What is special about Cape Reinga?

For Māori, Cape Reinga is the most spiritually significant place in New Zealand. An ancient pohutukawa tree and a lonely lighthouse mark this special place. It is here that after death, all Māori spirits travel up the coast and over the wind-swept vista to the pohutukawa tree on the headland of Te Rerenga Wairua.

What is the Māori name for Cape Reinga?

Te Rerenga Wairua
Cape Rēinga, known to Māori as Te Rerenga Wairua (the leaping place of the spirits), is a windswept promontory in the far north-west of the North Island. It is believed to be the place where the spirits of the dead gather to depart for the homeland of Hawaiki.

Is Cape Reinga a town or city?

Cape Reinga is more than 100 km north of the nearest small town of Kaitaia….

Cape Reinga
Location Northland, New Zealand
Coordinates 34.4288°S 172.6805°E
Offshore water bodies Tasman Sea

How old is the pohutukawa tree at Cape Reinga?

around 800 years old
From there, the spirits travel to the land of the ancestors, or Hawaiiki-A-Nui. The pohutukawa tree at Cape Reinga is believed to be around 800 years old, and supposedly never blooms the characteristic bright red flowers these trees are known for.

Is 90 Mile Beach actually 90 miles?

Ninety-Mile Beach is the fabled strip of sand that stretches from Ahipara to Scott Point, five kilometres south of Cape Maria van Diemen. Truth be told, it is actually 88 kilometres long.

Can you self drive to Cape Reinga?

We drove from Paihia to Cape Reinga and it was a long drive – about 3 hrs each way. If you drive yourself, you must go up and return on the same road as the Nine Mile Beach drive requires 4 wheel drive (rented 4 wheel drives are not allowed either) or the bus tour.

How long is Ninety Mile Beach in Northland?

88 kilometres
90 Mile Beach, Northland & Bay of Islands Ninety-Mile Beach is the fabled strip of sand that stretches from Ahipara to Scott Point, five kilometres south of Cape Maria van Diemen. Truth be told, it is actually 88 kilometres long.

What is the capital city of New Zealand?

WellingtonNew Zealand / Capital

Why is 90 mile beach in NZ called?

Ninety Mile Beach is actually around 55 miles (88 kilometres) long. The story goes that the early European settlers named it because they knew their horses could travel up to 30 miles in a day. So if the trip along the beach took them three days, it must be 90 miles long, right?

What’s the biggest beach in Australia?

The Coorong
The Coorong – Australia’s longest beach The Coorong, located from Cape Jaffa to the Murray Mouth, is the longest continuous beach in Australia at 194 km.

Is Cape Reinga worth the drive?

Re: Cape Reinga by car – is it still worth it? Most definitely still worth going by car – yes you miss out on actually driving on 90 mile beach, but the rest of the trip is spectacular, so definitely do it…its worth having a couple of days up your sleeve if possible so that you can choose the day with best weather.