5 Coolest Hidden beaches in New Zealand

From my travels within the gorgeous country of New Zealand, and also them being an island country and all, they have a lot of beaches. Don’t get me wrong, most of them are gorgeous and “off the beaten path” but there are some beaches that are even more hidden.

Related: Top 10 Unforgettable Travel Destinations in New Zealand, Coromadel Peninsula Travel Itinerary, Coolest things to do in Dunedin, New Zealand.

Keep reading to see the beaches where you can see wildlife up-close & FOR FREE!

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The beaches I’m about to mention I only found out they existed by either:

1. an intense google search, lots of digging
2. a local told me, so naturally I had to check it out
3. I wanted to visit a very specific music video location spot…

*keep reading to find out what music video I’m referring to*

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Gemstone Beach

Southern coast of the South Island, New Zealand.

I only found out about this beach because when my Mom came to visit me in New Zealand the only place she wanted to go to was this “Gemstone Beach”.

Gemstone Beach is a random little beach off one of the main roads on the southern part of the South Island; it’s not far from the little town of Orepuki.

Let me tell you, if we didn’t know about this place we could have very easily driven by and had no clue that it was anything important, it’s that HIDDEN! (so thanks to my Mom to finding this beach randomly on trip advisor i think)

Okay, okay, so it’s hidden but are there actual gemstones there?

Yes, there are actual gemstones there. But if you weren’t familiar with the beach or you didn’t read the sign then you probably wouldn’t think this beach is anything special.

With the location of this specific beach the ocean currents bring in some really cool things. There are different factors that play into what specific gems you actually find on your trip (seasons, storms, etc.), but my family was super pleased to find what we did.

Im positive I found some jasper and other gorgeous ones (I am no expert or I’m sure I could give more specifics). Especially once you put the rocks underwater the colors really shine (this shot is by fit traveler)!

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Related: Explore Tunnel Beach, South Island New Zealand

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Bethells Beach

North Island, New Zealand within an hours drive north of Auckland.

You may be thinking either:

1. WOW that beach is gorgeous!! or
2. I recognize that beach from somewhere?

Does this look more familiar?

If not, that’s okay too. Bethells Beach was one of the main filming locations of Taylor Swift’s music video for “Out of the Woods”. The song itself means a lot to me personally, like emerging beyond dark times.

fun fact: I actually got contacted by Taylor’s management and got to meet her back in 2018 if you’re interested in a post on that!

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Regardless if you care for Taylor Swift or not, it really is a STUNNING beach. It’s almost a mini hike from the car park to get to this beach. There’s a creek that runs down past the car park to lead you to this open beach lined with hills.

A beyond stunning beach that is the PERFECT day trip, or side trip from Auckland if you have the time.

Related: Explore Coromandel Peninsula, the most stunning North Island road trip

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Brighton Beach

South Island, New Zealand not far from Dunedin.

I have actually done a whole post going more into this gorgeous spot here, but I couldn’t help but include it on this list. Brighton is a small village within an hour drive of downtown Dunedin, New Zealand. One of my flatmates recommended to visit it and WOW I was not disappointed.

I went at sunset just before a big rainstorm so it was extra quiet and eerie.

The beach itself had a massive parking lot and a space for camper vans to park as well.

I’ve mentioned before that there is an endless amount of pretty beaches around Dunedin itself, but this one in particular I only found out about it from a local. So this is me passing that info along to share it with you.

You could spend a couple days alone just exploring the beaches around Dunedin.

Related: Exploring Dunedin, New Zealand – Top things to do

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Point Kean Beach

South Island, New Zealand just outside of Kaikoura

Kaikoura on its’ own is just a stunning spot to travel to. It’s a bit out of the way to get to, but it’s SO worth it. The area is especially known for their ample amount of marine life so the marine biologist in me had to make sure to go here!

The Kaikoura area is so unique because the continental shelf drops significantly just off the coast; meaning, that the ocean gets very deep without having to travel far off the coast. As a result, many marine life (seals, sperm whales, etc.) takes advantage of this and it’s ample amount of resources and calls the Kaikoura Peninsula its’ home.

