Easter Sunday

We decided to take a trip further north and headed for Doubtless Bay about an hour north of Kerikeri.

En route we stopped at Whangaroa - a small scenic settlement with a beautiful harbour, dominated by a rock formation called St Paul.


We also detoured and visited the lovely Tauranga Bay where there is a lovely secluded beach and where locals were fishing and kayaking.
After a stroll along the beach we continued north to Doubtless Bay.

Doubtless Bay is said to be where the first explorer to discover New Zealand, the polynesian Kupe around AD950. It was also an important base for whalers in the early days of European settlement.

The bay encompasses a wide crescent of golden beaches including Cable Bay and Coopers Beach.

The fishing village of Mangonui situated on the bay's estuary has many historic buildings and is where we stopped to have a "fush & chup" lunch at the world famous(!) Mangonui Fish & Chip shop. The food was delicious, the view was spectacular.

And, this is what happens when you don't pay for your fish and chip dinner!!!!






After our lunch we explored the town admiring the views across the bay and the proliferation of heritage buildings.

We left Mangonui for Coopers Beach and stopped at a local pa site - we climbed to the top of the grassy knoll and we were rewarded with magnificent panoramic views of Doubtless Bay and Coopers Beach.