Last Updated on August 15, 2023 by Leslie Stroud
*This post may contain affiliate links. Opinions shared are my own and I only endorse products I support. By clicking on any of the links below, I may get a small commission if you make a purchase at absolutely no additional charge to you. I appreciate your support.*
Imagine yourself zipping on a boogie board down a mountain made of sand, laughing, trying not to crash at the end. Sandboarding? Is this a thing? Yes, absolutely! Sand dune surfing in New Zealand is one of the most well-known and popular activities on the North Island of New Zealand. In North Auckland, you will find the amazing Te Paki Giant Sand Dunes. Trust me, this is a must for your next trip!
Table of Contents
- 1 How To Get To The Te Paki Giant Sand Dunes
- 2 Where To Stay Near the Giant Sand Dunes
- 3 What To Wear To The Giant Sand Dunes
- 4 What To Pack When Visiting The Te Paki Giant Sand Dunes
- 5 What To Do At The Te Paki Giant Sand Dunes
- 6 Hiking Up The Giant Sand Dunes
- 7 Sandboarding Down the Sand Dunes
- 8 Other Thing To Do In The Northland of New Zealand
- 9 Additional Reading
How To Get To The Te Paki Giant Sand Dunes
The best, and probably only, way to get to the sand dunes is to drive.
New Zealand may look skinny and small on the world map, but it’s about six hours of driving from Auckland to get to the sand dunes.
We took a long weekend to explore north of Auckland and stayed in Russell in the Bay of Islands. This is a good mid-way stop if you don’t want to drive all six hours at once.
Reception is spotty this far north, so bring your wifi hotspot in case.
Where To Stay Near the Giant Sand Dunes
We had a hard time finding any accommodation close to the dunes and opted for the only Airbnb available that fit our family. It was still about 40 minutes south. There were not many options close by to the dunes, so plan accordingly!
Click here for a list of rental homes and hotels near the dunes.
What To Wear To The Giant Sand Dunes
Picking the right outfit can be a bit tricky when visiting the Sand Dunes, but the safest answer is layers. There are a few things to consider.
There is a stream where littles can get wet.
It can be hot, depending on the time of year and the weather. Layers offer options.
Boarding down in shorts can leave you with some nasty and uncomfortable sand burns. I would recommend long pants and long sleeves when boarding down.
Shoes are also an important consideration. My favorite shoe is water-friendly, active sandals like this for adults and this for kids.
What To Pack When Visiting The Te Paki Giant Sand Dunes
- Layers of clothing like jackets, light pants or sweats, clothes that can get wet. Consider a change of clothes to leave in the car in case clothes get wet and sandy. Check out this wet bag to store wet, sandy clothing without a mess.
- Towel for the car to dry off with our rub sand off.
- Lots of water. Plan about 1 L per person
- Snacks or a picnic meal
- Cash for snacks or boogie board rentals (they do take CC, but service might be down)
- A sand blanket like this would be awesome!
- Camera, drone and other camera equipment
What To Do At The Te Paki Giant Sand Dunes
When you arrive at the parking lot, you should see an RV trailer that rents boogie boards. You need the hard, plastic bottom boogie boards.
Dave and Rose, with Ahikaa Adventures, come every day to rent boogie boards. They also sell water and cold drinks. We showed up at the end of the day, near sunset, for our first day. They were very kind and let us rent the boards for both days at the price of one day.
After you grab your boards and hit up the restrooms at the entrance, it’s time to hike!
Hiking Up The Giant Sand Dunes
This may be the best workout of your vacation! Walking in sand is already difficult. Hiking up a sand mountain will test you. Littles will struggle and may need to be carried.
There is a riverbed that runs near the entrance of the sand dunes and out to the ocean on the other side. You can play and walk in here, but be careful. Cars like to drive the 90-mile Beach and might come quickly out of nowhere.
The 90-Mile Beach is actually 88 km of beach that is officially a highway! However, before you go driving there, be warned that rental car companies prohibit it for safety reasons. You also have to watch the tide and the weather closely to avoid a disaster. Tour companies take visitors out if you are interested in experiencing it.
If you just want a good hill to climb at the sand dunes, walk to the right, near the stream, until you find a good-sized hill for your group. Then up you go!
The second time we came, we hiked up to the top of the sand dunes. I would highly recommend this for the best experience. You’ll love the stunning views!
