Ngā Waiariki Ngāwhā Springs

What to expect

Ngāwhā Springs sits in a patch of bush a few kilometres east of Kaikohe, in the middle of Northland. The ground here is active enough to feed the Ngāwhā geothermal power station down the road. The bathing complex is run by the Parahirahi Ngāwhā Waiariki Trust, which describes itself as caretaker of the springs for the hapū of Ngāpuhi who hold them. Treat it as a taonga (a treasured place), not just a pool complex.

The main site is called Ngā Waiariki. It has 16 open-air pools, each fed by its own spring, and they really are different from one another. Some are milky, some grey, some clear, and the smell ranges from faint to strongly sulphurous. Most have a simple shelter over them. The pools are small and shallow, more like large tubs dug into the ground than swimming pools, and the steps and seats are hard to see through the coloured water.

The complex was rebuilt in a NZ$4.3 million project and reopened on 27 April 2021. The upgrade added a new building with changing rooms, a café (the Whare Tii), a ticket office and a shop, plus a flood wall and new walkways around the old pools. The pools themselves are the same springs people have used for generations.

A smaller second site, Ngā Puna, lies behind the main complex beside Lake Tuwhakino. It has 8 pools and was formerly known as Ginns. It opens on Mondays and Tuesdays, the two days Ngā Waiariki is closed.

The pools

The trust publishes a temperature range for every pool. A selection:

• Kōwhai and Te Mangōroa (Milky Way): 61-72°F16-22°C, the coolest, used for contrast bathing.
• Te Ngāwhā (Sulphur Way): 72-79°F22-26°C, with a strong sulphur smell.
• Waikato: 86-93°F30-34°C, bubbling, and dug by a Waikato whānau.
• Te Pai (Favourite): 88-95°F31-35°C.
• Te Kotahitanga, Mokopuna and Pareārau (Jupiter): 91-99°F33-37°C.
• Te Pēpi (Baby): 99-106°F37-41°C, where babies were traditionally bathed.
• Waimaene (Velvet): 99-106°F37-41°C, known for a silky feel.
• Tane Mahuta: 100-108°F38-42°C.
• Horomona (Solomon): 106-113°F41-45°C.
• Kareariki (Cinderella): 108-115°F42-46°C, named after the ancestor credited with finding the springs.
• Te Rata (Doctor): 111-118°F44-48°C, one of the largest and busiest.
• Te Purutōke (Bulldog) and Te Ao (Universal): 109-122°F43-50°C and above. Te Purutōke is the oldest pool, named for the growl the water made forcing its way through the rock.

The trust and local tradition attach uses to each pool, such as joints, skin or chest complaints. Those are the trust’s descriptions, not medical advice. Start in the 99-106°F37-41°C pools and work up slowly. The hottest pools are for short dips only.

Getting there

The address is 303 Ngāwhā Springs Road, Ngāwhā. It is about 7 km (4 miles), or 7 minutes, from Kaikohe, about 23 km (14 miles) from Bay of Islands Airport at Kerikeri, and about 37 km (23 miles), or a little over half an hour, from Paihia. Coming from the Bay of Islands, head inland toward Kaikohe and follow the signs for Ngāwhā Springs. The road is sealed and there is parking at the complex, so the pools are a short walk from the car.

There is no public transport to the door. You need a car or a tour.

When to go

The springs are open all year. Northland summers are warm and humid, and a 2-hour soak in 104°F40°C water on a hot afternoon is hard work. The first session at 7am is the pick in summer. In winter (June to August) the evening session from 7pm is a good way to end a wet day. Weekends and school holidays fill up, so book ahead.

Remember the split week: Ngā Waiariki is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, when only Ngā Puna is open, and only until 2pm.

Prices and booking

Entry is by 2-hour session. At Ngā Waiariki the sessions run 7-9am, 10am-12pm, 1-3pm, 4-6pm and 7-9pm. Arrive about 10 minutes early. The session starts on time and you must leave the pools when it ends.

The trust’s 2026 rates for Ngā Waiariki:

• General: adults NZ$40, Gold Card (65+) NZ$30, children NZ$20, family NZ$110 (two adults and two children, NZ$10 per extra child), spectators NZ$2.
• Northland residents: adults NZ$20, Gold Card NZ$12, children NZ$9, family NZ$50.
• Local residents: adults NZ$8, Gold Card NZ$5, children NZ$4.
• Ngā Uri o Parahirahi (registered descendants): adults NZ$6.

Preschoolers are free. Resident rates need proof of address dated in the last 12 months, such as a bank, utility or government letter. Ngā Puna costs NZ$20 at the general rate. Booking sites give slightly different child age bands, so check yours when you book. Towels can be hired at the front desk for NZ$10. For a private booking for your whānau or group, contact the springs on 09 405 2245.

Rules and etiquette

• Swimwear: togs, shorts, a singlet, T-shirt or sarong. Nothing that exposes the buttocks, for anyone. Reception can suggest an alternative if your swimwear does not pass.
• No alcohol, drugs, glass, smoking or vaping in the complex. Staff may turn away anyone who seems intoxicated.
• No food in or near the pools and shelters. Eat at the café or on the decks of the main building.
• Do not dig the mud in or around the pools. It damages the structure of the springs.
• No running, jumping or diving.
• Children must be supervised by an adult at all times. Children wear pants and babies wear swim nappies.
• Stay out of the pools if you have flu symptoms or diarrhoea, or if you are menstruating.

Be respectful to staff and to other bathers, many of whom are local whānau. Pool attendants patrol, and people who ignore their requests can be asked to leave.

Where to stay nearby

There is no accommodation at the springs. Kaikohe, 7 km away, has the closest motels and services. Most visitors stay in the Bay of Islands: Paihia is about 37 km (23 miles) away and Kerikeri is a similar drive, both with a wide range of motels, holiday parks and lodges. Ōhaeawai is a small village between the springs and the coast.

Safety notes

• Keep your head above the water. The trust asks every bather to do this. Health New Zealand warns that geothermal pools can carry the amoeba that causes amoebic meningitis, a rare but usually fatal infection that enters through the nose. No jumping, diving, splashing or ducking.
• Heat: several pools run above 111°F44°C. Test with a hand, keep soaks short, and take care if you have a heart condition, are pregnant or take medication. Drink water, because sun, heat and wind dehydrate you fast.
• Footing: the pool floors and steps are hard to see through the mineral colours. Step slowly.
• Valuables: do not leave belongings unattended or in the changing rooms.