Raglan is the Waikato's west coast town: black sand, a harbour, a main street of galleries and cafes, and a surf break that people fly across the world for. It is about 45 kilometres from Hamilton and the drive over the Te Uku hills takes around forty minutes.
It is also easy to get wrong. Turn up, park on the main street, walk to the harbour and leave, and you will wonder what the fuss was about. The good parts are spread out. Here is how they fit together.
Which beach to choose
Raglan has several beaches and they are not interchangeable. Picking the wrong one is the single most common mistake day trippers make.
Ngarunui Beach
The swimming beach and the one to choose if you want to get in the water. Wide, black sand, patrolled by surf lifesavers over summer, with a clifftop car park and a good view down the coast. This is where beginners learn to surf.
Manu Bay
The famous one. A long left hand point break that features in surfing history and draws serious surfers year round. It is a rock shelf rather than a swimming beach, so come to watch rather than to paddle.
Whale Bay
Quieter, reached down a bush path, another point break and a good spot to sit and watch the swell without a crowd.
Te Kopua and the harbour
Sheltered, calm, right by town across the footbridge. Best for families with small children and for anyone who wants flat water rather than surf.
Bridal Veil Falls, and why you should not skip it
Twenty minutes south of Raglan on the Kawhia Road, Wairēinga or Bridal Veil Falls drops 55 metres over a basalt cliff into the Pakoka River. It is one of the most impressive waterfalls in the North Island, it is free, and the top viewing platform is only about ten minutes from the car park on a flat track.
It is the single best add-on to a Raglan day, and worth building the morning around while the light is still behind you.
Mount Karioi and the coast road
Mount Karioi is the eroded volcano that forms the headland south of town. The Te Toto Gorge lookout on the way up the coast road gives you the whole west coast in one view, and it is one of the better places in the Waikato to watch the sun go down.
The full Karioi summit walk is a serious half day climb with ladders and chains near the top. Most day visitors stop at the lookout, which needs no walking at all.
Eating, and how long you need
The main street has a run of cafes, a good bakery and several galleries, and it is compact enough to cover on foot in an hour. Raglan takes food fairly seriously for a town of its size.
A realistic day is: leave Hamilton mid morning, Bridal Veil Falls first while the light is good, into town for lunch, then Ngarunui or Manu Bay in the afternoon and the Te Toto lookout on the way home. That is the route our Pirongia and Raglan tour follows, with the Mount Pirongia forest walk added at the start.
Practical notes
- The Te Uku hill road is winding, allow more time than the distance suggests
- Ngarunui car park is at the top of the cliff, there are steps down to the sand
- Black sand gets genuinely hot in summer, take something for your feet
- The west coast has strong rips, swim between the flags when patrolled
- Parking in town is tight on summer weekends
