ニュージーランド北島10日間の旅 – 穴場スポットと旅行術
Welcome to the North Island of New Zealand!
I’m here for two weeks with one simple mission: we will explore some beautiful underrated places
that are without the tourists. Say hello to BB, my first electric car, and I’ll be
telling you in this video how easy it is to go around on electric on the North
Island. We will do a lot of adventure hiking, chasing beautiful animals, birds,
and skip cities. Let’s get started. [Music] Good morning from the Coromandel Peninsula. It’s
my second day in the North Island. I arrived yesterday in Auckland and I picked up my car. Now
I was really anxious, truth be told, because this happened to me just three days ago and I’m still
really anxious. Like, I was meditating, breathing just to, you know, get it out of my system, and
they also gave me a free upgrade. But the drive from Auckland all the way to Coromandel Peninsula
was really easy – motorway and then a highway, but as soon as I turned into Coromandel Peninsula, it
became a lot more beautiful and the drive became a little bit more tricky with narrow roads, lots
of twists and turns. But when I got here it was incredible. The rest of the day I have been just
relaxing, chilling, settling. Went to the town – I am in Whangata, and I’m staying in this really
beautiful place with like birds around, bunnies running around this beautiful place and this
gorgeous valley with a beautiful river nearby. So I absolutely loved being here in the rain.
I also went into the town to figure out how the charging works, and yeah, we have a lot to explore
in the next two days in the Coromandel Peninsula from waterfalls to gorgeous beaches, lookout
points, hiking and a lot more. Let’s get started. [Music] My day started with the drive to Pokohino Beach.
It is quite a stressful drive. I mean, generally in Coromandel, the roads are quite twisty, tiny
and narrow, so you have to stop a lot and you have to be careful. It is quite stressful driving
here, but the road to Pokohino Beach is especially bad because it is gravel and it is quite
tight. Like at certain points, I was like, I hope no one’s coming from the other side because
I’m in a big car. But once I got to the car park, I went down through this hike, took about 15
minutes. There were a couple of fallen trees but overall it’s doable in flip-flops. Once I got
to the beach, it was incredible, like insanely beautiful. I think I’ve seen the most beautiful
beach in New Zealand today. I just spent about two and a half, three hours there. I loved it so
much, the water was really nice and refreshing. From there, my second stop for today was Paku
Peak, which was quite a normal Coromandel drive, and then it was about 15 minutes uphill
which was incredible because once I got to the top you get like 270° views. It
was incredible – my favourite part was basically when you can see all the way into
the Pacific Ocean and these beautiful islands. I planned the whole of today meticulously
around the Hot Water Beach. So you need to be here when it’s low tide plus
minus 2 hours for you to dig a pool, sit in it with the hot water,
and that’s what I expected. Well, until I got here and then basically it’s this
– everyone’s a digger, everyone’s got a shovel, and basically it’s too many people. I mean,
there’s barely enough room for you to stand, let alone sit in a pool. The beach is really
beautiful, it’s amazing. I’ll show you a bit of this and then we are heading to Cathedral Cove.
I’ll show you a better alternative to this place. I really like Ha Hei Beach. I think with all
these beautiful views of endless islands in front, it is a really beautiful beach, really
underrated mainly because Cathedral Cove takes all the limelight. Well, it turns out
you don’t need to go all the way – I went up to the viewing station and then droned
the rest and I got to see Cathedral Cove. It was a really nice ride back home
with a beautiful sunset in Whangata, and today it’s another beautiful day
and the weather is really helping. The plan for today is to do a big loop
around Coromandel Peninsula. By the way, I was telling you about an alternative to
Hot Water Beach – the place is called The Lost Springs. Sadly, it’s closed today
because it’s closed Monday to Wednesday, so I won’t be able to take you
there, but there’s quite a lot today. So I left in the morning, drove all the
way to Rapaura Water Gardens. Now the road is quite tricky there and also it’s
a little bit of gravel trail after that, but it was a really beautiful place and I think
one of the most underrated places I’ve seen so far. They have a few different lily ponds
which are really serene. I mean, the walk was really beautiful, I had a great time. They
have ducks quacking – you can feed them as well, just need to buy the food. It was a really
special place and my favorite part was the waterfall. It’s actually on seven or eight
different levels and it’s such a beautiful place. I absolutely fell in love with it. I
really think it’s a really underrated place. I went to see a Square Kauri. Kauri
trees are native to New Zealand, and there’s one that’s square, and I went
to see it. The road was again quite tight, all gravel, like really tight one-way roads,
but it was really beautiful and definitely worth the little wind into the little jungle.