There are a couple other beaches around Kaikoura where you can see incredible wildlife for zero coast, but this one was the main one I could find after an extensive google search.

Although Point Kean is technically a beach, you can’t exactly enjoy the beach to the full extent you might want because it is taken over by these adorable New Zealand fur seals year round. Their colony extends to this car park where you can easily find them having a good snooze.

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*disclaimer: these photos are zoomed in and I did not get this close to these animals. I am COMPLETELY against the tourists that go DIRECTLY up to them AS A WILD ANIMAL for photos and out of other curiosities. Granted that the area has MANY SIGNS asking to keep your distance from the seals, it’s sad that people DON’T listen. I am very passionate about protecting wildlife so if you visit here, or anywhere with wildlife really, PLEASE keep a safe distance for both you and the animal.

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To give more of a context, I found this photo which shows how fine the line is between the beach and the car park. You are allowed on the beach/rocky coast itself but only if you are a certain distance from any wildlife. So please pay attention and give the animals the space they deserve.

Me having a degree in marine biology & actually about to do my masters on Australian fur seals (this little guys close cousin), this beach was heaven to me.

Related: Moving to Tasmania for Grad School – Why Tasmania?

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Curio Bay Beach

South Island, New Zealand in the Caitlins

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Curio Bay is most well known for being the site of a yellow-eyed penguin colony (one of the most shy and rare penguins in the world) and also a petrified forest. I’m not going to get too much into the science behind it but basically a long time ago this bay was a forest and over time, and a series of ancient volcanic mud flows, the trees fossilized to form these incredible structures you see here.

It’s just a really unique beach to visit. Out of my list this one is the most well-known, as the Caitlins are a more popular spot to explore.

I had a lot of fun with pano shots here.

Related: Top 10 New Zealand Travel Destinations

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I hope you enjoyed reading about some of my favorite beaches in New Zealand.

Lots of love,

Unforgettable Places you NEED to visit in New Zealand

Ever wanted to travel to New Zealand? keep reading!

After my couple visits exploring this magical country, I have finally put together a list of my MUST SEE spots in all of New Zealand.

Before I get into my Top 10 spots to travel to in New Zealand, I have a whole page on my blog dedicated to different places around the country so check that out here.

To really enjoy a lot of the spots I’m about to mention you should rent a car. If you’re looking for a really good deal head to Transfer Car NZ. The only downside with them is you can’t really book far ahead of time as the whole idea with the company is they let people rent cars really cheap (or for free!!) in return of them helping the rental company relocate their cars.

Let’s start with the South Island

Starting with the South Island, because the South Island is so much more memorable… oops! Although both the North & South Islands have stunning scenery, the larger mountain ranges, fjords and Mt. Cook are in the South.

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# 1 Otago Peninsula –

If you get one thing out of this blog post, let me say how incredible & memorable the Otago Peninsula is. The Peninsula is just a short drive outside of Dunedin, a small city on the East Coast of the South Island. The peninsula is known for their abundance in wildlife: the rare yellow-eyed penguins, little blue penguins, New Zealand fur seals and New Zealand sea lions to name a few. It’s also famous for the immense about of hidden beaches.

You could spend a whole day alone just on this peninsula. There is a couple main roads that take you on a loop around the entire peninsula. Let me warn you, it is very windy and hilly but there’s ample amount of spots to pull off and enjoy the view.

I may be a bit bias as I studied abroad in Dunedin, but nonetheless its a spot that is sadly often forgotten *tear*.

*pro tip* if you don’t have a car you can still easily enjoy the peninsula by booking with a tour company.

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# 2 Beaches around Dunedin –

Tunnel Beach, Brighton Beach, and St. Kilda are my personal favorites. But there are many more!

I have a couple older posts exploring them in more detail:

Tunnel Beach – if I had to pick one go here

Brighton Beach

Tunnel Beach – south of Dunedin, NZ

Honestly just go to Dunedin and spend a couple days in that area alone. TRUST ME you will need it!!! There is endless beaches to explore & so much unique wildlife!! Also if geology or rocks peak your fancy, there’s a lot of cool beaches to admire that too.

