Be The First To See The New Year Sunrise In New Zealand
From its tip to its toe, New Zealand is the first country to see sunrise every day so it’s a great place to truly celebrate the New Year.
Whether you get up early on 1st January or stay up all night, watching the sun rise from beneath the watery horizon of the Pacific Ocean is a special treat.
So if you are here at New Year, make a point to be on a beach, headland or up a mountain on the east coast – you can then text your friends and family and be first to say Happy New Year!
To be accurate, it is actually New Zealand’s Balleny Islands that see the sun first each day, but according to New Zealand Geographic, they are “desolate, frigid and utterly hostile”.
About 2000 kilometres south of New Zealand, north-west of the Ross Sea and a couple of hundred kilometres off the coast of Antarctica these islands are not exactly the place for a holiday.
And to be even more pedantic, if you really want to be the first go to Gisborne on the East Cape or head south to Dunedin where the sun rises about 17 minutes earlier than at Cape Reinga, the northern tip of the North Island.
So to celebrate the rising sun, here’s what we think are the top ten places to be and we’ve added some ideas for New Year’s gigs so you can get your year off to a rocking start.
Tutukaka Coast – Whangarei, Northland
The stretch of pristine coastline around Tutukaka is close to being picture postcard New Zealand with pohutukawa trees stroking pristine sandy beaches, rocky headlands and stunning bush – this small area of coast has been rated as one of the best in the world by National Geographic Traveller.
There are plenty of beaches to enjoy including Matapouri, Woolleys Bay and Whananaki, along with some of the best diving in the Southern Hemisphere at the Poor Knights Marine Reserve, 20 kilometres off the coast.
Very popular over Christmas and New Year, families fill the baches (holiday homes) to enjoy a traditional summer holiday.
The best accommodation option amongst these small coastal settlements is renting a home or a campsite. For bars and restaurants head to Tutukaka Marina.
Nearby Whangarei has many more places to stay from the newly opened Quest Apartments to a huge variety of motels and cheaper backpackers.
And if you are still around on the 2nd January, Six60, one of New Zealand’s favourite bands is playing at the Northland Events Centre in Whangarei.
Pakiri – small village, huge beach
The contrast at Pakiri is between the tiny settlement and the size of the magnificent beach.
The village is not much more than a crossroads with a small school, hall and newly restored heritage church. A few baches are dotted around and the beach is at the end of the gravel Pakiri River Road.
The main accommodation is at the excellent and well-established Pakiri Beach Holiday Park that has everything from basic camping to luxury lodges. It is absolute beach front and a place to soothe and unwind.
Pakiri beach is 14 kilometres long and stretches as far as Te Arai point to the north west, so plenty of space for a morning beach walk or a half marathon!
Surfing, fishing and bird watching are all popular, and if you’re tempted by the waves make sure you stay between the flags – you should also read up about how to spot a rip current as it’s not patrolled all the time.
Long-line fishing from the beach is popular and the dunes are a nesting spot for one of our most endangered birds, the Fairy Tern – you may see a few but please stay off the dunes as these birds are protected.
Pakiri is a perfect place for a New Year’s break – imagine sitting on the beach at dawn to watch sunrise and then wandering back for a sumptuous breakfast – a great way to start 2016.
Whangamata – or known by its nick name Whanga (pronounced Wonga)
Whangamata is one of the most popular beach towns in New Zealand – just two hours from Auckland, it fills up during the summer as the City empties.
It has a reputation as a New Year’s party town but the beach is the real drawcard with both safe swimming and great surfing breaks.
It’s also unusual because it has two estuaries, one at each end of the beach, that are great for kayaking, paddle-boarding, windsurfing and kite-surfing. There’s also big game and recreational fishing with charter boats operating out of the marina.
If you are a land based person the Coromandel Forest Park and Tairua Forest have lots of outdoor activities including tramping, mountain bike trails and even some more unusual exploits such as exploring old gold mining sites and even pig hunting.
Being such a hive of activity over summer, the New Year will be celebrated in style and no doubt there will be a few dedicated souls on the beach at dawn.
