Auckland, Northland and the Coromandel: A Regional Travel Guide

Northland New Zealand is the long, subtropical stretch of the North Island that runs north from Auckland to Cape Reinga, where the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean visibly collide. Together with Auckland and the Coromandel Peninsula to the east, it makes up the upper third of the island and is where the vast majority of international visitors arrive, since Auckland Airport handles most of the flights into the country.

Because it is the arrival point, this region is often treated as a place to pass through rather than a destination on its own. That is a shame, because it holds the warmest water in New Zealand, some of the emptiest beaches, and the site at Waitangi where the country's founding treaty was signed in 1840. The Coromandel Peninsula, less than two hours from Auckland, has the kind of coastline that would anchor a trip anywhere else in the world.

This guide covers the three areas together because they form the natural first leg of a New Zealand trip (or last leg if you are ending your time on the North Island). Below you will find how many days each one needs, where to base yourself, and which parts are worth the drive if your time in the north is limited.