Raglan Overview

Bronzed skin, wraparound sunglasses, and hordes of surfers cutting through perfectly cresting waves characterize the beach town of Raglan (pop. 3500). In New Zealand’s premier surf haven, inhabitants take relaxation and a “no worries” lifestyle seriously. The left-handed break at Manu Bay is considered one of the world’s finest. Short of experiencing it first-hand—which is dangerous for all but expert surfers—it is best appreciated in its full splendor in the classic 1966 film The Endless Summer. Kick back with the locals or join the stampede of surfers from around the world that migrate here each summer.

Transportation. Buses head to Hamilton from a variety of Raglan stops (☎0800 4287 5463; 45min., 3 per day M-F, 2 per day Sa-Su; one-way $6). Although Let’s Go does not recommend it, hitchhiking is practiced regularly along SH23, at the edge of town before the traffic picks up to 100kph. The favorite spots are the top end of Bow St. by the water tower (look for the giant surfing mural) and at the Te Uku outpost dairy. Heading to the western beaches, many catch rides at the Stewart St. church.

Orientation And Practical Information. Forty-eight kilometers of mountain road (SH23) winding around extinct volcanoes separate Raglan from Hamilton. The town rests on the harbor, 6km from the coastline and the western surfing points. The Raglan i-Site, 4 Wallis St., lies near the intersection with Bow St. (☎825 0556; fax 825 0557. Open M-F 10am-5pm, Sa-Su 10am-4pm.) Exchange currency or use the ATM at Westpac Trust, at the top of Bow St. (☎825 8579. Open M-F 9:30am-4:30pm.) Volunteer opportunities can be found at the Whaingaroa Environment Centre (☎825 0480; open Tu-F 10am-4pm), in the Municipal Building on Bow St. Come here to plant trees with organizations like Friends of Wainui Reserve. Other services include: the police, 3 Nero St. (☎111 or 825 8200); West Coast Medical Centre, 12 Wallis St. (☎825 0114; open M-F 8am-5pm, Sa 9am-1pm); Raglan Pharmacy, 8 Bow St. (☎825 8164; open M-F 9am-5pm, Sa 9am-7pm); Internet access at Raglan Video, 9 Bow St. ($5 per hr.; open daily 10am-9pm), or at the library, across from the Raglan i-Site ($5 per 45min.; open M-F 9am-5pm, Sa 9am-12:30pm); the post office, 39 Bow St. (☎825 8007; open M-F 9am-5pm).

Accommodations And Food. Raglan’s wee population increases to nearly 15,000 during the summer. In the winter, expect to find a number of visitors who came for a weekend and stayed for the season, as the surf is good regardless of the weather.  Raglan Backpackers and Waterfront Lodge (BBH) , 6 Nero St. (☎825 0515; www.raglanbackpackers.co.nz). Posh rooms open onto an airy inner courtyard with a hammock, flowers, and surfers soaking up the sun. Free kayak and bike use. Surfboards $15 per day. Wetsuits $10 per day. Surf lessons $89. Free drop-off to beaches, walking tracks, and other surf destinations. Dorms $20; twins and doubles $42. $2 BBH discount. Cash only. Solscape (BBH) , 611 Wainui Rd. (☎825 8268; www.solscape.co.nz), 6km from the town center. With the raging waves of Manu Bay only 2km away, this is a favorite among surfers and those with their own transportation. The brightly painted retired railway cars offer great views. Free pickup in town. Linen $3. Dorms $20; singles $30; doubles $55; triples $66; self-contained cottages $120. Tent sites $12. BBH discount. MC/V. Sleeping Lady Accommodations (VIP) , 8km from the town center up Wainui Rd., just past the Whale Bay roundabout (☎825 7873; www.raglansurfingschool.co.nz). This converted youth camp run by Raglan Surfing School offers a range of accommodations. Free pickup in town. Linen $3. Towels $2. Laundry $3. Internet $1 per 10min. Dorms $22-24; doubles $60; private houses $120-210. $2-3 VIP discount. MC/V. The Raglan Kopua Holiday Park (☎825 8283; raglanholidaypark@xtra.co.nz), over the footbridge on Marine Pde., next to the airstrip. This vast area can accommodate 2000 travelers and fills up during the Christmas holidays. Tent and powered sites $10. Dorms $15-18; basic 2-person bunk chalets $65; doubles $50-80. MC/V.

