Andy_C
North Island ▷ Northland ▷ Kaitaia ▷
2.0/5
Cheap and you get what you pay for!
Half the price of the Fullers one and it included lunch so seemed like a good deal for our family of 5.
Buses a bit old andrun down, our seat smelled of stale urine.
The driver was okay but his nature facts were wrong!
Was very unhappy to have to stop twice at the Awanui Kauri Museum, which is really just a tourist trap and very expensive souvenir shop. Once would have been fine, thanks!
Also there were other unnecessary stops, like at the ice cream shop at 11:00 in the morning! Obviously Harrisons are getting a kickback from these places but they all add to delays in getting to the destination.
We had lunch before we got to the Cape, which was pretty measly and consisted of dry scones and packet muesli bars and crackers - not even any fresh fruit!
A filled roll and a piece of fruit would have been far, far better and probably only cost the same to supply.
Once we finally made it to the Cape there was almost no time there before we had to leave. It takes a good 15 minutes to walk down there with kids and we were there for 40 minutes total, giving us only 10 minutes down at the lighthouse, which is a very beautiful and spiritual place and deserves much more time. How about cutting out the morning Kauri museum stop and giving us some more time up there?!
The afternoon was better with the sand dune tobogganing and the drive down 90 Mile Beach, which was lovely in spite of the bus. Then we had to endure another stop at the Kauri place while they washed the bus, rather than them dropping us off first. We wouldn't have minded so much if we hadn't spent half an hour there in the morning!
If going with a family it's a pretty cheap option but I'd at least take your own lunch - or do it with Fullers, who have nicer buses and better food.
Visited January 2012