Driving north from Auckland to the Bay of Islands, we made four detours, each rewarding us with stunning New Zealand waterfalls. It doesn’t take long to realize that this country’s landscape is some of the most vibrant and dramatic in the world.
We took our time as we headed to the Bay of Islands on the North Island. (It’s not just the South Island that must be visited for the natural beauty one expects to see in New Zealand.)
Whangarei Falls, Piroa Falls, Haruru Falls, and Rainbow Falls are within 150 kilometres of each other, and each is worth a visit. Enjoy these beautiful waterfalls.
Whangarei Falls
Located in the Whangarei Scenic Reserve on the Hatea River, Whangarei Falls can practically be viewed from the carpark. Falling 26 metres, the glistening water leads to a local’s swimming hole.
The optional 30-minute loop walking track around the falls has two bridges and takes you down to the base for a different view of this cascading curtain fall. It was the river gently flowing away that caught my eye.
Visiting this waterfall is just one of many cool things to do in Whangarei.
Piroa Falls
To find this hidden gem located north of the Brynderwyns, we drove 7km on the unpaved Waipu Road. The Brynderwyns Range is more of a hill than a mountain, its ridge runs east-west across the Northland Peninsula.
From the trailhead marker, we followed a 10-minute, mostly downhill walk through the lush native forest. We heard the water crashing over the 20m cliff before I saw it.
Located on the Ahuroa River, Piroa Falls turned out to be my favourite of the day. We were surprised to find a concrete table nearby and wondered how it got there.
Piroa Falls is a 20-minute drive from Waipu Cave, should you be seeking a bit of adventure mixed in with your New Zealand waterfall exploration.
Haruru Falls
Haruru Falls is a block waterfall located on the Waitangi River. The word Haruru means “big noise” and you know the falls are correctly named as you hear it long before you see it. According to Māori legend, a taniwha (water monster) lives in the lagoon below this waterfall.
It’s easy to find, just past Pahia on SH11. From Haruru Falls you can hike in the forest. Be sure to visit the birthplace of our nation, the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. It is here that the Maori and British signed the original treaty creating New Zealand.
Kayaking and other Haruru Falls adventures
Haruru Falls kayaking appeals to adventure seekers. Paddle through sheltered waters passing a mangrove forest before having a refreshing swim near the horseshoe-shaped Haruru waterfall.
When my niece visited New Zealand a few years ago during summer, she met some locals and jumped with them from a tree into the base of Haruru Falls. I am past the days when you would find me leaping into any local waterfalls!
Rainbow Falls, Kerikeri
Located just 20 minutes north of Haruru Falls (following the Twin Coast Discovery route towards Kerikeri), many tourists skip the 27m drop of Rainbow Falls. It is the tallest of the four New Zealand waterfalls we saw. It is a very short walk to the lookout and about 5 minutes farther to the base.
Photo Credit: ©Sarah Albom. Used with Permission. All Rights Reserved.
Map of the four New Zealand waterfalls on this page
Practical information on these North Island waterfalls
- There are toilet facilities at Whangarei Falls, but not at the other waterfalls listed here.
- Bring insect repellent, sunscreen, and a light jacket. The weather is quick to change, and it is often cooler in the forest, a refreshing treat in the summer.
- Bring togs (swimwear) and a towel if you might want to swim at some of these locations.
- While in the Bay of Islands, check out this 3-hour Bay of Island Cruise out to the hole in the rock
- If you are looking for longer hiking trails with waterfalls, check out New Zealand’s Great Walks.
- New Zealand is in the Southern Hemisphere, therefore winter is June through August. In the regions of these North Island waterfalls, the winter months average the most rainfall. In contrast, the waterfalls of the South Island’s subtropical rainforests have their peak flow in January, April, and March, the three months with the most substantial rainfall.
- For more of the best waterfalls in the country, don’t miss these 18 amazing waterfalls in New Zealand.
(We visited these waterfalls as part of a more extensive road trip from Auckland to Cape Reinga, the spiritual northern tip of New Zealand’s North Island.)
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Check out our travel resources page for more companies that we use when you travel. And don’t forget to download our free New Zealand packing list when you sign up for our newsletter.
Waterfall photography on this page
The photos on this page were shot with an Olympus OMD Em5. Some are handheld, others use a tripod.
⇒ Don’t miss these tips for taking better waterfall photos.
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Have you seen any of these New Zealand waterfalls? Do you have a favourite?
For more on New Zealand, start here: New Zealand Road Trips: Itineraries for North or South Island Adventures, or you might like …
Mukul
Hi Rhonda Albom,
wow……Nice picture of waterfalls. I love all this waterfall pictures and really want to visit New Zealand and see this all Waterfalls. Thank to share some amazing beautiful waterfalls.. keep update it.
Travel Tuesday
Beautiful waterfalls, Rhonda. New Zealand is a really wonderful place…
Thank you for taking part in the Travel Tuesday meme.
Jessie
This is what I called nature’s wonder. Those falls look stunning and I remember something like this in Canada. Anyhow, I hope you’ll get a chance to venture the place. Thanks for sharing. New Zealand is completely a beautiful country.
