Shipwreck Bay

The Far North


The best surfing is at this small cove at Ahipara's western edge, so named for shipwrecks still visible at low tide.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby The Far North attractions

1. Ahipara Viewpoint

0.81 MILES

This spectacular lookout on the bluff behind Ahipara is reached by an extremely rough road leading off the unsealed Gumfields Rd, which starts at the…

2. Okahu Estate Winery

7.62 MILES

Just south of town, off the road to Ahipara, Kaitaia's only winery offers free tastings and sells local produce, including the famous Kaitaia Fire chilli…

3. Te Ahu Centre

9.37 MILES

This civic and community centre features a cinema, a theatre, a tourist information centre, a gallery and the Te Ahu Heritage exhibits of the Far North…

4. Te Ahu Heritage

9.39 MILES

The eclectic exhibits of the Far North Regional Museum feature natural history and local cultural stories. Artefacts include kauri gum, carved greenstone…

5. Gumdiggers Park

15.47 MILES

Kauri forests covered this area for 100,000 years, leaving ancient logs and the much-prized gum (used for making varnish and linoleum) buried beneath…

6. St Mary’s Catholic Church

21.52 MILES

Catholicism arrived in Aotearoa in the form of well-respected French bishop Jean Baptiste Pompallier, who celebrated NZ’s first Mass at Totara Point…

7. No 1 Parnell

26.27 MILES

Occupying a century-old corner building originally built as a grocery store, this upmarket commercial gallery exhibits interesting work by local artists…

8. Clendon House

26.36 MILES

This pretty cottage was built in the bustling 1860s by James Clendon, a trader, shipowner and magistrate. After his death, his 34-year-old half-Māori…