here's LOADS of flowery and leafy pictures for you guys to enjoy.. be patient... lol...
