If Ahipara was in the UK it would surely be called Ahipara-by-the-Sea because the sea is its raison d’être. Stand inside the local shop and it’s not visible; stand anywhere else and you can’t miss it. In Ahipara all roads lead to the ocean. Bring your sunglasses because in the foreground or the distance, there’s always sunlight glinting on water.
The beach is everything. Name a water sport and you’ll probably find it in Ahipara; name a beach sport and you’ll probably find it in Ahipara. William Puckey, missionary, was land yachting here in the 1830s and people have been doing it ever since. Surfers come from all over the world to ride the famous left-hand break. There are often horse treks on the beach, as well as fishing, swimming, beachcombing, volleyball, cricket. It’s a playground.
Sitting at the southern end of Ninety Mile Beach, the little township of 1300 permanent residents is a magnet for holiday
