Opotiki: Dunes Trail, Cycling Routes and History

Opotiki combines trails for active days with places rich in history. The Dunes Trail starts at the Pakowai-ki-Otutaopuku Bridge in Memorial Park, at the end of St John’s Street. There is parking, a drinking fountain and toilets at the start.

Cycling trails at different levels

You can cycle, walk or run along the Dunes Trail. It is rated as a Grade 2 trail and is easy to walk and ride. At many points, formed paths lead to the beach; use these paths to access the beach. The trail also passes through culturally significant land in the Ōpōtiki area. Conditions and access can change—check both before setting out.

For a shorter section, the Ōpōtiki-Ohiwa Trail offers an approximately 2.5-kilometre connection from the start of the Dunes Trail in Memorial Park to the Waioeka SH2 Bridge. It is almost completely flat. The Motu Trails Loop is on a different scale: this varied 90-kilometre route runs along the coast, into a mountain range and deep into forest. You can start and finish the loop in Opotiki.

History in the townscape

The Opotiki War Memorial commemorates men from the eastern Bay of Plenty who fought and died in the First and Second World Wars. It remains the annual focal point for Anzac Day commemorations. The memorial adds a local stop to your travel plans that is quite different from a day on the trails.

The Opotiki Hotel is also a distinctive part of the town’s history. Of the town’s surviving hotels, it has the oldest exterior appearance and is considered a notable example of hotel architecture in Ōpōtiki. It was built in 1904 to replace an earlier hotel destroyed by fire and continues to serve its original purpose.

In the town centre, Whitikau Playground is next to Whitikau Reserve. If a visit to a playground is part of your day’s plans, you can combine this location with a stay in the centre. Check current information about the facilities before visiting, as they may change. Hukutaia Domain is also located near Ōpōtiki. It is home to a 2,500-year-old puriri tree that is highly sacred to local Māori.

Explore further afield in the Opotiki District

Beyond Opotiki, the Opotiki District offers a range of options to explore on a trip. The Motu Trails are part of the Great Rides of the New Zealand Cycle Trail and run from the coast at Ōpōtiki to Matawai through varied landscapes, natural environments and historic settings. Operators in the Opotiki District offer shuttle services, including drop-offs in Matawai, Motu or on the ridge above Motu for rides to the coast at Ōpōtiki. Availability and minimum passenger numbers may change; confirm these with the operator in advance.

The Opotiki District’s historic heritage also includes Agassiz House in the Waioeka Valley. It is considered one of the valley’s oldest surviving rural villas; its original core is an F-plan villa dating from around the turn of the century. In the collective memory, the house is associated with the killing of missionary Carl Sylvius Volkner (1819–1865) by Pai Mārire emissary Kereopa Te Rau in 1865 in the Opotiki District. Another example in the district is the former Shalfoon Brothers Shop Buildings, an unusually well-preserved retail and commercial complex from the early 20th century.

Discover more destinations: Waihau Bay.

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