# 3 Baldwin Street –

Known as “The Steepest Residential Street in the World” ahead of San Francisco. It is within walking distance of Northern Dunedin, but there’s also the bus system to make the walk a bit shorter.

*pro tip* this spot is very touristy! I mean full bus loads of tour groups, so keep that in mind when choosing when to go.

It’s not only a nice brisk up hill walk, but a form of entertainment stopping here. I think the funniest part of visiting here is seeing all of the tourists try to drive their rental car up to the top of the hill.

# 4 The Caitlins –

The final stop on the East Coast of the South Island before moving to the West – The Caitlins. Before traveling, I had no clue this area existed to be honest. This region encompasses the entire southeastern corner of the South Island.

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This is another spot that you really need a car to explore, or you can join in with a tour company. There’s many, many beaches and spots within the Caitlins to see but I’ll name my favorites.

Above is the fossilized remains of an old forest in Curio bay and below is around Nugget Point.

# 5 Queenstown –

Queenstown is landlocked on the Western side of the South Island. It’s located right in the center of some of the longest mountain ranges in all of New Zealand.

A very touristy place, but still a MUST. Queenstown itself is probably the most touristy area in all of NZ, in my opinion. Regardless, the area itself is so breathtaking that it’s impossible not to add it to this list.

Regardless of the time of year, there is the STUNNING mountain ranges lining the lake and surrounding areas. I HIGHLY recommend dropping the money on going up the tram to the top of one of the mountains. It’s the one tourist attraction that really is a must.

Moving to the North Island

# 6 Napier –

Located on the East Coast of the North Island, Napier is inspired by the 1930s Art Deco period. The town itself has a small airport to fly into, or it is about a 4 hour drive north from New Zealand’s capital, Wellington.

I have already done an entire post on Napier here, but I couldn’t help but include it in this list. The entire town is filled with stunning architecture; it’s just a nice town to explore and walk around.

# 7 Craggy Mountain Range –

Craggy Range is a smaller mountain range not far from Napier, New Zealand mentioned above. As you can see from these photos, the range itself is so unique and breathtaking.

What brought me here specifically was a winery WHICH WAS INCREDIBLE so if you want to sip on some great wine while overlooking this mountain range then head to Craggy Range Vineyards. Out of all of the wineries I’ve visited in NZ, this one was by far the most memorable and personable.

Like a lot of the other spots mentioned, I’m sure there are many wine tours that go around and explore this area. The Hawkes Bay Region is one of the top wine regions in New Zealand.

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# 8 Coastal Walkway –

Now that we’ve appreciated the east of the North Island, let’s head to the west!

The Coastal Walkway runs along New Plymouth, New Zealand, it’s a series of paths that connect to wrap around the coastline. New Plymouth also has a small airport and the walkway itself meets downtown for easy access.

What’s great about it, is you can start the path at any point and still get gorgeous views of rocky beaches and (if you’re lucky) Mount Taranaki.

These pictures don’t completely do it justice as I had horrible luck with the weather for the most part.. There is supposed to Mt. Taranaki (this gorgeous, dome, dormant volcano) through the end of those white arches.

So insert this mountain (when I had good weather) in that white archway & call it a day 🙂 But seriously, it’s just such a peaceful walk and theres some insanely cool tide pools that get exposed during low tide. New Plymouth PRIDES themselves on the Coastal Walkway it’s so cute!

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#9 Mount Monganui –

Moving to the north part of the North Island, we have Mt. Monganui.

The towns surrounding Mt. Monganui are nice but the mountain itself is the real destination in my opinion. You can do around a 2-hour hike to get to the top (which I keep bugging my boyfriend that we have to do at sunrise) and I’m positive the few is absolutely stunning.

I found this little peninsula to sit an watch the sun set down behind the mountain.

# 10 Hobbiton –

Last, but certainly not least, Hobbiton. I have a whole post going more into detail about my experience at Hobbiton here. Hobbiton is located a couple hours southeast of Auckland, in the middle of vast farmland and rolling hills (I completely get why Peter Jackson chose here as a filiming location)

Even if you don’t care for the Lord of the Rings or Hobbit movies, I still think this is really worth the money. Before going here, I honestly barely watched part of one movie…. oops. There’s so many tour options to get here and explore (from Auckland, Rotorua, etc).