Again, really recommended because I think most people miss it. I headed to Otama Beach
after this and got these incredible views. [Music] Good morning, all you beautiful people! It’s
a gorgeous day and the plan for today is to go to Rotorua, but with a few stops along the
way. So I was thinking to myself last night, I’ve shown you everywhere else
in Coromandel but not the town I’m staying in. So this is the beach of
Whangamata – that’s W-H by the way – and it’s absolutely gorgeous. There are very
few people here, it’s great for surfing, and there’s a special surprise if I can get it on
camera, and that is sharks. Let’s give it a try! No sharks sadly, but who says no to a gorgeous
morning on the beach? So I have left the crazy driving of Coromandel. Halfway through
here, the road was crazy again, you know, up and down, and then I got to Karangahake
Gorge, and my God, the road is twisty but it is stunning at the same time with this
water flowing right by. It was beautiful, and I am finally here at the first stop.
This is Wairere Falls. It’s a little bit of a hike to go there. I’ve had my lunch and it’s
time to go check out the waterfall. Let’s go! [Music] Woohoo! 30 minutes later I am at the waterfall.
You want to make it harder, you can go all the way up to the summit – it’s another 45 minutes, but
it’s easy enough that I did it in my flip-flops and it’s beautiful all the way here. You can
see the water running right next to you. Oh, this is so beautiful! I’m going to enjoy
this and then we head to our next spot. Hello Lord of the Rings fans! I am in The Shire
right next to Hobbiton, but I’m not going in for two reasons: one, you need to book a tour in
advance, it takes time, blah blah blah; secondly, it is bloody expensive. Don’t get me wrong, I like
the movies but just not enough to spend money to see a movie set. So I brought you here to see the
rolling hills of The Shire. You enjoy that while I head to Rotorua – we have a lot of culture
to explore there. I will meet you tomorrow. I am in Rotorua and the next two days will be
about Māori culture and geothermal activity because that’s what this area is famous for. So
after running around for so many days, I needed like a little bit of a slow day, so I woke up nice
and slow, easy, and then I went to Whakarewarewa, which is a living Māori village where Māori people
still live. I did the tour which was really cool because I got to learn so many things. It was
quite an interesting insight into how they live communally even up until now and everyone sort
of takes care of each other. It’s really nice. I really enjoyed the whole geothermal
experience as well. The geyser didn’t explode but that’s up to your luck. So after
that, we had the cultural show – that’s where I got to see my first Haka and my God, it
sends chills down your spine. It’s such an incredible experience – you can only feel it when
you’re there. No matter how many videos you see, it’s not the same when you see it live. So
I will let you enjoy a little bit of the Haka and some other dance and then
I will bring you back where I am. [Music] [Applause] Crazy isn’t it? Like I said, you have to be there
to experience the full force. Now like I said, I wanted a slow day so I booked
myself some hot geothermal pools, a little bit in style just like I wanted
it to be. Let’s go different – let me show you this beautiful place and
then I will meet you tomorrow. [Music] I’m sure you’ll find all of this information
really useful and now it’s time for you to help me – do click on subscribe, like,
comment, and share ‘cause this is how YouTube promotes my videos.
So what are you waiting for? Good morning from Rotorua! It is a cloudy day
and I have an extensive tour planned for later, so I thought, what can I do that doesn’t cost any
money? And I came to the Kerosene Creek. It’s 8:00 a.m. and I came in early to avoid the tourists.
