Best Driving Roads in the North Island

[rowans17 19]

Hey Guys,

So a friend and I are going up to Auckland to pickup a car so he can get it back to Christchurch. I offered to help him out with the Auckland to Wellington part. Firstly, no its not a BMW.... its not even euro.... not even sure if i'm allowed to use the "H word" on this forum. Yes its an integra but a really tidy fresh import type R.

We will be leaving auk before 10am so have a whole day to get to Wgtn so thought keen to test out the Honda and put it through its paces and wondering if you Northern folk can recommend the most enjoyable way to cross the north island???

[michhod 26]

Travel down to New Plymouth, around the mountain down the coast thru to Wanganui, then onto Wellington ... not the quickest way but some of the best driving roads out there, not chocked up with traffic either..

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2132]

Travel down to New Plymouth, around the mountain down the coast thru to Wanganui, then onto Wellington ... not the quickest way but some of the best driving roads out there, not chocked up with traffic either..

yep down through national park etc is the way to go, not only quicker than SH1 but better. then through the Paraparas, which is a good road if you have at least 200hp under your foot (no idea what an integra type r has), less than that forget it.

Edited March 1, 2014 by _Ethrty-Andy_

[yng_750 247]

Fill the tank before the paras. Its along way if you run out

[westy 614]

yep down through national park etc is the way to go, not only quicker than SH1 but better. then through the Paraparas, which is a good road if you have at least 200hp under your foot (no idea what an integra type r has), less than that forget it.

Wires crossed? No Paras between NP and Wanga. Both roads are good fun though.

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2132]

Wires crossed? No Paras between NP and Wanga. Both roads are good fun though.

you are correct and i knew that, i dont know why i hit quote instead of reply, probably been on bimmerfest before i typed.

Havent been round cost road of mt egmount, in fact never really been that way at all except to go visit John (Bellicose)

Edited March 1, 2014 by _Ethrty-Andy_

[rowans17 19]

yep down through national park etc is the way to go, not only quicker than SH1 but better. then through the Paraparas, which is a good road if you have at least 200hp under your foot (no idea what an integra type r has), less than that forget it.

Travel down to New Plymouth, around the mountain down the coast thru to Wanganui, then onto Wellington ... not the quickest way but some of the best driving roads out there, not chocked up with traffic either..

Sweet as!!! thanks for the replies! Yeah this sounds like the way to go. Should be a bit of fun......

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2132]

Sweet as!!! thanks for the replies! Yeah this sounds like the way to go. Should be a bit of fun......

its one or the other of those options, paraparas to the south east of mount egmont, coast road to the west.

im sure coast road is nice, but it will take you about 9 hours to get to wellington...

Edited March 1, 2014 by _Ethrty-Andy_

[kiwi535 538]

national park then paraparas,twistier than coast,west side lake taupo,ok,i kike the desert road if there isnt too much traffic,east coast is good if you have the time,vinegatr hill is windy,through the wairarapa is good ,.anything of sh1 is better than sh1.

it also depends on how much you like(or dislike gravel.Do i need to go on?

[kiwipetrolhead 1]

We usually go from Palmerston North to Auck partly on SH1 - Desert Road and through the new by-pass at Taupo (or not, if we want a stop there for lunch and/or a walk by the lake) and turn off SH1 (turn right, when driving north) at Tirau (go through Matamata) - SH27. If you stick to the speed limit and have no stops, that is about 6 hours driving (P.Nth-Auck that is; Auck-Wgtn is more like 8 hours without stops). Some of the sections of road on this route are quite good really.

But yep, when heading south, if you go via National Park, and then the Paraparas to Wanganui (all SH4), that is an okay route, with plenty of bendy bits. It'll slow your trip a lot though (despite the lighter traffic). Another option is National Partk (SH4) then turn left into SH49 (go through Ohakune and on to Waiouru - back to SH1). Or go further out on the Forgotten Highway (SH3 I think) and via New Plymouth. Or another route is SH43 to Stratford (supposed to be good but I have never done it). If you want to go way out of the way, try the trip via SH2 - south Coromandel and around the east coast (Tauranga - Gisbourne - Napier). But really, to make the most of that you'd want to do it over 2 days.

Sure, traffic can be a bit of a pain sometimes if you take one of the main routes, but I've never had any issues using the route I most often take (via Matamata, then on to SH1 at Tirau) - I just pass the slow dweebs - but take note, I don't mess about, I pass plenty of boy racer Jappo cars too, not just the Nanas, and you will need a break and Taupo is a really good half way place between Auck and Wgtn for that - in fact, Taupo is the best place for a half-way stop in my opinion.

[rowans17 19]

We usually go from Palmerston North to Auck partly on SH1 - Desert Road and through the new by-pass at Taupo (or not, if we want a stop there for lunch and/or a walk by the lake) and turn off SH1 (turn right, when driving north) at Tirau (go through Matamata) - SH27. If you stick to the speed limit and have no stops, that is about 6 hours driving (P.Nth-Auck that is; Auck-Wgtn is more like 8 hours without stops). Some of the sections of road on this route are quite good really.