Each tour even includes a free drink at the Green Dragon!

*pro tip* try to go for the final tour of the day: I did and we got offered all the extra beer that was already poured for free.

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Thanks so much if you’ve read this far. I’ve been meaning to put this list together for a while now & I had so much fun putting it together. ANY questions at all about New Zealand or ANY travel questions please don’t hesitate to contact me or leave it in the comments! I want this to be helpful for you.

Have you ever wanted to travel to New Zealand?

What places on the list sound most interesting to you?

Lots of love,

Travel back to the 1930s in Napier, New Zealand

For those who don’t know, I first went to New Zealand back in 2018 to do a semester abroad in Dunedin. I’ve done a handful of posts on some of my travels there here. I have even gotten to travel back to NZ two more times since then to visit my boyfriend who is from there 🙂

SO if you’re interested in more NZ content (because honestly I could do so much!) let me know!!!

Check out my last travel post Halstatt – an Austrian gem.

I visited Napier last September and beyond blown away with how much it felt like I was in NZ…. but wasn’t… at the same time…

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Napier, New Zealand

Located on the East coast of the North Island in New Zealand, Napier is the ultimate “Art Deco” capital. The mini-city itself was rebuilt after the 1931 earthquake and is about four hours drive North of the NZ capital Wellington.

Art Deco, short for Arts Décoratifs, is characterized by rich colors, bold geometry, and decadent detail work. Having reached the height of its popularity in the 1920s, ’30s, and ’40s, the style still brings in glamour, luxury, and order with symmetrical designs in exuberant shapes

Architectural Digest

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One thing that always cracked me up about New Zealand (especially the North Island) is sometimes you can’t tell if you’re in Hawaii with palm trees or some distant rain forest filled with ferns. New Zealand trees are so random and unique in the best way.

Like, if I told you that this photo was taken in NZ, at first, would you believe me?

Not that I’m big into trees to begin, as I’m more of a marine biologist kinda person, but I’ve also been debating just buying a book on New Zealand trees. Genuinely there is just something about them that makes me really think HA!

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It was incredible how the “Art Deco” architecture filled the streets entirely. It was almost like taking a time machine back 80-90 years.

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Napier is also known for their waterfront, or the “Marine Parade”; there’s gorgeous pathways all along the waterfront lined with these deco pillars and of course, with all of the funky trees!

As much as I loved all the architecture (and good coffee), my highlight had to be the National Aquarium of NZ where they highlight their resident little blue penguins with their famous “Naughty & Nice Penguin of the Month”.

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Here’s this months! taken from their instagram

Right outside of Napier is an absolutely stunning wine region which I will definitely do a whole post on soon, so keep an eye out!

As always, thanks so much for chosing to read this and check out my blog 🙂

Lots of love,

The fear that no one will read your blog

Why haven’t I been blogging?

On top of nothing exciting happening in my life recently thanks to quarantine, there is the fear that people don’t care enough to even read what I’m putting out.

I’m sure if you’re reading this, that you have been in a similar boat at one point or another (or even now). So welcome to the party!!!

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ok, serious talk now:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by ashleigh (@coffeeenut) on May 8, 2020 at 11:00am PDT

Blogging takes a lot more to put together over an instagram caption. It’s not only a platform to express things in more detail, but it requires a lot more planning. I guess that fear of thinking no one actually cares what I’m blogging about stems from the amount of time it takes to put together a post.

I give bloggers SO much credit. They pour so much passion, time and energy into a piece of content that they hope people will care about. But at the same time, you cannot guarantee that people will care or bother to read what you’re typing out.

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Also with the state of the world right now I’m sure the blogging scene is a bit oversaturated.

That’s where I need to make that mental connection that yes, it does take time but am I passionate about what I’m trying to get across?

-for the most part that answer is yes

I guess I just need to tune in more on what’s important to me and what’s going on in my head. All this extra time at home has definitely opened up my emotions a bit so that explains my last couple posts.

I hope all of you are well! I’ll be back soon with more interesting content. If you’ve read this far I’d love to connect further and get to know more people on here!!!