Sharon
Rhonda, what a great idea for a post! I do love waterfalls, but we don’t have any nearby in the “desert” of Southern California. My best friend is in New Zealand right now and you are inspiring me to plan a trip there, too!
Andrea B. Agillon
That first one is my favorite because of the big water. I purposely want to see a waterfalls there so they brought me to the one in Auckland, now i forgot the name. It is quite lovely from the bridge downstream.
Rhonda Albom
Based on your description, I would guess it is Hunua Ranges. It is the opposite direction from the waterfalls featured here.
MNL (Cactus Catz)
wow, those waterfalls look amazing
Anda
You became an expert in photographing waterfalls, Rhonda. It’s great that you can drive to all these beautiful falls from Aukland. We have to fly to get to something similar. Although very beautiful, California is very dry and there are not many beautiful waterfalls we can see here. I hope my husband will retire someday (he doesn’t seem to want to) and we’ll be able to travel more. I’d love to come to New Zealand and maybe take a road trip like this with you and Jeff.
Amanda
Wow, such beautiful shots! I’m ready to travel!
Bill
Love seeing waterfalls like those. Amazing
Lady Fi
So very gorgeous!
Su-sieee! Mac
Your photos are stunning. I want to be there.
stevebethere
I like all these I have always loved waterfalls even though they can be quite loud I just find them so peaceful to watch 🙂
Have a splashtastic week Rhonda 🙂
noel
Wow, these waterfalls are impressive and beautiful. I would love to visit your neck of the woods some day Rhonda, looks amazing!
Michele
That first photo is my favorite. I like that you can both enjoy it from the carpark but that the hike itself isn’t too long if you want to get closer. Does this make me lazy? Anyways, I am scared of bees, too.
Rhonda Albom
Not lazy, just practical.
Ruth - Tanama Tales
Love this post and love waterfalls. That is one thing we do not have in Southern California (I mean, there are some but they do not compare to show here). I would be happy to do this drive. I am amazed of all the places that can be visited near Auckland.
Rhonda Albom
I lived in San Francisco for a while. I am surprised that Southern California doesn’t have great waterfalls.
stevebethere
Nice photos, I don’t know what it is waterfalls even though they can be noisy I always fine them peaceful
I liked the photo of you together 🙂
Have a waterytastic day Rhonda 🙂
Rhonda Albom
It’s like the crashing waves against the shore that puts people to sleep – when in reality it is really loud.
eileen g
what a great road trip. there is nothing i read about NZ and it’s nature that doesn’t make we want to pack up and go!
Rhonda Albom
It’s true, it is a beautiful country.
Linda Bibb
Those waterfalls are beautiful, Rhonda. We used to live in North Carolina and I never tired of seeing the ones that were near our home. My favorite photo of the four you wrote about is Rainbow Falls. Is swimming permitted at all of them?
Rhonda Albom
Agreed. I never tire of waterfalls either. We can walk to a smaller one about 30 minutes from our house.
Indah Nuria Savitri
They are stunning indeed, Rhonda. It reminds me of Indonesia, my homeland. We are blessed with such natural beauty as well. Keep bringing all those great places 🙂
Rhonda Albom
I really should visit Indonesia some day.
Kathy Marris
They are all pretty stunning! I have been to Haruru Falls near the Bay of Islands but I think it would be a toss up between the Whangarei or Piroa Falls. They are both amazing! Also the falls at Huka Falls near Lake Taupo are worth mentioning.
Rhonda Albom
Rainbow falls is only about 10 minutes farther up the road from Haruru.
Trekking with Becky
WOW! If only I could teleport! These amazing waterfalls remind me of the waterfalls I saw in Maui.
Thanks for posting these beautiful shots! You’ve added more to my travel bucket list. 😀
Rhonda Albom
There are waterfalls that are even more beautiful on the South Island of New Zealand.
Lexa Cain
I love waterfalls, and these pics are gorgeous! I once stayed at a relative’s house and they had a creek with a small waterfall in their back yard. There’s nothing so lovely as falling asleep to the sound of water (waterfalls, babbling creeks, sea waves). 🙂
Rhonda Albom
I agree, I love the sound of the waves. It is one of my favorite things to hear when I sleep.
Paul F. Pietrangelo
I hope that you and your family had a Happy New Year and are ready to give us some exciting & beautiful photos in the year 2016. I love looking at waterfalls. The only really waterfalls that I’ve seen was Niagara Falls in Niagara, Ontario, Canada. Very beautiful but very powerful.
Have a great day Rhonda. See ya.
Cruisin Paul
Rhonda Albom
Wow, you started with one of the best, few will meet up to Niagara Falls.
Tara
Hi Rhonda, Awesome post. I stayed away from waterfalls for a long time because being around them with my little kids made me nervous. They’re teens now, and my goal this year is to learn how to photograph running water. We’ve got a few special waterfalls in Vermont, but nothing as amazing as these. They’re so dramatic!
Rhonda Albom
A slower shutter speed gives that smooth water effect, while a faster shutter speed lets you see the individual droplets of water.
Karen
Beautiful waterfalls! I am still dreaming of visiting New Zealand someday, so much beauty to see there.
