The Te Paki Sand Dunes are a spectacular natural amphitheatre where the Tasman Sand Dune System tumbles down to meet Te Paki Stream. Rising up to 150 metres, they are some of the largest dunes in New Zealand, and sandboarding down their faces is one of the most exhilarating free activities in Northland.
You reach the dunes by driving up the Te Paki Stream channel — the stream is shallow enough to cross and re-cross in a standard 4WD or even a high-clearance 2WD when conditions are right. Tour buses from Kaitaia bring sandboards for their passengers, but if you are self-driving you can rent boards from operators along the way, or improvise with a piece of cardboard. Climbing back up in soft sand is the real workout.
Allow an hour or two. The light changes the dunes dramatically: mid-morning they glow a warm gold; in the late afternoon the shadows turn them into a rippled abstract sculpture.