Lots of love,

My Travel Bucket List

Since we’re all stuck inside dreaming of the other places we could be I thought I’d hop on to this trend and share my ultimate travel destination bucket list!

Recently I’ve been going back through my photos and blogging about some awesome places I’ve been in the last year: Stockholm, Berlin, other areas of Germany, and the Pacific Northwest. It has got me thinking even more of when we can safely leave the house and explore again.

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My Top 6 Dream Travel Spots

Croatia

Photo from Lost World

Surprisingly, Croatia was on the top of my list long before I got into Game of Thrones a couple years ago. The country itself just seems like such an interesting mix of tropical-Mediterranean kind of feel with classic Europe…. if that makes any sense?

Photo from Fodors Travel

I’m just imagining walking along these rocks along the coast looking down in this clear pristine water. Wow. Goals.

If anyone has been to Croatia please comment below and give me your tips! This country has been on my list for years now.

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Norway

Photo from Unsplash

I’ve had a short weekend layover in Oslo a couple years back but have never ventured out from there. With my interest in marine biology, the fjords especially around Bergen and north of there sounds absolutely incredible!

Photo from Fodors Travel

The way these buildings wrap around the coastline so continuously is so pleasing I mean…

Also, fun fact, at one point I was thinking of going to graduate school in Tromso, Norway but ultimately decided on Tasmania for my masters.

Romania

Photo from here

I don’t see many people post about going to Romania, nor do I know anyone personally that has been here. It seems like the perfect “off beaten path” medieval fantasy spot. I don’t know enough about the country itself but it seems a lot quieter than some of the more popular European castle destinations. For example in Austria, and in Germany when I visited castles for the most part they had a decent crowd. Who knows, I could be very wrong!

If you have travelled to Romania please let me know any of your tips!

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Photo by AtlasObscura

Singapore

Photo from here

Switching to a much more modern spot, Singapore.

This spot was in the back of my head but especially once seeing the way it was portrayed in parts of the movie “Crazy Rich Asians” I couldn’t help but get super curious and want to visit.

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Photo from Singapore Guide Book

The lights and the architecture …. I’m at a loss for words.

Japan

Photo from staysure

A more mainstream choice nowadays but it really does seem completely different than any other place I’ve been. Especially with how different the Japanese culture must be from what I’m used to I am so interested to travel there and really delve into their culture.

Photo by talk travel app

Also I can’t help but want to visit all of the awesome themed cafes in Tokyo as well (hedgehog cafe, pokemon, etc.)

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Antarctica

Photo by live science

If you know me, this one is kind of obvious with my dream career plans but I’d thought I’d include it anyway. I’ve gotten into it more in depth in past posts, but to sum it up I hope to conduct my own scientific research in Antarctica one day.

I’d be so interested in your travel bucket list! What spot makes the top of your list?

Lots of love,

The Best Photo Spots in Berlin

A little throwback to a trip to Germany I took just over a year ago to visit my brother studying abroad in Berlin. I did get to travel around the country a bit and see so many gorgeous castles but I was also really impressed with Berlin. Stay tuned because I definitely have a list of my top coffee spots in Berlin as well. I was suuuuuper impressed with their specialty coffee culture.

Okay, back to the photo spots.

Overall, I spent around 4-5 days in Berlin alone so I had some time to venture around. If you’re interested in other European adventures I have them all here.

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The East Side Gallery

Probably the most obvious answer but there are so many gorgeous murals miles down to choose from. Depending on when you go and what murals you choose (as some are more famous than others), you can get a good spot to take photos.

These are some of my favorites.

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Bradenburg Gate

If I’m being honest I didn’t realize that this landmark was in Berlin until I arrived late at night from the airport, looked up, and saw this massive gate.

As this is a really popular landmark, getting a photo can be hard. This is why I decided to take a different angle and get down on the sidewalk. Genuinely a gorgeous site in person; it’s also really stunning all lit up at night.

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The International Spy Museum

If I’m remembering correctly the admission price was kinda pricy but it was a very interesting museum. Lots of interactive portions and puzzles to solve. The lighting overall was pretty dark but they had cool backdrops.

They had this area where you could dress up in “spy clothes” and pick a backdrop.

