Kaitaia

A whare (Maori building) in Kaitaia

Kaitaia is a town near the southern end of Ninety Mile Beach in the Far Far North of New Zealand. It is the biggest town (5,000 people) in the Far Far North and the last town of any size before Cape Reinga at the northern tip of the North Island.

Get in

By plane

Barrier Air flies from Auckland to Kaitaia Airport up to 3 times a day, flight time 65 minutes.

By car

Kaitaia is along State Highway 1.

By bus

Bus services are provided by Intercity Coach from Auckland changing at Kerikeri.

See

• Gumdiggers Park, 171 Heath Rd, Awanui (25 km or 20 minutes north of Kaitaia), ☏ +64 9 406-7166, info@gumdiggerspark.co.nz. Daily (except 25 Dec) 9AM–4PM. A museum about kauri trees, kauri gum and its industries at a historic gum digging site. Adult $12.50, child 8–16 $6. (updated Dec 2016)
• 1 MusTe Ahu Museum, 30A South Rd (corner of South Rd & Matthews Ave), ☏ +64 9 408 9457, kiaora@teahumuseum.nz. Winter: 10:30AM-4:30PM; Summer: 8:30am-4:30PM. Previously known as the Far North Regional Museum. It has a collection of items from this area. Admission by donation. (updated Mar 2023)
• Ninety Mile Beach – it stretches a long way north obviously, but the southern end is 13 km (12 minutes drive) away at Ahipara.

Do

• Coach tours to Cape Reinga along Ninety Mile Beach
• Golf: Carrington GC is on the Karikari Peninsula.

Buy

Most restaurants and shops can be found along Commerce St.

• 1 Bell's Produce, 77 North Rd, ☏ +64 9 408 1570, manager@bellsproduce.co.nz. M-F 7AM-6PM, Sa-Su 8AM-6PM. Grocery store. (updated Mar 2023)

Eat

• 1 Turkish Kebabs & Pizzas, 28 Commerce St, ☏ +64 9 408 1779. 10AM-9PM. Kebabs, pitas, doners and falafels. (updated Mar 2023)

Sleep

• 1 YHA Ahipara (Ahipara Holiday Park), 168-170 Takahe St, Ahipara (15 km from Kaitaia), ☏ +64 9 409 4864. Check-in: 10AM, check-out: 2PM. Dorm bed from $40, room from $89. (updated Mar 2023)

Go next

• Cape Reinga
• Kohukohu
• Mangamuka Bridge
• Whangaroa