While visiting the North Island of New Zealand and hiking appeals to you, head to the town of Paihia where you can follow a trail leading to Haruru Falls. The trail runs alongside a river through three different types of forest and then opens up to the beautiful sight of theses falls.
Haruru Falls near Paihia, New Zealand is a miniature version of Niagara Falls in appearance but not in size. They are in the shape of a horseshoe such as Niagara Falls and the noise level of Haruru Falls is extremely loud. The word "Haruru" means "big noise" and that is exactly what you will hear when standing near this waterfall.
Many Maori legends revolve around the Haruru Falls due to the fact that over one hundred Maori villages were located on the banks of the river. ... continue below the picture...
... Many of these people believed that a water monster or taniwha resided in the pool below the falls and this belief was taken very seriously.
Tourists can drive to Paihia on the North Island of New Zealand, pack a lunch and enjoy the day wandering through the trails or drive to the car lot and walk in. Whichever route you choose, you will find the beauty of the Haruru Falls amazing and very picturesque.
A boardwalk follows the river which you can stroll along to explore the landscape of Haruru Falls.When the falls are not running at full force, you can stand along the rock ledges to admire their beauty but during the spring or after a storm, the rocks are blanketed by the rushing water. After enjoying Haruru Falls, head back to the town of Paihia where you will find beautiful beaches and a place to stay for a night or two while on the North Island of New Zealand.
Haruru Falls near Paihia, Bay of Islands, Northland, East Coast, North Island, New Zealand.
Technical Information:
I photographed this photo with the digital SLR camera model Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II, aperture of f/6.3, exposure time of 1/80 sec. on ISO 100, as always I used a original Canon Lens, the focus lenght for this picture was 30mm.