Here, look, there’s literally no one – these are my private pools! By the way, this is a
geothermal river. I’m going to go enjoy my swim, you enjoy the views of this place and I
will meet you for a beautiful walk later. Welcome to Hamurana Springs! Before coming here,
I went to Kuirau Park, which is the city center park for Rotorua, and even that has a geothermal
element. I mean, at first look it’s like a normal park – some swings for kids etc., a beautiful
bridge, some ponds – but they have a geothermal element to that as well because they have these
pools you can dip your feet in, sit and chill, and that’s quite cool. But I came here because
this is a Māori reserve area with a beautiful spring and this is the Redwood Grove, and this
is a beautiful walk you don’t want to miss. Let me show you what this beautiful place has to
offer and then we go for a bit more exciting stuff for today – that is a big dose of Māori
culture. Enjoy the views, I will see you there. What an incredible evening I had at Mitai
Māori Village! So I chose them because apart from everything else, you also get
to see some glowworms, which I was dying to see after ignoring them at so many places.
So when I arrived, there was a welcome session, they showed us a lot of stuff, there was a lot
of amazing information about traditions, culture, weapons. We went to their sacred spring, they
showed us the warriors coming down on the canoe, there was a cultural performance, there
was hangi which was a lot of food and really delicious – it’s a traditional way of
cooking in the earth – and then they did the show. It was amazing! There’s a lot of
food. I will let you enjoy all of this, especially the haka which was incredible again,
and I will see you in Taupo where I am going. [Applause] Isn’t haka incredible? I mean
every single time you see it, it just has this incredible feeling. By the way,
if you want to know where the Māoris come from, I’ve been to that place – it’s called Ra’iatea
and it’s in French Polynesia. Click on the link above and check out the video, it is
a really beautiful, incredible island. So today my goal is to get to
National Park Village and before that, we’re going to make a couple of stops as
usual. Let’s get going – it’s a beautiful, pretty straight road and we are on Geothermal
Explorer Highway today. Let’s see what it brings. [Music] The road between Taupo and Rotorua is quite
simple, flat, beautiful gorgeous valleys, not a lot of turns, but there was this prick
who literally dragged us on for 30 km ‘cause he was dragging a big camper van behind him
and it was such an annoying thing because I got late for Aratiatia Rapids. So at 2:00
they open the gates to the dam and you can see the water gushing and I missed it. I
mean even if I hadn’t, you can see it’s raining cats and dogs outside. Let me show
you this and we are going to a waterfall. Do you want to go through this trip
without all the hustle? Don’t forget to check out my website because I
can make it hustle-free for you! Oh, forgot to give you an update on the charging
situation – so the smaller city chargers had much less capacity, but in Rotorua had these
big chargers that were much much faster, which was great. But the annoying thing
here is that they charge – they slow the charging down a lot once you cross the 80%
mark, even if there’s no queue, no one’s looking to charge. I don’t really understand
the logic behind it but it is what it is. Looks like it’s going to be a little
bit sunny now. Let’s go check out the rapids. Something’s gone wrong with
the weather today in New Zealand – so it’s crazy beautifully sunny one minute and
then it’s crazy wind and bad rain the next, and it’s changing very quickly today, which
is like the first time I’m seeing this. So I am very close to the National Park Village
where I’ll be staying tonight. We have a big day planned for tomorrow. Enjoy the views of the drive
as well as around and I will see you tomorrow. I have a big hike planned for tomorrow but
it’s not the one that you’re thinking. [Music] Good morning! It’s a beautiful day without
any clouds in the National Park. I had a really easy day yesterday in prep for
today and tomorrow which are going to be really strenuous and busy because I’m
doing two hard hikes back to back. And I started my day by coming to the Golem’s
