Your reward and rewilding
TAHI TIME Rest easy at Tahi eco retreat knowing that your stay is earning you carbon credits by supporting a rewilding project in Pātaua North.
Feeling guilty about our travel footprint is a real thing in 2021. New research by Booking.com shows that 43 per cent of New Zealanders want to travel more sustainably in the future.
We’re picking you’re in that category but still want to get away from it all with a luxury holiday at the beach. Don’t worry because Tahi has you sorted.
This private conservation retreat in Northland was the supreme winner of the 2020 Sustainable Business Network Awards, where it also picked up the Transforming New Zealand award.
Staying here is certainly transformational for the spirit and because Tahi puts 100 per cent of its profits into conservation through rewilding and pest control, your stay is making a real difference.
Tahi, makes its money from selling mānuka honey and tourism, and accommodation costs include access to the many walks on Tahi, private beach access, as well as a direct contribution to the restoration and development of the ecological reserve.
Since 2004, Tahi has planted 349,000 native trees on the property (read more on page 14) and has pledged to plant 1 million trees on the 780-acre estate, which as a guest you are free to explore on foot or pushbike. Tahi has also restored wetlands, which has meant seeing the return of many rare birds.
The birdlife plays a huge role at Tahi by helping transplant seeds throughout the property. These helpful birds feature on the labels of Tahi's honey pots, and each visitor receives a complimentary pot of this liquid gold in their room.
Accommodation options include two contemporary bungalows and a character beach cottage, which are spread out over the property, offering privacy.
We opted for Hiwi, a two-bedroom bungalow that sits high on the hill with expansive views over the ocean. The perfect place to relax with a good book, lie back in the sun lounger and enjoy meals outside on the terrace. It’s easy to just want to rest up here and not move! However, there are plenty of activities to partake in, if you have the energy.
Tahi has its own private access to the golden sand of Parauwanui surf beach – a great place for a swim, surf or boogie board without the crowds.
Kayaks are also provided at Tahi. The nearby Pātaua Estuary is the perfect place for a paddle with a view of Pātaua Mountain. You can also walk across the footbridge from Pātaua North to Pātaua South and around the base of the mountain to Papuni Beach (gentler than the surf beach).
At Tahi there are five self-guided walks including a picturesque boardwalk around a wetlands area teaming with birdlife. We love that on Sundays during the main summer holidays, Tahi walks are also open to the public.
One must-do walk that's not on the map and must be done with a guide is a hike to the summit of Ohuatahi Pā (from which Tahi takes its name).
From up here you look out over the ocean, Tahi’s restoration project and “on the backs of hawks as they float below you,” says Tahi sustainable land manager and guide Evan Karaka. “It’s really something special. It’s quiet and peaceful with a 360-degree view of what’s around you.”