One of the Waikato’s, and indeed New Zealand’s, best kept secrets is Kawhia Hot Water Beach. Head down to Ocean Beach in Kāwhia at low tide, clamber over the sand dunes and stroll down onto the beach. Find your spot and start digging for an instant natural hot water spa, with stunning views to match.

Kāwhia is a peaceful beachside town steeped in Maori history, and is the final resting place for the voyaging Tainui Waka (canoe). This heritage is illustrated not only in the community of Kāwhia but in the world famous Kawhia Kai Festival – held in February each year the Kawhia Kai Festival is a celebration of Maori cuisine, culture, and traditions and draws crowds from near and far. Lonely Planet listed the Kawhia Kai Festival in the Top 10 Indigenous events for overseas visitors and tourists to attend.

The off-the-beaten-track and somewhat untouched nature of Kāwhia provides for the perfect destination to escape to. The Kawhia wharf and harbour is great for a spot of fishing. On a hot summer’s day you will often find local children jumping off the wharf to cool off.

Discover a twin set of captivating short walks in the heart of Waitomo's breathtaking landscape, where the Mangaotaki Walk and Waitanguru Falls Walk promise an unforgettable New Zealand adventure. Tucked away on Mangaotaki Road near Piopio, these trails offer a stunning glimpse into the region's unique natural beauty, ideal for families, nature lovers, and even your canine companions (with a permit!). The Mangaotaki Walk invites you into a magical realm. Wind your way over ancient tree roots, marvel at colossal boulders, and gaze up at towering kahikatea trees that form a vibrant canopy. This 30-minute loop is not just a walk; it’s an immersion into a lush native forest. For keen anglers, the Mangaotaki River, accessible via the Mangaotaki Scenic Reserve, is renowned for its rainbow trout, making it a prime spot for fly fishing (permit required). Just 11km further along Mangaotaki Road, the Waitanguru Falls Walk offers an equally rewarding, easy 15-minute return journey. This gentle trail leads you to a dedicated viewing platform, perfectly positioned to admire the majestic Waitanguru Falls as it cascades dramatically over ancient limestone. Both walks boast stunning limestone outcrops and rugged landscapes, providing incredible photographic opportunities. Adding to their allure, the Mangaotaki Valley is famously home to Hairy Feet Waitomo, the actual filming location for Trollshaw Forest in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey! These family-friendly Waikato Walks are a fantastic, free outdoor activity, allowing you to explore pristine nature. Located at Mangaotaki Road, Mahoenui 3971, these Waitomo walks are an essential stop for anyone seeking an authentic slice of New Zealand's wild beauty. Don't forget your camera, and check the DOC website for dog walking and fishing permit details!

Walk through an impressive limestone gorge that passes underneath a 17 m high natural arch.

Mangapohue Natural Bridge is a highlight on the scenic drive from Waitomo Village to Marokopa. The track is pushchair-friendly and follows a boardwalk through an impressive limestone gorge that takes you underneath a natural bridge.

The 17 m high limestone arch, which spans the Mangapohue Stream, is all that remains of an ancient cave system. From here the track becomes stepped and passes under the bridge giving a superb view of the ceiling studded with stalactite-like formations and an excellent view back down the gorge.

The track continues for over farmland. Follow the marker posts around to the right and up the hill where you can see 25 million year old fossilised oysters exposed in the limestone outcrops. Follow the marker posts until you cross a stile back into the reserve heading back to the car park.

This is a great short walk and the track is easy to follow. Although there are some steep parts it is within most people’s capabilities. Children will be able to tackle this walk easily, provided they’re big enough to walk up steps and can endure an hour of gentle walking.

At the first big kahikatea, look left and you’ll see an open, grassy area providing stunning views out across the Mangaweka river terraces and the cliffs cradling the Rangitikei River, to the Ruahine Ranges. Further on, the track heads into forest with large matai, rimu, tawa and titoki trees.

From Mangaweka, drive south and turn right onto Te Kapua Road. Follow this for about 600m until you reach a little off-road carpark by a farm gate on the right-hand side of the road. The track begins on the other side of the road, so beware of traffic

Many believe these falls to be one of the most beautiful in New Zealand, just a short drive from Waitomo Caves.

Take a scenic drive towards the tiny west coast village of Marokopa to discover a truly dramatic view, as here you will find one of New Zealand's most stunning (and secret) waterfalls, the Marokopa Falls. The return drive from Waitomo Caves has a variety of short walks you can stop and trek on your way. This short-walk, only 20 minutes return, passes through native tawa and nikau forest to reach the viewing platform for the dramatic falls. The 35m high waterfall divides the Marokopa River into two fisheries, providing popular trout fishing spots along the river. If you're travelling to Waitomo Caves for an underground adventure, be sure to take the time for the short drive out to the falls, located just 30 minutes drive west of the village, it is not to be missed.

   Walk through native forest to the site of a small defensive pā built and used by Ngati Hia in the late eighteenth century.

Piripiri Cave offers the chance to soak in the majesty of a cave in one of the few free caves open to the general public in the area.

A short walk takes you up through native bush and past some limestone outcrops, and then descends a short stair case to the cave entrance. A platform at the bottom allows you to stand and marvel at the size of the cave and the fragile ecosystems within.  A short drive from the Mangapohue Natural Bridge and west of Waitomo Village, is the Piripiri Cave Walk. Take a torch and explore one of the few free Waitomo Caves.

Know before you go:

• Due to the cave environment, the stairs may be slippery- good shoes or tramping boots are recommended.
• You'll need a torch to enter and exit the cave.
• Despite the dark, the cave photographs well so take a camera along.

Discover a forested gorge, natural sculpted cliffs and low limestone arches on this spectacular loop walk - plenty to keep kids interested.

Once the realm of hardcore trampers and hunters, this deep wilderness can now be explored on an 85-kilometre trail that reveals its awe-inspiring beauty and the story of how this special place has changed over the ages.

The Timber Trail follows the path of old logging roads and tramlines, linked with purpose-built singletrack and a series of thrilling suspension bridges. It runs between the tiny settlements of Pureora and Ongarue, with even smaller Piropiro around the halfway mark. Limited road access, remoteness, and memorable accommodation in the middle make a two-day, ride, starting in the north at Pureora, the most rewarding approach.

   The Waitomo Walkway traverses classic limestone landscape, meanders beside the Waitomo Stream through forest and open farmland.