Sandboarding Down the Sand Dunes
Older children will excel at this and it’s a great way to wear them out! Littles, such as our (then) 3 and 5-year-olds have a harder time and spent most of their time playing in the sand at the bottom.
A few tips:
- You can go really fast on the boogie boards! Wiping out can be painful and you need to be careful not to run into someone.
- Sand does get in your eyes. Sunglasses or goggles would be ideal (until you wipe out!)
- Weather and the time of day make a huge difference as to your experience. It can be scalding hot in the sun and get freezing cold as soon as the sun goes down. The temperature drops rapidly at night. Again, bring layers!
- Our kids lasted about four hours before they were worn out. We packed a lunch and lots of water.
- If you’ve got a drone, throw it up! You can see the ocean on the other side of the dunes.
- Start heading into the parking lot before it is totally dark. It gets very dark out there and you don’t want to be trying to navigate the terrain in the dark.
- Bring plenty of food and water. Dehydration is a real risk out here as you do so much activity in the sun. We love these convenient hydro-jugs.
- Sunscreen is a must!
Other Thing To Do In The Northland of New Zealand
See my post here about all the fun things to do with kids in Auckland. While up at the sand dunes, I definitely recommend seeing Cape Regina, the northernmost part of NZ.
Enjoy!
Leslie
Additional Reading
New Zeland
VISITING HOT WATER BEACH IN NEW ZEALAND WITH KIDS
HIKING THE TONGARIRO CROSSING WITH KIDS IN NEW ZEALAND
30 FAMILY TRAVEL ITEMS YOU NEED BEFORE YOUR NEXT TRIP!
RESOURCES-
FLIGHTS:
- Skyscanner. We love the “anywhere” feature to see where it is cheap to fly to.
- Kiwi.com. They will arrange the cheapest connection, which may mean a few different airlines. However, if flights change, they will find you a solution!
- Expedia. Since we fly so many different airlines, we love the Expedia points we can earn. We also get better deals the more we book through them.
- Other platforms we like: Priceline, Aviasales, Hopper, and Travelocity.
ACCOMODATIONS:
- Airbnb. Our most common go-to, especially internationally. Book over a month and save a ton!
- VRBO and Homeaway. Similar to Airbnb and great for a short-term rental.
- For hotels, we love Expedia and Booking.com. Booking.com offers a combo of hotels and Airbnb to find what fits your family best.
- We also like: TripAdvisor or Hotels.com
ACTIVITIES:
- Airbnb Experiences
- Viator
- Get Your Guide
- These platforms allow you to put in the dates and location and will give you the option to book top activities in the area, straight from the site.
TRAVEL INSURANCE:
As a large, full-time traveling family, travel insurance is a must for us. It’s always a good idea to have travel insurance in case something goes wrong. With the unpredictable state of the world, it is more important now than ever.
We love World Nomads for our travel insurance. They provide travel insurance to travelers from over 130 countries and have many policy options to fit your needs. World Nomads allows you to add multiple destinations to your plan, so it is great for those always on the move. (Coverage may not be available for residents of all countries, states, or provinces. Be sure to carefully read your policy wording for a full description of coverage
We also love Travel Insurance Masters. They offer a wide selection of plans to suit every traveler. They work only with reputable insurance providers and recommend the best plan for a traveler’s specific trip, and offer side-by-side comparisons of a multitude of plans all in one place. Their smart algorithm and filters make requesting a quote and purchasing travel insurance easier than ever.
TRAVEL NECESSITIES:
For a comprehensive list of all the 7 Wayfinders Travel Must-Haves, Click Here.
Tip: If you are making an online purchase (airline tickets, hotels, clothing…basically anything you can imagine) be sure you are using Rakuten! You can either download the app if you are shopping on mobile, or open a browser on a desktop. You then type in the store you are looking to shop at (ie: hotels.com, amazon.com) and shop like normal. The only catch…you get money back! Each store is different, but you can get anywhere from 2%-35% cashback on every purchase! For us, it’s a no-brainer. We are shopping anyways, might as well get some money back!
Pingback: Best Things North of Auckland To Do With Kids - 7 Wayfinders
Pingback: Best Things To Do with Kids in North of Auckland - 7 Wayfinders
Pingback: What To Know Before Visiting Hobbiton with Kids - 7 Wayfinders
Pingback: Ultimate Guide To New Zealand: 95 INCREDIBLE Things To Do With Kids - 7 Wayfinders
Pingback: How To Choose a Destination When Traveling Abroad With Kids - 7 Wayfinders