Sunrise and sunset

Sunrise

DOC South Marlborough ranger, Clare Moore’s favourite spot to watch the sun rise

“This is the perfect leg-stretching opportunity during a trip between Picton and Christchurch. Okiwi Bay is about 1.5 hours drive south of Blenheim and about 20 minutes north of Kaikoura.

There is a DOC campsite tucked between the road and the base of the spectacular Kaikoura Range. From the campground you can stroll up Okiwi Bay Half Moon Track, which climbs gently and will give you rewarding sea and coastal views after only ten minutes – perfect for catching the sun as it rises.

I recommend this as an easy way to access the Kaikoura ranges. Be warned though; leaping dolphins and playful seals could tip the whole sunrise experience into the sublime!”

Sunset

DOC Northland ranger Karen Joyce-Paki’s favourite spot to watch the sun set

“Hei konei ra e te puna i-te ao marama ka hoki nei ahau e kore ano e hoki anga-nui mai. Farewell, this is the spring of the world of light and I shall not turn this way again.” – Kupe.

“Arai-Te-Uru Heritage Walk is a path on the southern head of the Hokianga Harbour on Northland’s west coast. It’s the place where Aotearoa’s founding ancestor Kupe said farewell to the country.

The track follows the top of the cliffs, then enters tall manuka and suddenly opens on to the headland and grassed lookout, where a few remnants of an old signal station still stand.

In this beautiful and poignant place, I feel connected to the past and conscious of the days when sailing ships traded in and out of the harbour, negotiating its treacherous mouth.”