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.
New Zealand · Whangarei District
Whangārei Falls
Whangārei Falls is located just on the outskirts of Whangārei on Boundary Road in the suburb of Tikipunga, a popular place for both locals and tourists to visit, go for walks along the edge of the Hātea River, or to have a picnic on the lawns and tables at the top of the waterfall near the main car park.
Essentials guide
Facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia, compiled September 2026; season and access are our estimate, not a visit report. How we build these pages.
Whangārei Falls drops 26 metres (85 ft) on the Hātea River. It is a cascade-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Whangārei, New Zealand. Access to the main viewpoint is rated easy.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0).
As a cascade waterfall, water tumbles down a series of rock steps rather than falling free.
What you can do here
A walk-in-and-look waterfall
No commercial adventures run at Whangārei Falls itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Whangārei are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forHikingPhotography
When to go
Spring, September to December, pairs snowmelt or winter rain with lengthening days; autumn (April to May) is the quieter second season.
Getting there
- Base town Whangārei, New Zealand
- Country New Zealand
- Region Whangarei District, New Zealand, Oceania
- Access Easy — a short walk or roadside viewpoint
How it compares
This waterfall
Whangārei Falls
New Zealand
Height26 mWidth—
Most similar
Wannon Falls
Australia
Height30 mWidth—
Also a cascade waterfall, of similar height and in Australia
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
26 m
30 m
108 m
330 m
979 m
Whangārei FallsWannon FallsVictoria FallsEiffel TowerAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
Angel Falls is 38× taller than Whangārei Falls. Victoria Falls is 4.2× taller. We don't have a reliable crest width for Whangārei Falls yet, so it is left off the width chart. Tallest · widest lists.
Watch and read
Books worth packing
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.
The Rough Guide to New ZealandRough Guides
Guidebook
The Rough Guide to New Zealand
Rough Guides · 2023
A current second opinion on routes and stays, with good coverage of the Waikato and the road into Milford Sound.
On the map
-35.68439, 174.33579
Quick answers
Where is Whangārei Falls?
Whangārei Falls is in New Zealand (Whangarei District). The nearest base is Whangārei, New Zealand. Its coordinates are -35.6844, 174.3358.
How tall is Whangārei Falls?
Whangārei Falls drops 26 metres (85 feet). It is a cascade-type waterfall on the Hātea River.
When is the best time to visit Whangārei Falls?
Peak flow is September to December. Spring, September to December, pairs snowmelt or winter rain with lengthening days; autumn (April to May) is the quieter second season.
What can you do at Whangārei 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 Whangārei Falls?
The usual base is Whangārei, New Zealand. A short walk or roadside viewpoint from there.
Nearby
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Paraua Rapids
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Paraua Rapids is a waterfall in New Zealand.