Back in Te Kuiti, but this time better prepared with a pre booked Black Water Rafting tour into the Ruakuri cave. Good fun!

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The cave is also famous for the glowworms, like its neighbour Waitomo cave to where a guided tour was included in the package.

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From Waitomo starts a scenic road to the coast and down to Mokau where it connects with the highway again. Along the road are many great but often overlooked spots.

Mangapohue natural bridge:

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Marokopa Falls:

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Piripiri cave:

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And the Waikawau tunnel beach, a beach that is only accessible via a narrow tunnel through the sandstone cliffs, which was made in 1911 by three men armed only with picks and shovels.

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Finally in Mokau the beach is as black as it gets:

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