Cape Reinga (Māori Te Reinga or Te Rerenga Wairua). It's the northwestern tip of the Opry Peninsula in the northwestern part of New Zealand's North Island.
Cape Reinga is located 100 km north of the nearest inhabited small city, Kaitaia, on the North Island of New Zealand. The word Reinga is derived from the Māori word meaning "underworld". In Māori belief, Reinga Point is the place where the soul enters the underworld after death. Stepping onto the northernmost land of New Zealand, where the iconic lighthouse of Cape Reinga is located, is a must-stop for many tour groups.
Although Cape Reinga is not the northernmost part of New Zealand (Cape Look North is the northernmost, but it is an exploration reserve and not open to the public), it is indeed the end of the road.
Here, the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean meet. Spectacular views of the ocean can be seen, with the Tasman Sea to the west appearing light green and the western Pacific Ocean to the east appearing blue. The crossroads in the middle make one feel the magic of nature's decor.
At the northernmost end of the cape is a sturdy big tree that's said to be over 800 times old. For the Maori, Reinga is a place of artistic and spiritual conviction. According to Maori legend.
The spirits of departed Maori would vault from the mountain headland to the roots of the tree to the ocean. Returning to their ancestral home, Hawaiki.
Access to Cape Reinga
It wasn't until 2010 that the last stretch of road to Cape Reinga began to have a tarred surface. Before that, the last 20 kilometers to the lighthouse was a clay road.
Cape Reinga is the northernmost point of State Highway 1, which runs through the entirety of New Zealand. It's also where State Highway 1 is marked as "0" (New Zealand State Highway 1 uses the number of kilometers from north to south to indicate the position of the exit, similar to Exit 415, Exit 437, etc.).
There are no people living around Cape Reinga. There are no municipalities or small cities. The nearest small city is 100 km away. There are some small municipalities that can be ignored.
So when travelling, make sure to check the performance of your vehicle and whether you have enough fuel. It can be very distressing if you are left behind by a car on the road, as there is no one to come to your rescue.
The lighthouse at Cape Reinga
The most famous structure in Raienga is the lighthouse. This lighthouse was erected in 1941. It was lit at that time to replace the lighthouse erected in 1879 near Motuopao Island. In 1987, the North Cape lighthouse was completely automated and the lighthouse was unmanned.
And then,000- the watt light used by the former lighthouse has been renewed with a 50-watt flashing lamp lighthouse.
Callers to Cape Reinga are not allowed to walk into the lighthouse and take photographs. Still, you can lean on the lighthouse, with the beautiful ocean in the background, and leave yourself a nice memento of the northernmost point of New Zealand.
There is signage beside the lighthouse which has the direction and distance from the lighthouse to numerous major cities in the world. This is also one of the must-see sights for tourists.
