Coffee in Orewa ☕️

All in all, a legendary day on the road in northern New Zealand.

We started the day in the beach town of Orewa. We had arrived the day before to torrential rain, so we hunkered down in our hotel room. By morning, the weather had cleared, giving us a chance to explore what looked like a very charming seaside town.

We also found one of the coolest cafés around: Drifter Coffee NZ. It was unlike any coffee shop we’ve been to—eclectic, super hipster, and with a fantastic selection of food and coffee. Definitely a breakfast to remember.

Oysters in Matakana 🦪

From Orewa, we drove north to the Matakana Village Farmers’ Market. It was a quirky and intimate affair, with plenty of stalls selling fresh, local produce.

Naturally, we had to try the oysters—and they did not disappoint. Plump, fresh, and incredibly tasty. The whole market had a great vibe, with a DJ, live music, and lots of people soaking it all in.

Swim at Goat Island 🐠

With oysters devoured and lunch sorted, we continued along the coast to Goat Island Reserve. This marine reserve features a beautiful black volcanic beach and some excellent snorkelling spots.

We took a swim and spent some time relaxing by the water before continuing our journey north toward Whangārei, where we had booked a motel for the night.

Nearly Off-Road on Pakiri Road 🚗

Of course, no great New Zealand road trip is complete without a bit of adventure.

Finding your way around isn’t always straightforward—it can be surprisingly hard to tell whether a road is sealed or not. Our car’s GPS suggested the shortest route via Pakiri Road… which turned out to be an unsealed, narrow, and very twisty gravel track.

What followed was another exciting, near off-road experience—just the kind of unexpected thrill that makes driving in New Zealand so memorable.