Pool which is really beautiful, nestled in the middle of this gorgeous bush. I mean,
you don’t expect water to be there but it is. So I’m going to Whakapapa Village where
we start a hike and I’m not taking you for the Tongariro Alpine Crossing because it’s
become too Insta-famous and there’s a lot of people there. I have organized another
hike – don’t worry, we’ll get a waterfall, we’ll get lakes, we’ll have beautiful hikes
and don’t think it’s going to be any easier. Let’s get going! If you’re wondering
what this big surprise hike is, I’m actually taking you to Taranaki Falls and
then we’re going to continue over to Tama Lakes, and it is a hard hike as well. Look at
my sunscreen – it’s already pretty much gone. Pack a lot of it and let me show
you the views that I get on the way. The first part of the trail all the way to
Taranaki Falls is quite easy actually and it’s really beautiful because you get views
of this gorgeous mountain, and then you get to the falls which are really majestic. And
then you turn towards Tama Lakes – again the path is not very difficult, it’s mostly flat
with a little bit of ups and downs but nothing difficult all the way to Lower Tama Lake, which is
beautiful. But I like this part because it keeps switching between views of two different
mountains so it keeps things interesting. I got to Lower Tama Lake which was really
beautiful – this beautiful blue alpine lake with the view of the mountain. It was
incredible but please do not stop here. The bit to Upper Tama Lake is the most
annoying, dangerous one as well because there’s no clear marked path and this scree
which is like loose rubble which is a bit slippery and I was really struggling to get
up. Almost there, just one more mountain! Incredible, isn’t it? Made it! Wow, look out! But my God, when I finally got up the view was
mind-blowing! The Upper Tama Lake comes with the view of Mount Ngauruhoe. Now you might
think of it as Mount Doom from Lord of the Rings but it’s actually a sacred mountain for
the Māori and they call it Ngauruhoe. On the other side we have Mount Ruapehu with the view
of the Lower Tama Lake and both are stunning. I stayed up for a bit but there was a long way
down again and then finally when we got to Mount Ruapehu again, then it’s like looping around
but it was a really tiring like 18 kilometer long hike. I was really dead but I had no choice.
I had to drive all the way to Stratford which took about 3 hours. The first part, like going all the
way down, was quite hilly, up and down, but with the sun at that time, the views of the mountains
– I was just so mesmerized. And then once you get out up towards Stratford, it was really easy,
not difficult at all, and then something appeared magically – it’s called Mount Taranaki, and
that’s where actually we’re heading today. My second hike is to see Mount Taranaki in this
beautiful reflection that I fell in love with the moment I saw that photo. It’s being a little bit
shy right now with the clouds. Let’s hope we get to see a beautiful view ‘cause there’s no wind
today, so hopefully there’s a good reflection. Let’s get started. Apparently this one is
a moderate hike – let’s see if that’s true! Oh, it’s brutal! Almost there!
I’m really glad there’s cover because it’s quite hot outside,
but we need that for the view. [Music] I made it! Oh my God, this was a grueling hike
and much more difficult than yesterday. Well, one, I’m a little bit tired from yesterday, but two, because this is endless stairs and
I hate stairs – seriously hate stairs and they’re just nonstop. No views on the way but
luckily 80% of it is covered so that is great. It is time to start heading back down. It took
me about 2 hours to come all the way up. Sadly there’s no reflection, but I’m just happy with
the view. The terms and my God, it’s a beautiful, beautiful day. I have another problem now – my
car’s battery is almost empty, like last 40 km left, and there’s no chargers on this entire road
and there’s literally one in New Plymouth which is like 24 km away. So I really hope I’m not going
door-to-door begging for electricity. Let’s see. [Music] On the way back down I literally just ran, you
know – I was super hungry, didn’t pack any lunch and also booked a massage because I was tired.