Farmers and surfers chow down at the Tongue and Groove , at the corner of Bow St. and Wainui Rd. The veggie-friendly menu includes breakfasts until noon ($6-16) and dinner mains ($16-26) from 6pm. (☎825 0027. Open daily 9am-late.) In 1847, scores of pre-fabricated kauri wood cottages were deposited in Raglan in anticipation of a wave of immigrants. Though it’s hard to tell through the heavy vines and the landmark sailboat, one of the only units remaining is now Vinnie’s , 7 Wainui Rd., formerly a church, school, town hall, pizza joint, and smoothie bar. Now the menu covers all manner of tastes, including fruit smoothies ($3-6) and venison burgers ($7). (☎825 7273. Open Tu-F 10:30am-6:30pm, Sa-Su 9:30am-8:30pm. Cash only.) Raglan’s only bar, The Harbour View Hotel, adjacent to the eponymous hotel on Bow St., is a popular local hangout with gambling machines and a killer deck. (☎825 8010. Open daily 11am-1am. $10 cover for live performances. Closes earlier on slow nights.) 4 Square, 16-18 Bow St., is a market, auto supply, and sundry shop all in one. (☎825 8300. Open daily 6:45am-8pm. MC/V.)

Sights And Outdoor Activities. Raglan’s black sand beaches alone are worth the trip. If you have a car, make sure to lock it while at the beach; although security has been tightened, theft is still a problem. Of the many choices for beach fun near the town center, Te Kopua Beach is the most convenient, accessible via the footbridge at the base of Bow St. Accessibility has its price, though, as the beach is overrun with families and their screaming children in the summer. Te Kopua also occupies a perfect location for wind and kitesurfing. The less crowded Cox’s Bay and Puriri Park (Aro Aro Bay) are ideal for children and picnics; walk along Wallis St. away from the visitors center.

Beginning surfers should start at Ngaranui Beach (4km from town), where the surf is less challenging and the sandy bottom is much more forgiving. During the summer months, lifeguards place flags to show where it’s safe for swimmers. To access the beach, turn right off of Wainui Rd. onto either Riria Kereopa Memorial Dr. or Wainui Reserve Rd. Only experts head to rocky Manu Bay (Waikeri; 6km from town) for world-class breaks. Another 2km farther down the coast is Whale Bay (Whaanga; 8km from town), where green surf and a rocky shore are accessible by a walking path from the cul-de-sac at the end of Calvert Rd. The surf here really heats up in the autumn, when there are often professional surfing competitions. Farther down the coast, Ruapuke Beach (36km from town) offers a rugged coastline and the chance to beat the crowds, even in summer. Of course, your car will have to endure winding, unpaved roads to find solitude.

For first-time surfers, instruction on technique and water safety is extraordinarily important and helpful, unless you want to spend your first days of surfing buried by waves and gasping for breath.  Raglan Surfing School gives 3hr. lessons for $89. They also rent out surfboards, boogie boards, swim fins, and wetsuits by the hour. (☎825 7873. Lessons daily 10am, 3pm. Equipment provided. Kiosk at Ngaranui Beach open daily 10am-6pm.) The Raglan Surf Company, 3 Wainui Rd. (☎825 8988; www.raglansurf.co.nz) can set you up with a board and wetsuit. They also run a surf phone with daily beach updates; as does “The Rock” 93 FM. Call the Raglan Museum, on Wainui Rd. to see the photographic chronicle of the town’s surfing legacy. (☎825 8129. Open Sa-Su 1-3:30pm. Free.)

Although surfers might lead you to believe otherwise, Raglan has more to offer than the ocean. If you can’t catch a wave, take a hike to the inactive volcanoes of Mt. Karioi in Pirongia Forest Park. One glance at Mt. Karioi’s feminine silhouette explains why Maori legend refers to it as “the sleeping lady” (look southwest from town in order to see her). With curves in all of the right places, Whaanga Road wraps around the mountain’s coastal side, making for terrific mountain biking and entertaining driving. Whaanga Rd. begins where Wainui Rd. ends at the Whale Bay roundabout. Refrain from careening around curves—the one-lane gravel road carries a considerable amount of traffic, and vehicles come perilously close to the edge. To find the walk to the top of Mt. Karioi, follow Whaanga Rd. all the way to Te Toto Gorge. Park in the first available lot on the beach side, just across from the signs, and begin the walk from that side of the gorge. With some hairy spots of steep, muddy climbing and ladder stretches, the scenic climb to and from the peak (6hr. round-trip; 4hr. round-trip to the “lookout,” a false summit on the mountain) requires good footwear.

Freshwater wonders also await. The locals are proud of Bridal Veil Falls and the fact that they are higher than their Niagara counterpart. Thirteen kilometers off the main road between Hamilton and Raglan, their thin, delicate spray is best photographed from the lookout, a 10min. walk from the parking lot on Kawhia Rd. The hike to the base is a steep one, but the pool is swimmable. Soak out many of life’s aches and pains at the Waingaro Hot Springs, 32km north of Raglan on SH22. (☎825 4761. Open daily 9am-9:30pm. $8.) With the proper DOC permits, you can also hunt wild pigs or fly fish in the Kaniwhaniwha Stream.