Mount Maunganui, or The Mount, Bay of Plenty
TripAdvisor named The Mount the second best beach in the South Pacific 2015 but Kiwis have known this for many years.
This stretch of beautiful sandy coast is a favourite holiday destination and busy over summer as people flock to enjoy the laid back lifestyle, the beach, surfing, safe swimming and water-sports.
The focal point is Mauao (Mount Manganui), at 232 metres above the sea and town, with stunning views from the top in every direction. A sacred place, it dominates the Bay of Plenty and walking up and around is a must-do activity.
Climbing The Mount is very easy and only takes about 45 minutes and with a very wide track it could easily be done just before dawn on New Year’s Day.
The night before you could get in the swing of New Year at the legendary Papamoa Beach New Year’s Eve just 15 kilometres south east along the beach.
One of the world’s funkiest beatmeisters, A.Skillz, will be bringing the sounds to farewell 2015.
Starting at 4.00pm and ending at 1.00am means you will have just enough time to get back to The Mount, climb up and watch the sunrise. No doubt you won’t be alone at the top.
Mount Hikurangi, the sacred mountain of Ngāti Porou
Gisborne, the largest City on the East Cape of New Zealand, is the first city to see the sun at New Year, thanks to the earth being slightly tilted.
But if you want to go one step better and see the sun before anyone else you need to climb a mountain.
Mount Hikurangi is the highest non-volcanic mountain in the North Island and is 130 kilometres north of Gisborne. At 1752 metres it is the first point on mainland New Zealand to greet the sun each day.
It is also a spiritual site for Maori so you need to contact Te Runanganui o Ngati Porou before visiting.
The best advice is to walk up and stay at the mountain hut overnight (4-5 hours) and then wake before sunrise to climb to the summit (2-3 hours). It’s all worth it for probably the best sunrise you will ever see.
This is only for the most experienced and a guided tour with Ngati Porou Tourism is a good idea. The Department of Conservation has good information on the walk.
And if you think that climbing a mountain to see sunrise is a little over the top, there are many vantage points along the East Cape to see sunrise, including Gisborne itself.
Over New Year Gisborne, or Gizzy, becomes a mecca for music. The best festival of all is Rhythm and Vines that’s established itself as New Zealand’s answer to Glastonbury, attracting leading local and international bands over three days between 29-31 December.
It is also the first festival to welcome in the New Year sun.
If you want a different flavour of music, there is also East Coast Vibes on the 4th January. In just four years this has established itself as the biggest gathering for lovers of Soul, Roots and Reggae and will include bands like Kora, Katchafire and Ladi6.
Two festivals, one week, and if you camp it’s good value accommodation and entertainment rolled into one!
Te Mata Peak, Hastings
An alternative to walking up a mountain to see sunrise is driving!
Te Mata Peak, just 20 minutes from Hastings in Hawke’s Bay, is not that tall at 399 metres but it is definitely a lot more convenient.
First of all, there’s a road right to the top from where you will have a view east to the sunrise as well as over the Heretaunga Plains an area that produces half of New Zealand’s total production of fruit, vegetables and grapes.
Te Mata Peak is also an integral part of Hawke’s Bay history, Maori and European, and enjoyed by over 200,000 people annually – you’ll find a few of these on the summit at dawn on New Year’s Day.
If you feel like celebrating New Year with music and fireworks check out Napier’s Soundshell where Kiwi XFactor band Brendon Thomas and the Vibes will be playing their style of psychedelic blues rock, alternative and soul at a concert on 31st December.
Kaikoura – a magical marine world
Now we head off to the South Island with the first stop being Kaikoura famous for marine mammal encounters including whale watching, swimming with dolphins and seals.
This lively eco-tourist town is in a stunning location nestled between the rugged Kaikoura Ranges and the Pacific Ocean.
The seabed topography just off the coast means the area is a permanent feeding ground for a huge range of marine mammals including Giant Sperm Whale, Humpback, Pilot, Blue and Southern Right Whales.
The area is also home to the world’s largest dolphin, the Orca, and the smallest and rarest dolphin, the Hector’s.
Whale watching tours leave regularly during the day and you can also chose to go on a dolphin encounter and get in the water if you want.