Also makes me a little bit worried because I’m going to Nepal and I booked like two big hikes
there, so yeah, let’s see what happens there. But as I was basically turning away, I looked
at Mount Taranaki to say goodbye and it was just covered in clouds and I was a little bit
sad, but I started my drive towards Egmont, that’s where I was staying at a farm in
the night. The drive was pretty nice, easy, and they had a few mountains,
like a bit of up and down, a few roads, but nothing too complicated. But my favorite part
was when I stopped for sunset at this random stop. So the first thing I really enjoyed is I
flew my drone and I got this little arch and it wasn’t mentioned anywhere so it was a
really nice surprise. But the best of all was seeing the beautiful Taranaki mountain
right at the sunset from a distance. I honestly just cried a little bit because it
was such a magical moment, was beautiful, and to make it even better, when I finally got
to the farm stay, I saw the entire Milky Way right above me. It was such an incredible day
I didn’t want to sleep – it was so magical. [Music] It’s my last day and I’ve saved it for
some incredible experiences. First one is Otorohanga Kiwi House – let’s
go meet kiwi and a lot of birds, and then we see some waterfalls and some other
special, really special residents of this area. Otorohanga Kiwi House is an incredible effort
into conservation of the national bird of New Zealand. Now it’s not very easy to see them
in their nocturnal enclosures but be patient, let your eyes get used to it and then you will
see them with their cute little beaks poking out. It’s an amazing sight and you instantly
fall in love with these unbirdlike birds. But there are a lot of other birds that you
definitely need to see – they even have eels there. Spent about an hour there and
absolutely loved it, especially the kea. I met them in the South Island on the way
to Milford Sound but it’s always good to see them. I highly recommend visiting this place
because you’ll be saving two birds with one stone, one ticket – you not only get to see the
birds, you also help at their conservation. My next two places are some of the least visited
in the North Island and I think some of the most incredible that I absolutely loved. And the first
one is through this narrow winding road that takes you to Marokopa Falls. A really small 5 minutes
walk and I got to Marokopa Falls and my God, it is majestic – like it’s one of the heaviest
flow waterfalls that I’ve seen in New Zealand and it is incredible. And the best part – I
was the only one there, there was literally no one else there which was incredible. I mean the
entire area surrounding is absolutely stunning. But I was even more stunned when I went to the
Marokopa Beach. It is a black sand beach and it had this little mist that covered
the entire area – I almost felt like I was back in Iceland. If you haven’t
checked the video, the link is above. I certainly kept the best for the
last and that is the glowworm caves, and I’m talking about the Spellbound one.
And I specifically loved it because the area around is really beautiful – it
is a gorgeous landscape. Number two, they love photography – they even took some
photos of us. Obviously you need to dim your screen to the very minimum and also absolutely
no flash to disturb them. And I also loved that they actually took us through the cave once so we
can take photos and videos, and then once that we have like no cameras out so we can just enjoy it
purely. It is a mindblowing experience, honestly. Well, that’s the end of this incredible
beautiful 10-day road trip around the North Island of New Zealand. I’m
sure there’s a lot more places that I need to see when I come back
next time, so stay tuned for that. On the charging front, I almost ran out of battery
and the guys at Spellbound were generous enough to let me charge my car so I could get to the next
charging point. Unfortunately, the infrastructure is just not there, so New Zealand needs to
talk less and do more work when it comes to supporting this because it is really essential
because there’s going to be a huge surge. If you’re planning for this trip, I’m really
happy there’s a huge burden lifted off my shoulder now that I’ve returned the car
without an accident. So I’m going to go pack my bags – I’m heading to Iran next.
Click on the link above and meet me there!
New Zealand North Island Road Trip – 10 Days of Glowworm Caves, Māori Haka & EV Battery Drama!
Discover New Zealand’s BEST kept secrets! Join me on an epic 10-day solo road trip across the North Island in my first-ever ELECTRIC CAR (BB) 🚗⚡ This isn’t your typical tourist route — I’m taking you to hidden beaches, secret waterfalls, authentic Māori cultural experiences, and breathtaking hikes that most travelers miss!
If you’re tired of crowded tourist spots and want to experience the REAL New Zealand, this complete North Island travel guide is for you. Plus, I’ll share everything about driving an EV in New Zealand — the good, the bad, and the “I almost ran out of battery” moments!
🎬 TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Welcome to North Island Adventure
0:35 DAY 1: Auckland to Coromandel Peninsula (Whangamata)
1:43 DAY 2: Pokohino Beach – Most Beautiful in NZ!