Rhonda Albom
New Zealand is so loaded beautiful, I hope you do get to visit someday.
Corinne
I love a waterfall….especially if you can swim in them! These are beautiful photos, as usual!
Rhonda Albom
You can swim in most of these, although we didn’t swim in any of them.
Sally@Toddlers on Tour
I am always drawn to waterfalls they are just so tranquil even if a crowd is about it feels like a place to zen out.
Rhonda Albom
LOL – there are really crowds here in New Zealand.
Barbara Radisavljevic
I’m always amazed at how much beauty is tucked into your part of the world. It makes me wonder if there is anything that wouldn’t be beautiful through your lens.
Lyndall
I love a good waterfall, and these are all quite lovely Rhonda.
Rhonda Albom
Thank Lyndall.
Paula McInerney
These are all beautiful waterfalls and would be amazing to both see and to hear
Rhonda Albom
There is a waterfall within a 30 minute walk from my house. Nothing like these, but still a waterfall and bush. I will take you there when you come to New Zealand to make us Paella.
bettyl-NZ
I’ve seen the first one a while back and we have a couple planned when we get up your way at the end of the month. I love waterfalls!
Rhonda Albom
Are you heading to Whangaparaoa at all? I would love to meet up as you pass, maybe go on a photo walk through Shakespear Park, if that’s on your plans.
Brooke
I love waterfalls and I’m a huge fan of this post! You always have beautiful photos and these are no exception. I always look forward to where you travel next!
shere
Whangarei was our first stop when we arrived to NZ. We were quite tired by the time we got there (after flying for 23 hours), but we enjoyed the walk around the falls and slept like a log in our campervan 🙂
Rhonda Albom
I have been here over 12 years, and it was the first time I had seen this waterfall. Funny that it was your first stop. When we first arrived, we stayed in Auckland the first night.
Lydia C. Lee
They’re really beautiful photos – am emailing to a friend who’s there now! (And your white sands post that I missed!)- Happy xmas to you and all that 🙂
Rhonda Albom
If your friend is headed up to the top of the North Islands, I have a few more tips and recommendations coming in my next few posts. If she is there now, tell her to email me.
Anda
Whangarei Falls remind me a lot about a waterfall I struggled to photograph in Kauai, but the light was not in my favor that day. The ones you photographed here look breathtakingly beautiful.
Rhonda Albom
I actually used an ND filter and tripod at Whangarei Falls, but not at the other ones.
Hilary
Hi Rhonda – I loved particularly the third shot – it looks so tranquil. New Zealand looks stunning – one day I shall get there! Gorgeous … cheers Hilary
Rhonda Albom
It looks like we share a favourite water fall.
Alex J. Cavanaugh
Those are beautiful. You live in an amazing country.
Rhonda Albom
Agreed. New Zealand is spectacular, but so are many places around the world, sometimes you just have to look harder for the beauty.
alissa
They are so pretty! Breathtaking really! In Nebraska there’s only a few waterfalls, they are like 7 hours away, and they are small. We need bigger ones!
Rhonda Albom
I went to Uni in Missouri, so I know how flat it is in the middle of the USA. Actually, I am surprised there are any waterfalls in Nebraska.
Mary {The World Is A Book}
These are beautiful and indeed stunning. We love visiting waterfalls. We’ve only been to Auckland and a day trip to the glow worm caves years ago. We’d love to return to visit some of these and explore more of North and South Island. Beautiful photos! Happy New Year!
Rhonda Albom
The Glow worm caves are a good choice if you are here on a limited amount of time. I hope you get to return sometime.
Jasmine Ann Marie (Raintree)
The waterfalls are gorgeous! Beautiful photographs. If I ever get to New Zealand I would love to see them 🙂
Rhonda Albom
There is so much natural beauty in New Zealand, these barely touch on it.
L. Diane Wolfe
They’re beautiful. That third shot is stunning.
There was a tiny waterfall deep in the woods near my grandparent’s cabin. It fed into the main river and my cousin and I liked to hike up to it and just bask in the peacefulness.
Rhonda Albom
I love the trickling sound of tiny waterfall, and “grandparents cabin in the woods” just sounds peaceful even without the river.
Tanja (the Red phone box travels)
Hi! Happy New Year! Wonderful waterfalls! Oh, I’d really love love to visit New Zealand one day! I need to win the lottery asap!:)
Rhonda Albom
LOL – That’s how we feel about a lot of places, as airfare to get home to New Zealand is usually one of the largest travel costs. (That’s why we go for so long when we leave.)
samiya selim
Been to three of these falls, need to head to Piroa Falls now 🙂 We loved Rainbow Falls as it was the first waterfall we experienced in New Zealand. Swam here during our first holiday in the Bay of Islands, shortly after we arrived to NZ last April…seems so long ago now! Headed to Northlands again in 3 weeks, really looking forward to it
Rhonda Albom
Piroa Falls is really lovely, and there is a huge concrete picnic table there, so with a bit of planning, it would be a great spot for lunch. The hike down is easy, there are steps at the beginning. Bring insect repellent. Hopefully we will get a chance to meet up, for a coffee or a walk, while you are here.