If you ever get the chance to visit the North Island of New Zealand, you really need to make the trip to the far northern tip at Cape Reinga and stop along the way to take in the beauty of Spirits Bay.
From the moment we walked over the sand dunes and caught a glimpse of the wide arching beach of Spirits Bay we knew this place was special. The raw beauty of this tranquil bay is highlighted by the clear blue waters and the golden sand which is backed by the volcanic rocks and dark greens of the many Manuka trees that dot the hills.
The thing that helped make this place even more special to us was the spiritual significance of this bay in the Maori culture. The Maori name for this bay is Kapowairua which means, "to catch the spirit." Maori legend has it that the spirits of their ancestors stop to rest at this bay before leaving back the their native homeland of Hawaiki via the old Pohutakawa tree near Cape Reinga. This land is considered tapu or sacred by the Maori people of New Zealand.
Not only will the beauty of this place grab you, but the significance that this bay holds in the Maori culture seems to hang in the air giving this place a very special feeling indeed!
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