But yep, when heading south, if you go via National Park, and then the Paraparas to Wanganui (all SH4), that is an okay route, with plenty of bendy bits. It'll slow your trip a lot though (despite the lighter traffic). Another option is National Partk (SH4) then turn left into SH49 (go through Ohakune and on to Waiouru - back to SH1). Or go further out on the Forgotten Highway (SH3 I think) and via New Plymouth. Or another route is SH43 to Stratford (supposed to be good but I have never done it). If you want to go way out of the way, try the trip via SH2 - south Coromandel and around the east coast (Tauranga - Gisbourne - Napier). But really, to make the most of that you'd want to do it over 2 days.

Sure, traffic can be a bit of a pain sometimes if you take one of the main routes, but I've never had any issues using the route I most often take (via Matamata, then on to SH1 at Tirau) - I just pass the slow dweebs - but take note, I don't mess about, I pass plenty of boy racer Jappo cars too, not just the Nanas, and you will need a break and Taupo is a really good half way place between Auck and Wgtn for that - in fact, Taupo is the best place for a half-way stop in my opinion.

Wow thanks so much for all the info guys! Now just to see what parts we have time for.....

[kwhelan 241]

theres a short 40ks between rotovegas and tirau which is quite a nice open sweeping road,not a twisty point and shoot like the rimatukas but still one of the nicer runs around and in good nick so not bottoming out in a lowered car at speed ,passing is easy and maybe from rotor thru to tauranga from that same side of the lake not the tepuke way few one way bridges,

and if your from out of the area the napier/ taupo can be fun especially after 5pm when the cops and speed cams go home,

[rowans17 19]

theres a short 40ks between rotovegas and tirau which is quite a nice open sweeping road,not a twisty point and shoot like the rimatukas but still one of the nicer runs around and in good nick so not bottoming out in a lowered car at speed ,passing is easy and maybe from rotor thru to tauranga from that same side of the lake not the tepuke way few one way bridges,

and if your from out of the area the napier/ taupo can be fun especially after 5pm when the cops and speed cams go home,

Ah sweet is this SH5?? Thinking of going via Rotaz so this sounds great.

[lidistick 70]

From Auckland I'd go via sh27 then cut onto sh29 towards Sh1. On Sh1 there is this amazing little gem of a road that is right by the Waikato river called Horahora road. Bugger all traffic with long straights and some chicanes to slow you down. I usually take this road to get to Taupo or if I have to do a clinic at Tokoroa. IveIf you were after some awesome roads, you could cut across Arapuni dam and take Waipapa Road and head towards Taupo OR continue on Old Taupo Rd.

From Taupo, I'd cut across to National Park and drive SH4 and the paraparas. Then it's the horrible drive to Wellington.

Look up the roads on Google maps. Wicked fun.

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[skidz 197]

So many options! I am +1 for turn off at Ngarawhahia, and stay on that road south through Te Kuiti, Te Awamutu, then south through National Park, Papaparas, Wanganui, down to Welly. Google it. Seven hours but less if you are "testing the performance". You can go through New Plymouth, fantastic roads (and all sealed) from Te Awamutu to NP, but this will take much longer. (Especially if you break your throttle cable like I did).

[kiwi535 538]

So many options!  I am +1 for turn off at Ngarawhahia, and stay on that road south through Te Kuiti, Te Awamutu, then south through National Park, Papaparas, Wanganui, down to Welly. Google it. Seven hours but less if you are "testing the performance".  You can go through New Plymouth, fantastic roads (and all sealed) from Te Awamutu to NP, but this will take much longer. (Especially if you break your throttle cable like I did). 

Slight detour from sh1 will bypass bulls etc,zip across to bunnythorpe and ashhurst,then either go down to welly via shannon,or via the saddle,the gorge,or the track,go down via the wairarapa

[rowans17 19]

Cheers for all the advice guys. Ended up taking some awesome backroads though to Rotarua and the cut right across and down through the National Park. Long day of driving. But the Honda performed well. Plenty of power, good economy fun to drive though the corners. But still not an m3.

Edited March 12, 2014 by SN1TZR

[kiwipetrolhead 1]

Yeah, that is a very good route. I turn off SH1 (turn left before Hunterville) and go over Vinegar Hill, miss Feilding and take the back road through to Ashhurst, turn right just after the bridge over Manawatu river (just after Ashhurst and just before the Manawatu Gorge), but then I stop as you hit Palmerston North because I live off that road (near Aokautere), but you carry on, the turn left into Old West Road (miss Palmerston North) and carry on to Tokomaru-Shannon, and join back on to SH1 just past Levin (you miss going through Levin too). I know a few other good options (great back roads with no traffic or cops) around this area, but how many do you need aye!

[kiwipetrolhead 1]

Did you stop at Rotorua for a Zorbe ride?