Tapeka Del Mar NZ Holiday Home Contact booking and directions Information


Postal Address	Tapeka Del Mar Beachfront Holiday Home, PO Box 2831, Shortland Street, Auckland 1140. New Zealand

Holiday Home Address	22 Du Fresne Place, Tapeka Point, Russell, Bay of Islands 0255

Telephone	New Zealand 021 367700. International +64 21 367700 Fax - +64 9 307 3450 From the United Kingdom (after 8PM local time please) (0207) 1012849 From the USA (011) 6421367700 (after 3pm EST please)

Email	info@tapeka.com
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How To Get There

	By Air - Air New Zealand to Bay of Islands Airport - Kerikeri (International Hub Auckland), shuttle to Paihia, ferry to Russell and taxi to Tapeka. Flight time ex Auckland 1 hour, 10 minutes. Auckland from Los Angeles or San Francisco 12 hour easy overnight flight

	By Helicopter - By arrangement from Auckland Airport, Ardmore Aerodrome or downtown Auckland. Landing site 5 minutes from Tapeka. Flight time 1 hour 20 minutes

	By Coach - Northliner Express (luxury express coach from Auckland to Paihia) or Intercity bus from Quay Street downtown Auckland to Paihia, ferry to Russell. Hiring a rental car from Kerikeri (airport) is desirable

	By Car - State highway 1 from Auckland over the Auckland Harbour Bridge north to Whangarei. Taking the Northern Gateway Toll Road will save you 15-30 minutes. (See below for payment information) Continue north on SH 1 to Kawakawa taking Highway 11 and signs to Paihia and Opua. Prior to Paihia turn right to Opua Car ferry. Follow signs to Russell, down main street and continue straight up the hill at end (Flagstaff Hill - signs to Tapeka Point (Tapeka Road). This will take you past the famous Flagstaff and down into Tapeka. Bear right at the bottom of the hill into Du Fresne Place. Follow left up the hill (No 22) down pebble drive and left. Total distance from central Auckland is approx 260KM. Total traveling time including car ferry 3 - 3.5 hours) Our local agent will meet you when you arrive

The Northern Gateway Toll Road

		The Northern Gateway Toll Road provides a direct link from the Orewa turnoff of the northern motorway to Puhoi, bypassing the seaside townships of Orewa, Hatfield's Beach, Waiwera and the Wenderholm regional park recreational area. Depending on traffic volume and the number of slow vehicles, this road will cut 10 - 30 minutes off the non toll route. The toll road is also scenic. It passes through a historically rich and diverse landscape containing steep topography, large tracts of native bush, streams, estuaries and areas of pastoral farmland. There are also views of the Puhoi river back to Wenderholm and the ocean and Hatfield's beach as you travel the road. When using the road our recommendation is that you pay for the journey either before your leave or after you arrive at Tapeka Del Mar. You can pay for the trip up to 72 hours after you travelled the road with on line or by calling a toll free number. this payment can include advance payment of your return journey. If you have time to spare or only have the option to pay cash for the toll road use, we recommend you take the slower non toll route. The road from the Orewa turnoff heads to the coast, up a hill with views over Orewa beach, along side Hatfield's beach and up another hill with a short passing lane into Waiwera. You cross a bridge over the Puhoi river, past Wenderholm Regional Park, up another hill with a short passing lane and down to merge with the Toll Road traffic as it exits Johnston's Hill tunnel. A fully electronic toll collection (ETC) system is utilised to collect the tolls. Cameras using Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology read the front and rear registration plates and identify the owner should an account not exist or no payment is received. You can pay by phone 0800 40 20 20 or on line at https://tolling.nzta.govt.nz/PurchaseTripPass.aspx Simply enter the car registration number and the total number of trips (the trip you may have already made and up to 180 days in advance). Payment by Visa and MasterCard only but there is no surcharge for credit card payment. The cash payment machines are unreliable and often have long queues. It is quicker to continue and use the non toll road than to stop and use the machines. TOLL - cars and campervans $NZ 2.00 each trip. Heavy vehicles $4.00. Motorcycles $ free. Take careful note of the vehicle registration number as this will be required


	Inside the tunnel northbound

	Southbound tunnel entrance

	Cash payment station at the BP service centre on the northern motorway northbound near Silverdale


Opua - Okiato - Russell Car Ferry
Although you can drive the back road to the house it is faster and much more fun taking the car ferry between Opua (turnoff between Kawakawa and Paihia on SH11) and Okiato. From the Okiato side to Russell is 8km and 10km to Tapeka Del Mar. The car ferries operate from 6.20am to 10.50pm daily every 10-20 minutes. There are no booking requirements. Cost $NZ10 per car and driver, $1 per additional passenger each way. Return ticket less (cash only). The trip takes approx. 10 minutes. The ferry crosses Veronica channel with views up towards Paihia and back to the Opua mooring area and marina


Don't Get a Speeding Ticket In New Zealand the issuing of speeding tickets to generally law abiding drivers is a major source of revenue. The ticket tolerance is 10km/hr so doing 111km/h or more on the open road (even when using a passing lane or completing an overtaking maneuver is fair game). Look ahead for speed camera vehicles (unmarked Mitsubishi L300 and 2008 Toyota Previa vans) parked at the roadside in suspicious locations. These can snap you traveling in either direction with new digital speed cameras. The exit from the toll road tunnel heading northbound through to Puhoi where the speed limit has been reduced from 100km to 80km (80km in force Puhoi to Orewa). The speed limit has also been reduced to 80km/h through the Dome Valley area which is between Warkworth and Wellsford. Expect heavy enforcement here and along any straight stretch of road.
	Police L300 Speed Camera Van

Unmarked camera vans can be found at many locations between Auckland and the Paihia turnoff, typically on or at the end of straight stretches of road. The marked New Zealand Police highway patrols also frequent State Highway 1 around the Silverdale and Orewa on ramps on the Northern Motorway. Be careful around the northbound toll road just prior to the tunnel and just after the tunnel southbound, Waipu straight north, Marsden Point turnoff, Whangarei urban areas and around passing lanes at Hikurangi and Hikeranui north of Whangarei. Highway patrol and rural traffic duty police vehicles have instant on Ka band Stalker radars, often hiding well off the road and parking lights off at night. Unmarked radar equipped Holden Commodores and occasionally Nissan Maximas and Honda Accords are also used. Make sure you carry a NZ or overseas drivers license on you just in case.
Watch your speed ! - we don't want our guests getting fined or injured. Enjoy the drive and scenery



Attention Americans New Zealand has a reputation for being clean and green with a large variety of scenery and attractions. With no nuclear power or weapons, minimal terrorist threat and unarmed police, the country is very safe. The US dollar buys almost two New Zealand dollars making your spending money go a long way. Daily overnight direct flights from LAX and SFO by Air New Zealand and Qantas have you in Auckland in no time. Many VIP's have stayed at the house in total privacy away from the crowds and security risks. Come visit us soon

Absolute beachfront luxury holiday home accommodation near Russell in New Zealand's Bay of Islands

© 2009 Tapeka Del Mar