I was feeling fancy so I even just picked a random wall! wooo!!

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The Streets

Like most European cities, the architecture really lines the streets. Pretty straight forward but it makes a decent photo opportunity.

Coffee Shops & Cafes

Like I mentioned earlier, I’m definitely going to dedicate a whole post to Berlin’s coffee culture but they are some super cute spots. This one (Bonanza coffee) had a cute little window spot.

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In the short time I was in Berlin those are my favorite photo spots. I’m sure there are some great ones that I missed. Check back for more posts on my trips across Germany.

Have you been to Berlin?

Lots of love,

my honest review of major NZ peanut butter brands

To say the least, I had way too much fun putting this post together. Okay lets do this!!!!!

My New Zealand peanut butter journey started when I first arrived and found myself in Countdown (a NZ grocery store). I made the HORRIBLE mistake to buy the cheapest peanut butter and it was artificial horrible-ness. Moral of the story: pay the extra few dollars for good quality groceries.

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Bay Road

I may be bias, but my ultimate, number one brand is a local Dunedin, New Zealand brand: Bay Road. Sorry to anyone who knows me and is already sick of me talking about it.

(photo creds to their facebook)

At first I didn’t think much of it. I was like yay its not artificial crap! But very quickly i became obsessed with both the crunchy and the smooth. What sets them apart is the peanut butter is airy & dense. It is not watery or runny. YEP! not even the smooth is runny. The perfect start to the day is throwing it on some toast. Sadly, they are currently only available at the Otago farmers market and a few small Dunedin food stores. BUT THE WORD is they’re expanding… so stay tuned.

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Fix & Fogg

If you follow me on instagram you’ve seen that while on my trip to Wellington, I popped by their Eva street window.

Fix & Fogg is based out of Wellington but is found throughout NZ aaand theyre on amazon for when I’m back in the States. Their window often does weekend specials where they partner up with another local food company (of course the time they did one wasn’t the weekend I was there…). They’ve done some awesome ones like smoothie bowls, ice cream, exclusive peanut toast ALL with their peanut butter. But, they do sell most of the fancy toasts with their peanut butter on a daily basis.

They have a bunch of flavors and when I was there I got a GREAT deal for buying a larger jar. They do have merch and I am not gonna lie, I’m tempted to splurge and get some. Also, their instagram kills it with the aesthetic.

I have recently tried their fruit toast pb (it has the perfect hints of cinnamon and fruit) and dark chocolate (perfect for cookies).

Pic’s

Probably the most common brand I’ve seen around New Zealand. If you’re looking for the cheapest good quality option then this is for you. BUT, it is clearly not my favorite. Their crunchy is average and their smooth is way too watery for my liking. I don’t enjoy peanut butter that drips off my toast. Sorry, that’s all I gotta say about them! no shame!

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What I really appreciate about these NZ peanut butters, is how the only ingredient is peanuts. Pure goodness.

Although this is completely different than any of my previous posts, I feel passionate about my pb opinions. Question for you: What’s your favorite peanut butter brand?

New Zealand, keep doing you.

I am looking forward to documenting my journey. All of the support so far has been amazing, so thank you.

Lots of love,

Coromandel Peninsula, NZ: are the hot spots worth it?

One of my stops on the North Island a few weeks ago was the Coromandel Peninsula. Its an area just to the east of Auckland (around a 90 minute drive). With only a day or so in the area, I made sure to stop by the “top spots”. When researching where to go, the main two places were: Cathedral Cove & Hot Water Beach…. so its safe to assume I made sure to stop by.

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If you are headed this way: RENT A CAR! The drives everywhere are gorgeous and filled with endless pull-offs.

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Stop one: Paeroa

I stayed in an Airbnb just south of the peninsula in a small town called Paeroa. It is home to the famous Kiwi drink “L&P” (theres an L&P cafe, and a massive L&P bottle in the middle of town). But back to the important stuff, my air bnb; it was behind this adorable, rustic cafe called The Refinery.

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I’m really bummed I didn’t get the chance to sit down and take it all in (I was running around like a maniac, no surprise). They had a wide array of coffee (which i had on the go), food and also a cute front courtyard filled with lots of greenery.

