More irresistible reasons, 21 to 30, to visit Turangi
Ten more reasons tourists prefer Turangi for holidays.
Over the last two days TRM inmates listed 20 wonderful enticing irresistible reasons to visit Turangi. This is partly in response to Toe-paw Council promoting Turangi as the “Gateway to the National Park”? Ruapehu Council must be laughing. For the last fifty years, the scenic attractions around Turangi have qualified as a wonderful holiday destination without being the “gateway” to anywhere else, so these updates are just to remind everyone.
Today we have ten more for you to try to resist. Don’t fight it. It is a natural emotion to want more. If all you need is relief from daily stress, to feel better, just book now for your next holiday visit.
The “river cure” in Turangi is renowned throughout the world.
Above – Creel Tackleshop being moved to the present location in front of Creel Lodge, Turangi style.
21 Fishing Tackle Shops – Consider this comparison. Taupo has two tackle shops for a population of about 25,000. That is one tackle shop for every 12,000 residents. OK.
A similar pattern is evident in many other fishy tourist towns. But in Turangi there are also two tackle shops for a resident population of less than 3,000 – one for every fifteen hundred residents.
But there is more… Other tackle shops closed during Covid when they discovered they were selling more ‘online’ than over the counter. There are also several other well-established tackle dealers businesses operating undercover through their websites. Some have just fly patterns. Others offer a full range of gear. So the competition is hot. That keeps prices down.
You should delay buying any freshwater fishing gear until you arrive in Turangi. We had better name them – Creel Tackle in Taupahi Road, Sporting Life in the CBD mall.
22 Wilderness trails – All the surrounding mountains have tracks left over from the early logging or when they developed the hydropower scheme or from vehicle access track to power pylons so there are many un-named tramping tracks throughout the region. The deer and pig hunters know them all.
Two of the most popular are Umukarikari and Urchins tracks which provide access to numerous Kaimanawa trampers huts.
23 Fly fishing – This is a biggie! Trout fishing brings more tourists to Turangi all throughout the year, than any other activity. Nearly all other trout fishing rivers and lakes throughout NZ close for the winter spawning runs. The Taup fishery remains open (except for Lake O). The Tongariro spawning runs of wild Rainbow and Brown trout are world famous.
Unlike most other trout fisheries, the Tongariro River is restricted to fly fishing only. (Only DOC can explain why. DOC – Department of Conservation manages the Taupo Fishery) The more common fishing from a boat – trolling or jigging, etc. – or bait fishing, cannot be compared. Fly fishing is something else far more sexy and satisfying and enjoyable, being closer to nature. It requires different skills too – ask any fly fisho. It is wonderful therapy.
The Tongariro River alone is the most popular trout fly fishing river in NZ and can regularly support over 100 anglers spread over 50 pools. There are enough trout for another thousand but they don’t know about it. Yet there will still be quiet side channels and fiesty runs and backwaters untouched. Fly fishing is simply why we and many others live here.
TRM have been trying to open up the upper river by extending the anglers’ access tracks. The original tracks were built by prisoners about one hundred years ago. About ten years ago they were linked up to provide bikers with the Tongariro River Trail. Now it needs to be extended further up river to the Poutu Dam to link with the other trails to Pillars of Hercules and the DOC managed track through to Tree Trunk Gorge. The Waikato Regional Council should lean on Genesis to extend it as compensation for all the lost fishing access down river towards the delta. It would be like two more Tongariro Rivers being added to the existing fifty pools.
24 Shopping A few years ago SWMBO held a competition amongst inmates to choose the best retail experience in Truangi. We would never have anticipated the result. The vast majority chose the Op Shop (located in the New World carpark behind the chemists). Why? I have no idea, but SWMBO is certain women have a far more cultured sense of value than men, who typically chose the tackle shops.
25 Sunsets – Whilst some other tourist places may also claim to have pretty sunsets they fail to register as Turangi is located at higher altitude where the sun is bigger and the mountain air is so much fresher and cleaner resulting in brilliant sunsets that are so much more vivid. Quite unbelievable compared to the usual setting of the sun. You really have to watch one from the mouth of a Lake Taupo tributary along the eastern shoreline to appreciate the glowing glory.
26 Rock jumping – On SH1 north of Turangi is one of the best and safest most popular rock jumping spots into Lake Taupo. Lookout as you drive north from the Motutere motor camp around the next sharp 25 km per hour corner. The huge trophy trout – often spotted cruising in the depths – are used to it and will not attack tourists. Well not usually anyway.
(2019 warning: Many have objected to any tourist promotion or mention of this popular “Bombs Away” spot due to the lack of safe parking and rubbish left behind by kids. But it is so well known that any list of summer attractions would be remiss not to list it. The critics should address their complaints to the council rather than try to hide them. If it was closer to Taupo the council would soon provide ample parking and signage, but this southern end of the lake has been neglected – again…)
27 Walking trails – The Tongariro River has various alternative walking track options in addition to the standard route – the Tongariro River Trail – for the bike trail. One of the features of this region is the surface of crushed pumice. This provides for excellent drainage qualities making these tracks accessible in all weather. As they follow the river the contours are easy and suitable for all ages. Every now and then are wide views over the Tongariro River where anglers often provide great entertainment as they cast and hook and play massive Rainbow and Brown trout.
Other walking tracks are in all the other cute little settlements around Lake Taupo – in particular at Pukawa, Omori, Kuratau, Motuoapa, Oruatau, Hatepe, Waitahanui, Tauranga Taupo, etc.
28 Turangi Museum – In 1970 the Turangi museum had the largest display of pre-Maori artefacts in the world, dating from about 400 AD. These were mainly unearthed during the excavation of the Tokaanu Power Station tailrace. In 1970 over 250,000 tourists visited the exhibition, but when the Ministry of Works left town at the end of the hydropower project, it was closed…
The original museum was eventually demolished in 2024 and the exhibits are supposed to be stored at Taupo Museum. Go figure!
Keep asking at the tourist information office and one day they will realise it should be re-opened in the mall.
29 Native birds – All of these bush-walks along the Tongariro Riverbank and elsewhere around Lake Rotopounamu and between Omori and Pukawa are very popular for the low native bush supporting a wide variety of native birds.
They can only be appreciated when walking. Tuis, bellbirds, pigeons, fantails, moreporks, wax eyes, etc. are all seen chasing insects or raiding the Kowhais for their nectar.
The raiding parties of tuis competing with bellbirds in spring are a wonderful sight. Some, like fantails, even sneak indoors to help TRM deal with spiders and any other little insects.
Tourists love them.
30 River rafting – Turangi is recognised for river rafting trips down the mighty Tongariro River. The most popular is the Grade 3 rafting in NZ with over 50 rapids spread over 14 km (8 miles) taking over 2 1/2 hours (4 hours base to base). A full safety briefing is provided. Other options include cliff jumping and river swimming. Everything is provided. Other options include a family fun trip Grade 2 for smaller kids and their fishing trip for bigger kids. Full day or overnight raft fishing trips can be arranged to other spectacular fishing rivers in this region – ask at TRM for the best option.
Continued tomorrow with ten more reasons to visit Turangi.