2:33 Paku Peak 270° Ocean Views 3:01 Hot Water Beach Reality Check 3:38 Cathedral Cove Drone Views & Hahei Beach
4:08 DAY 3: Coromandel Loop (Rapaura Gardens, Square Kauri, Otama Beach) 5:37 Whangamata Beach & Leaving Coromandel
5:59 Karangahake Gorge & Wairere Falls Hike
6:56 Hobbiton Shire Views (Free!)
7:56 DAY 4-5: Rotorua – Whakarewarewa Māori Village
8:00 LIVE HAKA Performance (Spine-Tingling!)
9:02 Geothermal Hot Pools & Relaxation
9:44 DAY 6: Kerosene Creek FREE Hot Springs
10:31 Kuirau Park & Hamurana Springs Walk
11:06 Mitai Māori Village – Full Cultural Experience
12:13 Māori Origins – Ra’iatea Connection
12:40 DAY 7: Drive to National Park Village
13:02 Aratiatia Rapids & Weather Chaos
13:57 EV Charging Update & Tips
14:25 National Park Arrival
14:54 DAY 8: Golem’s Pool & Epic Tama Lakes Hike
15:30 Taranaki Falls
15:50 Lower & Upper Tama Lakes Trail
16:17 The Brutal Scree Climb
16:47 Upper Tama Lake – MOUNT DOOM VIEWS!
17:02 Epic Mountain Scenery
18:14 Drive to Stratford & Mount Taranaki Appears
18:18 DAY 9: Pouakai Tarns Hike (Brutal Stairs!)
19:02 Mount Taranaki Reflection Viewpoint
19:26 EV Battery Crisis!
19:58 Sunset Magic & Milky Way at Farm Stay
21:17 DAY 10: Otorohanga Kiwi House
21:56 Marokopa Falls – Majestic & Empty!
22:28 Marokopa Black Sand Beach
23:01 Spellbound Glowworm Caves – BEST Experience
23:31 Trip Recap & EV Infrastructure Reality
24:26 Final Thoughts & Next Destination
🎥 WHY THIS GUIDE IS DIFFERENT
❌ NO overcrowded tourist traps – I show you alternatives ✅ Hidden gems locals love – Places most tourists miss 🔋 Real EV road trip experience – Honest charging reality 🎭 Authentic Māori culture – Not staged tourist shows 🏔️ Epic hikes with REAL views – Not just Instagram spots 💡 Practical tips & mistakes to avoid – Learn from my experiences
This is the COMPLETE North Island guide you’ve been searching for!
ABOUT ME: Hey everyone, I’m Usman! 🌍 I’m a London-based travel vlogger and organizer who’s explored 104 countries across 6 continents. As a former refugee, I bring a unique perspective to travel — without white privilege — and I’m passionate about supporting local communities and sharing authentic cultural experiences beyond typical tourist spots.
If you found this guide helpful, SMASH that LIKE button, DROP a comment with your favorite part, and SUBSCRIBE for more hidden gem travel adventures! 🔔
🔥 FOLLOW MY JOURNEY: 📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brownboytravels/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brownboytravels ♪ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brownboytravels 💰 Patreon: https://Patreon.com/brownboytravels
SEARCH KEYWORDS: #NewZealandTravel #NorthIsland #NewZealandRoadTrip #HiddenGems #ElectricCarRoadTrip #MāoriCulture #Rotorua #Coromandel #MountTaranaki #TongariroNationalPark #GlowwormCaves #KiwiBird #TravelGuide #SoloTravel #NewZealandItinerary #NZTravel #AdventureTravel
6 Comments
Beautiful. New Zealand isn't bad either!
Amazing and incredible video specially waterfall lakes beaches and Ducks ❤❤❤❤
Great video!
People always say go to the South Island because it is more breath taking than the North island . It is still pretty and it reminds me of some places in NSW such as Wollongong . Thank you for your lovely video !
But you cant off the grid with an ev, in NZ. or else 🤔
Enjoyed your video greatly- question, which Glow worm cave tour did you go to since you are able to take videos?