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Stop two: Thames

Thames is small town just on the southern west coast of the Coromandel. As you can tell from me above, I decided to have lots of fun being a marine biologist (my friends thought I looked like Darla from Finding Nemo, which i now can see).

More beach sunset pics???? of course!!!

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stop three: Waiau Falls

The next day started with some gorgeous coastal drives (I highly support the western coastal road to drive on, here’s some proof).

I decided to make the trip up to Waiau Falls. Whats very convenient, is its located just off the road; what is inconvenient, is its located down a windy gravel road that cuts through the center of the peninsula. The North Island really takes the cake with breathtaking trees (don’t worry South Island, cabbage trees I love you). Of course the renown silver ferns, and other ferns for that matter, never disappoint.

is it worth the trip? I would give it a 50/50 depending if you feel comfortable driving down a loose gravel road.

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stop four: Cathedral Cove

Cathedral Cove is on the Eastern coast of the Coromandel Peninsula. It is really easy to find with lots of signs helping the lost tourists, like me. It is famous for its “Cathedral” shaped rock formation (wow, cathedral at Cathedral Cove???), which paints the frame for a gorgeous white sand beach.

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What they don’t tell you, is to get to Cathedral Cove you have to hike up and down a winding path from the car park. Even though the walk one-way only takes about 25 minutes, I wouldn’t say its the kind of stroll to do in flip flops; the scenery is stunning so it made the steep inclines worth it. Of course being a tourist beach it is going to be crowded but the beach wraps around a bit so there’s plenty room to explore. What I found funny, was there was a water taxi that was around 15$-20$ per person and apparently drops you off closer to the car park to decrease your hike up. It was very popular but I was perfectly fine walking it (more money for coffee). I would block off at least 2 hours to do the trip, enjoy the view and walk back.

is it worth the trip? 100% a must-see!

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stop five: Hot Water Beach

Hot Water Beach is just south of Cathedral Cove on the Coromandel. A hot water stream runs underneath the beach and is exposed around low tide; it is recommended to visit in the period two hours before or after low tide to feel the “hot water”.

(sorry I have no photos! I didn’t want to get my phone soaked!)

It was very crowded; what they don’t tell you is how small the area of the geothermal “hot water” actually is. So most of the foreigners (like me), who went to visit and try their luck, found themselves on the sidelines waiting for a group to leave to take their already dug-out pool. No it is not impossible, but I am assuming those who snatched a good spot in the sand got there well before the recommended two hours before the tide. On top of that, 50% of the already small geothermal beach area makes it difficult to keep a continuous pool of water. As you can guess, the sand caves in, or gets pushed in, or gradually builds up over time.

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The pool me and my friends ended up snatching was a decent sized one but was further away from the water. The water was BURNING hot, so the family who dug it had the hot water streaming into a pool of cooler water farther down so it was kept at a more pleasant temperature. Once we had the pool, we were surrounded by those who didn’t have one and were looking for one. Safe to say there is a lot of competition and unneeded drama. OH AND BRING A SHOVEL! Most people didn’t want to share

is it worth the trip? Yes I do recommend going for the heck of it, but you have been warned.

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As touristy as the Coromandel is, its touristy for a reason; I’m so happy I made the road trip.

I am looking forward to documenting my journey. All of the support so far has been amazing, so thank you.

Lots of love,

Monthly update: blogging motivation

It has been a while and I didn’t intend for that to happen. I have traveled around New Zealand so much more and have wanted to post about it, but haven’t found the time or motivation. I am blogging for me first and foremost; I guess I needed time to breathe a bit and miss it.

Mid-semester break was not too long ago. Since then, school work has piled up & balancing that with travels has been hectic. I plan to make posts about some of the awesome places I’ve visited: Coromandel Peninsula, Tauranga, Auckland, New Plymouth, Taupo, Te Kuiti, etc. So they are coming don’t worry!!!!! ALSOOO simultaneously popping by new coffee shops in Dunedin and thinking of following up on this post.

Studying abroad comes with a lot of free time, a lot of time to let your mind wander or even get lost. It’s mini trips or walking around new places in town that grounds me. (like I am in New Zealand huh???)

