Waitomo Caves and Hobbiton™ Movie Set Tour
The Hobbiton Movie Set, where the trilogy of the Lord of the Rings and Hobbiton was filmed is without doubt one of the main attractions when you are at New Zealand’s North Island whether you are a fan of the lord of the Rings or not. Once more if you don’t have a car you are doomed to spend money on expensive tours but I have the most affordable solution for you; https://www.intercity.co.nz/tours/waitomo-and-hobbiton-tour. There are two options; either to return to Auckland the same day or stay at Rotorua. I chose the second option.
Our first stop was the impressive Waitomo Glowworm Caves. The boat trip in the cave under the magical blue light of the glowworms was breathtaking (Be quiet though, the worms are not into loud noises and taking photos unfortunately is not allowed).
The second stop is the amazing Hobbiton Movie Set. You feel like being in a fairytale. There is an organized tour in the set explaining how things worked during filming, reminding us of some important scenes and sharing interesting stories. You may also enter a hobbit’s house and have a refreshing free beverage at the Set’s legendary Green Dragon Inn.
Piha Beach
When I was planning my trip to Auckland, I saw this black sanded isolated beach (Piha Beach) and I got obsessed with it. I definitely wanted to visit it.Since as I mentioned earlier there is insufficient public transportation and I had no vehicle, I booked a Half Day trip to Piha Beach from Auckland, (https://bushandbeach.co.nz/tour/wilderness-experience-nature-tour/) which I totally recommend. Our first stop was Arataki Visitor Centre with a great view, then a walk through the Waitakere Ranges Regional Park where we came across unique bird species and black and silver ferns, the iconic New Zealand ‘s symbols. (It was impressive that at the entrance and exit of the park they were cleaning stops for your shoes. In New Zealand they have an excessive fear that you are going to bring a virus that will pollute their nature). Our last stop was of course the exquisite black sanded Piha Beach and the famous Lion Rock. Absolutely Amazing as you may see in the photos. No further description is needed.
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