There is nothing like a cycle ride through the countryside to get in touch with the environment, as experiencing the smells, sights and sounds of an area creates a lasting impression. The Twin Coast Cycle Trail Pou Herenga Tai in Northland offers this experience as it weaves from the Māngungu Mission House perched on a hill above the Hokianga Harbour in the west, across rolling farmland, bush-covered valleys, through several Northland country towns to Ōpua in the Bay of Islands in the east. The trail completed in January 2017 is the northernmost of the 22 Great Rides that make up the New Zealand Cycle Trail.
The ambitious project to create a cycleway across a narrow stretch of Northland has generated business for Kaikohe in the centre of the ride, and other towns such as Ōkaihau and Kawakawa. Two companies run cycle transfers and bike rentals from Kaikohe for people to access the 87km, two-day ride. Their recommendation is