I have to admit the one thing I have been keeping up with for the most part is my twitter (so check that out for more photos & updates).

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Sorry this has been more of a ramble, but the plan this week is to get back on the grind.

I am looking forward to documenting my journey. All of the support so far has been amazing, so thank you.

Lots of love,

67 hours in Rotorua, New Zealand

This past weekend was JAM packed 🙂

Rotorua is a popular tourist destination located around 2-3 hours from Auckland in the North Island of New Zealand. Rotorua is known not only for their famous geothermal pools, but also because of their close proximity to Hobbiton!!! (I did a whole post on Hobbiton here).

lets do this

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Kuirau Park

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Rotorua is famous for their geothermal pools. Whats convenient is you can visit some for free and they are just off the main street in town. There are some more elaborate ones and pools you can swim in; some are free and some cost a lot so keep your eye out.

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What I found funny, was how these hot spots will pop up occasionally at random spots (even peoples backyards!) I loved the eeriness of this walk. Its a pretty big park with a bunch of geothermal areas to explore.

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Skyline Rotorua

Next up was Skyline Rotorua. It is one of those super tourist attractions with a bunch of activities at one spot. BUT it is still worth the trip 100%!

The gondola ride to the top of the hill (maybe it was a small mountain??) was gorgeous. There was a mountain biking festival going on that weekend, so going up and down the hill you could see people doing fancy tricks.

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The luge had three tracks: a skyline beginner track and then an intermediate and advanced. The advanced was my personal favorite because there are little jumps that you don’t expect. There is padding and such at some of the sharp turns in case you spin out. The luge rides you can buy on its own in different quantities or in conjunction with other experiences. This picture above is the chair lift to take you back up to the top after going down the luge. At the top once you get off the gondola is a restaurant, gift shop and jelly belly store oddly enough.

Canopy Tours

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Canopy Tours is a zip lining experience through the canopies of a rain forest. Whats awesome is its not just a zip line adventure, the company are advocates for looking after the native bird populations. So not only do you get to admire the forest, but the cost of the trip gives money to their organization to protect New Zealand’s native birds.

Of the 6 zip lines, the longest was 220m and I even got to zip line upside down!!!!!

Te Puia

Te Puia is a geothermal park/kiwi bird house/ Maori culture experience extravaganza. It is a massive complex with all the tourist activities you could need. Although I did not get to see it go off, there are 3 geysers that go off a few times a day. The park is pretty to walk around and learn a lot about the area and its culture. I highly recommend doing a day tour; the woman who gave mine was SO knowledgeable.

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Along with the day tour, I did their evening culture experience. I think its so important to immerse yourself in different cultures and be open to the ways that other people live. The experience included a dinner as well.

Fancy Meow Cat Cafe

Now, if you know me. I can never pass up an opportunity to go to a cat cafe (check this out)! What was different about this one versus the others I’ve visited, is this one has some rescue cats but a majority are bred, fancy cats (ha! fancy meow cat cafe is fancy! who would’ve known)! Both kittens and older cats reside here and all are up for adoption. Did I mention that I love how cat cafes work??? It’s a meet and greet with loving creatures that just want a forever home.

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Admission to the cafe includes a hot drink which was awesome!!! As you can hopefully see above is that they have a cute menu with cat-like names and yeah, I love it. The cafe looks a lot smaller from the outside, but once you go in there is a massive room around the side. The 17 cats that were there had a lot of room to themselves and places to escape to be away from any visitors.

There were many rag doll cats & I was very excited about it because I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting one before. Yes, they were very soft. The cafe is in the center of town so it’s really convenient to get to.

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Lake Rotorua

Last stop was Lake Rotorua. Even though it was raining, it was a nice walk & I mean the ducks looked like they were having a great time so it’s a win-win.

I’m really thankful for all of the adventures I have been able to go on. There are so many more to come very very sooooon!!!!!!!!! While in Rotorua I visited Hobbiton but gave it it’s own post if you want to check that out.

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(peep some pictures flying over Christchurch)

I am looking forward to documenting my journey. All of the support so far has been amazing, so thank you.

Lots of love,