Aotea Harbour New Zealand Visitor Information

 Aotea harbour for sheer tranquility, can not be beaten anywhere in New Zealand. This small harbour tucked in from the Tasman ocean and between the Kawhia and Raglan harbours, is an oasis of beauty.

It has a very small population of less than fifty people, but in the summer holidays, the tourists flock to this beautiful beach haven.

The harbour has the safest of beaches for swimming, kayaking, fishing, or windsurfing and you can view unique plants, and many sea & shore birds at close quarters in their natural surroundings.

This includes the endangered New Zealand Dotterill, and the Godwit, an amazing traveller which makes a non stop journey of 11,000 kilometres to spend the summer on the sand banks and mudflats of the harbour.

Accommodation is available in the village, where you can indulge in the magnificient scenery of the harbour and gorgeous views of Mt Karioi, an old inactive volcano.

Accesss to the Te Puia natural hotpools can be gained from driving a 4 wheel drive from the village, around to the ocean beach, but for those without a suitable vehicle, better access may be gained from nearby Kawhia harbour.

Horsetrekking is the main tourism attraction, but harbour cruises, kayaking, fishing, and hiking tours are also available to keep the growing number of visitors stimulated and happy.

The region is steeped in rich Maori history. The great navigator turi, arrived on the Aotea waka approx. 800 years ago.

Okapu marae is sutuated further around from the village on the foreshore, with the host Maori tribe being Ngati Te Wehi, who are very active in the conservation and protection of the natural and cultural resources of the harbour.

Their website aotea.maori.nz also covers topics such as, traditional foods, Maori medicine, Maui-hectors dolphin and much more valuable information.

We welcome your visit to our website and would appreciate any constructive feedback to improve our online service and we look forward to seeing you out beachcombing our paradise.