Opononi and Omapere are two small towns linked by a ribbon of development on the Hokianga Harbour, west of Rawene, in the North Island of New Zealand.
Get in
[edit]Get around
[edit]See
[edit]- 1 Manea – Footprints of Kupe, 41 Hokianga Harbour Drive (State Highway 12). An introduction to the Maori world through a 75-minute multiformat presentation including performance, film, art and digital interaction. Adult $65, 13–16 years $12, 5–12 years $6.
- Sand dunes. Take the Hokianga Express ferry across the harbour and climb the dune towards the east (2.5 km). Ask the skipper for directions.
- 2 Statue of Opo. the dolphin
- Labyrinth Woodworks and Maze, 647 Waiotemarama Gorge Road, Waiotemarama.
Do
[edit]- Footprints Waipoua. Take a twilight or daylight walk with a Māori guide through the Waipoua Forest to the giant Tāne Mahuta kauri tree. Departs by coach from the Copthorne Hotel in Omapere.
- Walk the beautiful bush track at Waiotemarama Falls, 5 km from Opononi.
Buy
[edit]Eat
[edit]- Opononi Takeaways
- Opononi Hotel
Drink
[edit]Sleep
[edit]- 1 Copthorne Hotel and Resort Hokianga, 334 State Highway 12, Omapere.
- Opononi Beach Holiday Park, 43 State Highway 12, ☏ +64 9 405-8791.
- 2 Opononi Dolphin Lodge, 2 Fairlie Cres (corner of State Highway 12), ☏ +64 9 405-8451, fax: +64 9 405-8451, opononidolphinlodge@xtra.co.nz.
- Opononi Hotel, 19 State Highway 12.
- Opononi Lighthouse Motel, 45 State Highway 12, ☏ +64 9 405-8824, toll-free: 0800 445577, fax: +64 9 405-8824, info@lighthousemotel.co.nz. Look out for the lighthouse at the front.
Go next
[edit]- Dargaville – to the south, beyond the Waipoua Forest
- Koutu – large round concretions (boulders) near Opononi
- Rawene – a town to the north-east