Raglan is actually World Famous, thanks to Bruce Brown’s 1966 surf classic Endless Summer. In the movie (near the end at minute 117) the boys head to Raglan to hang ten on the endless lefts. Today the surf break at Manu Bay is way more crowded, but the killer waves are still there and it’s an excellent place to watch top-notch surfing.
The town of Raglan itself is a charmer! It’s funky, friendly, and ecobent with charismatic cafes and fun restaurants and pubs. Raglan is how you want a small town to be! Raglan harbor is also a good place to kayak, swim, or kiteboard.
Here are some nearby attractions:
Bridal Veil Falls. One of the island’s prettiest waterfalls. The stream spits over the lip of a 55m basalt escarpment into the middle of a pool. Bridal Veil is popular, so expect people swimming and photographing at the bottom view platform. From parking it’s an easy 10 minutes to two top-of-the-falls viewpoints, and a stairway down to the pool. Be warned…the carpark isn’t safe…break-ins are rampant.
DRIVING: East of Raglan 7.7km turn south onto Te Mata road (signed to falls.) Head 13km then left onto Kawhia road, then 4km more to the carpark.
Mt Karioi. A steep, fun tramping track scales this ancient volcano. There are two tracks up, but the “Mt. Karioi” track from Te Toto is the best. The viewpoints atop Karioi are stunning— all of Raglan Harbour and on a good day Mt. Taranaki. This track is by no means easy. The Te Toto car-park is at about 220m and the summit is 756m. The weather changes super fast up here—bring extra clothing! This tramp is fun if you’re fit, but frustrating if you’re fat…plenty of Batman & Robin stuff to manage—chains, ladders, muddy root gullies…you will be dirty after this tramp. It took me an hour to the Lookout, but then thick cloud came in, so I didn’t go to the actual summit (probably only 20-30 minutes away.)
DRIVING: From Raglan head to, then past Manu Bay. At the roundabout head left onto Whaanga road then 6km of unsealed twistiness to the Te Toto carpark. Do not leave valuables here either!
Kaniwhaniwha Reserve (Pirongia Forest). Good for folks not wanting a strenuous track, but rather a cruisey bush track of fern jungle, stream pools, and a swing bridge. There’s also a tight muddy cave to explore (bring torch.) The carpark mapboard details the routes. A walk through the Nikaus and the cave is 90 minutes. The big Kahikatea is unimpressive. The riverside carpark is nice for freedom camping.
DRIVING: On the way to Raglan on SH23, 1km west of Whatawhata’s 4- way intersection, turn south onto Te Pahu road (signed to Karamu.) Go 12km then right onto signed Limeworks road. Then it’s 8km more, the last 1.5km unsealed. Carpark is just past a small bridge.