Kaikoura’s life is the sea so the community is committed to protecting its unique environment. It is the first destination in the Southern Hemisphere to achieve Earth Check Platinum Accreditation recognising the community’s activities to reduce its environmental impact.
Its eco-centric approach is part of its charm but its success hasn’t gone to its head and it’s retained its character with many new tourism facilities housed in old buildings. It’s also a centre for artists who are attracted by the scenery, marine life and its laid back atmosphere.
While it’s very eco-friendly it also has the ingredients for a good New Year celebration with plenty of cafés, bars and restaurants, and if you want a treat, try the local crayfish – after all Kaikoura is two words in one – Kai is the Maori word for food and koura means crayfish.
Akaroa, a piece of France in New Zealand
Nestled in a secluded harbour just 75 kilometres from Christchurch is the French influenced settlement of Akaroa.
It was back in 1830s that the French arrived at Akaroa and despite the dominant English influence since, the town retains a Franco flavour – many of the street names are French, the architecture has some French nuances, the bakery is fantastic and of course it’s romantic.
Apart from just wandering around the village to look at the colonial buildings, galleries, craft stores and cafes, there’s lots of other things to do.
Marine life abounds with the largest little penguin colony on mainland New Zealand in Flea Bay, then there are cruises to see the world’s smallest dolphin The Hector.
Water sports are popular with lots of kayaking and sailing. Back on land there is lots of walking including the Banks Peninsula track around the circumference of this once active volcano.
Akaroa is a perfect place to celebrate the New Year but you won’t see the sunrise from the village so try driving the 15 kilometres down one of the numerous back country roads to the coast just before dawn.
Oamaru – the Victorian town of New Zealand
Oamaru is quite different to any other place in New Zealand with its resplendent Victorian architecture.
A harbour town just three hours south of Christchurch it’s full of museums, shops and galleries, and the town itself is a living museum of the 19th Century. For a small town of just 14,000 you will surprised it comes with an Opera House!
Penguins are another good reason for staying in Oamaru when at sunset Little Blue and Yellow Eyed ones come ashore after a day out fishing and nestle in for the night.
Oamaru is mostly famous for its white limestone buildings and has some of the best preserved architecture anywhere in the country.
The town prospered from goldmining, quarrying and timber milling and the wealth was spent on elegant public buildings and homes – sturdy and strong they are like great monuments to a time past.
The Victorian Precinct is extra special and there’s even a steampunk playground and museum – for those not in the know, steam punk is a genre of science fiction that typically features steam-powered machinery rather than advanced technology.
Dunedin – is the place for a free New Year’s Eve Party in 2016
Dunedin is a University Town so knows how to party at New Year with a free concert!
From 8pm on 31st December, Dunedin City Council will hold its New Year’s Eve Concert in the Octagon, an eight sided plaza in the centre of the City. Bars and restaurants will be open and there will be plenty of food stalls with snacks and treats for the hungry.
The Idol Frets song list will keep the crowd singing and dancing for hours and when they need a breather, Christchurch band The Easy Hearts will keep things rocking along nicely.
An all-age event, the whole family will be entertained until midnight when the Robbie Burns Cannon will fire a single salute, Auld Lang Syne will be sung, there will be a lot of embracing to celebrate the New Year and fireworks will round the event off with a bang.
This will be a good old City party, all for free – and if you do have some energy left to see the sunrise head over to St Clair beach on the south coast, just 4 kilometres away.
Most famous for its surf culture, salt water pool and thriving beachside cafes and restaurants, St Clair could also be the place where you can say you’ve seen the sun before almost all the other 7.3 billion people in the World.
The freedom of the open road
Getting around New Zealand is easiest by car, it’s also gives any traveller the best experience because you can stop when and where you want. You will enjoy this freedom as the one expected thing about travelling around New Zealand is the unexpected – you never know what will be around the next corner!
Please drive carefully and before arriving check out some hints and tips about New Zealand driving at Drivesafe.
The New Zealand Automobile Association has developed the Visiting Driver Training Programme so you could have a go at their quizzes and see how you score.
Remember, we drive on the left in New Zealand.
Have a great trip!