A panorama of Sandy Bay next to Cape Reinga. The picture was taken on a day with low lying cloud, and the top of the hills are lost in the mist. The stormy ocean was crashing around the cliffs and into the bay.

Overlooking Sandy Bay by Cape Reinga - Aupouri Peninsula visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'Overlooking Sandy Bay by Cape Reinga' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Northland.

Cape Reinga is at the northwestern end of the Aupouri Peninsula and vies with several other local capes as being the northernmost point of New Zealand. The nearest small town is Kaitaia, 100km to the south. The cape is known as Te Reinga or Te Rerenga Wairua in Māori, who believe it to be the departing place of spirits to the underworld. 'Reinga' means 'Underworld' and Te Rerenga Wairua' translates to 'leaping-off place of spirits'.

Today, Cape Reinga is marketed as the northernmost point of New Zealand and has become very popular with tourists, who form the vast bulk of traffic on the road. During the peak season over 1300 cars a day visit the cape, which sees around 120,000 visitors a year. The cape and surrounding country are lined with walking and tramping paths, and tramping are popular activities. The human pressure is creating some concern relating to the preservation of Māori sacred sites and conservation.

Cape Reinga is about 100km north of Kaitaia on Highway 1. It is about 130km from Mangonui on Doubtless Bay and 210km from Paihia on the Bay of Islands.