The Abbey Caves in Whangarei

The Abbey Caves in Whangerei (pronounced "Fun-gah-ray") are ridiculous. There are no guides, no paths, we had the world's worst flashlight, and we had no clue what we were doing. It was “Kiwi Can-Do” at its finest.

Underground rivers and ponds with eels and crayfish cover the “path” – often reaching up to your hips with no way to see the murky bottom. Stalactites and stalagmites litter the path threatening your face and knees with scrapes and whacks, but we pressed on because when you turn off/drop your flashlight in the water, hundreds of sparkling blue glowworms shine overhead like beautiful alien constellations. Car thieves are the only downside, with break-ins reported every day. Signs at the parking lot warn you about it, but what are you gonna do? Miss the caves? Like I said, the Abbey Caves are ridiculous. Throw a club on the steering wheel, grab a glow stick or whatever you have handy, and head on down. It's awesome.

Destination Guide: Whangarei by Shawn Forno Travelers headed up the Twin Discovery Motorway to the northernmost tip of the Northland region of New Zealand will want to pass through Whangarei, the last largish city on the east coast before reaching Cape Reinga in the Far North Region. It’s a great place to stock up...read more How to Theft-Proof Your Car in New Zealand by Shawn Forno New Zealand is best seen from the open road. The spread out nature of the country, limited public transit options, and affordability of self contained camping make exploring from a personal vehicle the best choice for any tourist regardless of length of stay...read more

"Kill the Light" - a comic by Shawn Forno