Attractions

I'd begin with a browse around the Town Basin. This is where you'll find, among other things, the world's largest sundial and Clapham's Clocks, The National Clock Museum (tel. 09/438-3993; www.claphamsclocks.com), a rather zany collection of timepieces, clocks, and music boxes; an in-house Austrian clockmaker; and a gift store. It's open daily 9am to 5pm (closed Dec 25) and costs NZ$8 adults, NZ$4 children ages 5 to 15, and NZ$20 families.

Whangarei Museum, including the Kiwi House, Heritage Park, and Clarke Homestead, is on State Highway 14 (the road to Dargaville), 3 minutes from downtown (tel. 09/438-9630; www.whangareimuseum.co.nz). It's open daily from 10am to 4pm and costs NZ$10 for all attractions. The Native Bird Recovery Centre (beside the museum; tel. 09/438-1457) is open Monday through Friday 10am to 4pm.

The Whangarei Art Museum, Cafler Park Rose Gardens, Water Street (tel. 09/430-4240), features local and national exhibitions and is open from 10am to 4pm Tuesday through Friday and noon to 4pm on weekends. If you've ever wondered how paper is made, check out the Paper Mill, 300 Otaiki Rd. (tel. 09/438-2652), which offers 40-minute papermaking tours (9:30am-2:30pm). The mill is open Monday through Friday, 10am to 3pm.

Gardeners will get a special joy out of the Quarry Gardens, Russell Road (tel. 09/437-7210; www.whangareiquarrygardens.org.nz), which have changed an old quarry site into a lush subtropical display with numerous tracks linking to the Coronation Scenic Reserve. The Quarry Arts Centre, 21 Selwyn Rd. (tel. 09/438-1215; www.quarryarts.org), is also near here and is well worth a visit. It shows a diverse range of artwork by members of the Northland Craft Trust, some of whom open their studios to the public.

If you're a keen photographer, you might want to join the thousands who have been captivated by Whangarei Falls, 5km (about 3 miles) from the town center on the road to Tutukaka Coast. They're easily accessed and make for some stunning images. Keen walkers, meanwhile, should consider Bream Head Coast Walks (tel. 09/434-0571; www.coastwalks.co.nz), which is a beautiful 3-day unguided wander along the Whangarei Heads on private farmland, beaches, rural roads, and recreational reserves. It costs NZ$435 per person, which covers 3 nights' lodging, all food, and daily transfers. A reasonable fitness level is required but you only carry a day pack. It's open from October 1 to May 31.

Get a glimpse of local life at the Whangarei Growers' Market, held every Saturday morning in the carpark beside the Shell Service Station on Water Street, 6am until 10:30am.

Into the Deep Blue Sea

Why stay on land when there's so much to see underwater? I've never fancied myself in a wet suit, but I can see the advantages if you plan to explore the magnificent marine environment off the Tutukaka Coast and the Poor Knights Islands (1 hr. offshore by boat). Tutukaka, 30 minutes from Whangarei, is the gateway to the Poor Knights Island Marine Reserve, where crystal-clear waters near the edge of the continental shelf are bathed in subtropical currents. Sheer cliff faces, sea caves, tunnels, and archways are teeming with a range of sea life, including subtropical fish not usually found in New Zealand waters.

The reserve was rated as one of the top 10 diving spots in the world by Jacques Yves Cousteau and is strictly controlled by the Department of Conservation with regard to fishing zones and restricted areas; make sure you go fishing or diving with a licensed operator. The main operator is Dive! Tutukaka, the Poor Knights Dive Centre, Marina Road, Tutukaka, Whangarei (tel. 0800/288-882 in NZ, or 09/434-3867; www.diving.co.nz), which offers a full range of snorkeling and diving options. Its staff members know all the best places -- there are over 100 to choose from. Some of the team are also award-winning underwater photographers, so if that's what gets your heart ticking, you're in the right place. They have the largest dedicated dive charter fleet in New Zealand, accompanied by fully qualified dive guides and dive masters. They also offer a Twin Wrecks dive adventure on the scuttled ex-naval ships Tui and Waikato, which were prepared for adventure diving before being sunk to diver-friendly depths.

Meeting the Giants

Take home unforgettable memories by stepping into the spiritual environment of Waipoua Forest with Footprints Waipoua, 29 St. Hwy. 12, Opononi (tel. 0800/687-836 in NZ, or 09/405-8207; www.footprintswaipoua.com). Local Maori guides will take you to meet Tane Mahuta (Lord of the Forest), the largest kauri tree in New Zealand. The night tour will make your spine tingle. Crossings Hokianga, 29 SH 12, Opononi (tel. 0800/687-836 in NZ; www.crossingshokianga.co.nz), puts you in the hands of quality Maori guides who will take you on an afternoon boat cruise, introducing you to local Maori legends and communities in historic Hokianga Harbour.

The Kauri Museum, Church Road, Matakohe (tel. 09/431-7417; www.kaurimuseum.com), is south of Dargaville and worth visiting. It's open daily 8:30am to 5:30pm from November to April and 9am to 5pm in winter. Admission is NZ$12 adults, NZ$3 children, NZ$30 family.