Thinking of doing a road trip around the North Island? Here are 6 amazing locations to visit to get some great photos.
1. Back Beach, New Plymouth
Just a short drive from central New Plymouth, this beach is a popular place for photographers, swimmers, surfers, and walkers alike. For photography, a low tide at sunset works best. The outgoing tide leaves lots of interesting patterns in the sand, and the rock stacks make a ground background.
2. Lake Tarawera, Rotorua
A great place for sunrise, this lake is about a 20 minute drive from Rotorua. There are various jetties dotted along the lake that make for great foregrounds with Mount Tarawera in the background. Catch this on a calm morning and a colourful sunrise for the ultimate reflection shot.
3. Mount Maunganui, Bay of Plenty
This popular holiday town near Tauranga has a few photography options for both sunrise and sunset. Walk up to the summit of Mount Maunganui at sunrise for some amazing views, and take some photos of the mountain itself from the beach at sunset.
4. Castlepoint Lighthouse, Wairarapa
Castlepoint is a fairly remote part of the North Island, about a 2.5 hour drive from Wellington. There’s not a lot to do in the small town, but the lighthouse and surrounding rock formations make for some great photos both at sunrise and sunset. Or walk up the Deliverance Cove track to get some views of the lighthouse from a distance.
5. Lake Mangamahoe, New Plymouth
This is another location just 10 minutes from New Plymouth CBD. The lake offers some beautiful views of Mount Taranaki (when it shows itself!), and combined with a calm day makes for some amazing photo opportunities. Catch this at sunrise or sunset, but check the gate opening hours so you don’t get locked in.
6. Te Mata Peak, Hawkes Bay
Last but not least is Te Mata Peak, located in Havelock North. You can drive up to the summit to get 360 degree views of the area.
I hope you found this list useful. There are so many more picturesque locations in the North Island but these are just few to get started.
