Piha | thejourney

Waitakere Ranges

Out in West Auckland this region is filled with a fine selection of beaches, waterfalls and coastal walks. The whole area is renowned for it's rough and rugged coastlines. The small settlement of Piha is a popular summer getaway famous for it's sparkly black sand, Kitekite Falls and wild waves. It's neighboring beach Karekare is also a great spot with a nearby waterfall. Karekare Falls is easily accessible from the roadside and is a famous location used in the film 'The Piano'.

As you enter the Ranges you will come across the main Visitor Center, that alone is worth a visit. Inside you have a good selection of maps and info of the local area as expected from a Visitor Center. What makes this one different is it has a kind of museum feel about it. Having a peruse around the place you stumble across random animal exhibitions and insect samples to look at through a magnifying glass, it is pretty interesting and fun in there. Outside you have a few observation decks and the picture frame set among lovely scenery

Piha