About this place
A Guide to New Zealand Waterfalls
Johnny T. Cheng · 2006
A guidebook devoted entirely to NZ waterfalls, with access notes; older, but still the only book on the subject.
New Zealand · Waikato, North Island
Bridal Veil Falls
Waireinga
The Pakoka River free-falls off a basalt lava shelf into a fern-lined gorge near the surf town of Raglan, with viewpoints both from above the lip and down at the base pool via a short forested track. Its Maori name, Waireinga, refers to the leaping-off point of spirits in local legend.
A dramatic single-drop falls near Raglan's famous surf breaks Essentials guide
Checked September 2026 by David Bussell
Bridal Veil Falls drops 55 metres (180 ft) on the Pakoka. It is a plunge-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Raglan, with HLZ the closest airport. Access to the main viewpoint is rated easy.
As a plunge waterfall, water leaves the rock entirely and falls free through the air.
What you can do here
A walk-in-and-look waterfall
No commercial adventures run at Bridal Veil Falls itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Raglan are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forHikingPhotography
When to go
Reliable year-round flow; autumn and spring give the mildest weather for the short forest walk.
Entry: Free
Getting there
- Base town Raglan
- Airport HLZ
- Country New Zealand
- Region Waikato, North Island, New Zealand, Oceania
- Access Easy — a short walk or roadside viewpoint
How it compares
This waterfall
Bridal Veil Falls
New Zealand
Height55 mWidth—
Most similar
Akiu Great Falls
Japan
Height55 mWidth6 m
Also a plunge waterfall and of similar height
Largest curtain
Victoria Falls
Zimbabwe · Zambia
Height108 mWidth1,708 m
Largest single sheet of falling water
Tallest on earth
Angel Falls
Venezuela
Height979 mWidth—
Widest on earth
Khone Phapheng Falls
Laos
Height21 mWidth10,783 m
Measured across the whole multi-channel system
55 m
55 m
108 m
330 m
979 m
Bridal Veil FallsAkiu Great FallsVictoria FallsEiffel TowerAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
Akiu Great Falls
6 m
Angel Falls is 18× taller than Bridal Veil Falls. Victoria Falls is 2.0× taller. We don't have a reliable crest width for Bridal Veil Falls yet, so it is left off the width chart. Tallest · widest lists.
Watch and read
Videos from Bridal Veil Falls
9:22
7:10
10:02
Chosen from YouTube; videos belong to their creators and play from YouTube's privacy-enhanced player.
Books worth packing
DK Eyewitness New ZealandDK Eyewitness
Guidebook
DK Eyewitness New Zealand
DK Eyewitness · 2024
Illustrated maps and regional chapters, helpful for planning a road trip between Taupo, Waitomo and Fiordland.
Moon New ZealandJamie Christian Desplaces
Guidebook
Moon New Zealand
Jamie Christian Desplaces · 2024
Built around road trips and the Great Walks, a good fit if you're combining the Milford Track with North Island falls.
Guidebook
Lonely Planet New Zealand
Lonely Planet · 2023
The 21st edition covers Fiordland, Milford Sound, Taupo and the Waikato, so it handles every NZ fall on this site.
On the map
-37.8347, 174.9394
Quick answers
Where is Bridal Veil Falls?
Bridal Veil Falls is in New Zealand (Waikato, North Island). The nearest base is Raglan and the closest airport is HLZ. Its coordinates are -37.8347, 174.9394.
How tall is Bridal Veil Falls?
Bridal Veil Falls drops 55 metres (180 feet). It is a plunge-type waterfall on the Pakoka.
When is the best time to visit Bridal Veil Falls?
Peak flow is March to May and September to October. Reliable year-round flow; autumn and spring give the mildest weather for the short forest walk.
What can you do at Bridal Veil Falls?
Beyond the viewpoints: hiking and photography. Access to the main viewpoint is rated easy — a short walk or roadside viewpoint.
How do you get to Bridal Veil Falls?
The usual base is Raglan, and the closest airport is HLZ. A short walk or roadside viewpoint from there. Free.
Nearby
Closest to Bridal Veil Falls
Marokopa Falls
New Zealand · 35 m · 50 km away
The King Country's best-known waterfall, 31 km west of Waitomo
Wairere Falls
New Zealand · 153 m · 80 km away
The North Island's tallest waterfall
Owharoa Falls
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Owharoa Falls is a staircase waterfall in Waikato, New Zealand, located off Waitawheta Road in Karangahake…
Hūnua Falls
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