by Shawn Forno

Created on: March 04, 2010

Most travelers headed up the Twin Discovery Highways in Northland, will drive right past Ahipara. It’s understandable, since most are keen to reach Cape Reinga to the north it’s fourteen kilometers off the main highway, past Kaitaia. However, a small detour to this sleepy surf town reveals a place founded on Maori culture and rich with surf and adventure sports enthusiasts at this southern gateway to world famous Ninety-Mile Beach.

The name Ahipara, means “Sacred Fire” in Maori, and is home to a tribe that claims its descent from the first waka – long Maori canoe – that brought pacific island peoples to New Zealand’s shores. Home to a literal eternal flame, this town has kept the cultural fire burning and showcases many traditional aspects of Maori life.

Ahipara is a magnet for swells pouring up from the Tasman Sea, and the bluff at the west end of town forms the fantastic left-hand waves in warm, clear water. Most of the year see surfers in board shorts running along the rocky bluffs with surf boards in hand. The jumping off point a few hundred meters out on the rocks puts surfers out in the line up for some of the longest and best waves in the world without the tiresome paddle through the break. Ahipara cherishes their rich surfing history, and most shops display at least one photo of epic surf captured during the town’s past.

Even when the surf isn’t big enough to pump of the rocks, the beach break provides peeling peaks most days. Surfable down to one and two foot swells, and far less crowded than Raglan to the south, Ahipara is a surfer’s paradise in Northland. Hostels and private companies in town rent boards and wetsuits for cheap, and the surf is a short walk from the main road, and the takeaway that sells the best fish and chips ever.

The natural beauty of the beach, bluffs, rocks, and surrounding hiking trails stands as an introduction for the miles of sandy beach that make up Ninety-Mile Beach to the north. Four-wheel drive vehicles race down the beach enjoying the wide flat stretches. The sand along Ninety-Mile Beach can be treacherous at times, and most rental car companies won’t insure vehicles on the trail, so a 4WD is usually the only option to explore this unique highway as well as Shipwrecks Bay just outside of town, home to several shipwrecks, one which is still visible at low tide.

Ahipara is small town that takes pride in its history and natural beauty, and will reward travelers who take the time to explore this out of the way gem.

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