Things slowed down quite a bit in the north Island of New Zealand and we were itching to do something off of the Flying Kiwi bus. It wasn’t the greatest day outside and the water looked quite cold so we weren’t overly enthusiastic about going sand boarding when we got to Openoni in the heart of Hokianga.

The sand dunes of Hokianga

But it was on our travel itinerary so we did it.

Sand boarding in New Zealand wasn’t even remotely the same as Sand Boarding in Peru. In Peru we strapped a board onto our feet and challenged ourselves as we tried to stand up and make a few curves down the some of the world’s largest sand dunes.  In New Zealand, sandboarding is more like tobogganing or winter sledding down a snowy hill, only here it is on sand.

Sand Boarding is a little different in New Zealand

Sand boarding in Openoni which is just south of the Bay of Islands is a good little stop in the middle of a sunny afternoon.  The cost is okay at 20 NZD (about $15 USD) per person for the boat ride and the board rental making it one of the cheapest excursions we did in the country.

A boat takes you across the bay to the sand hills and supplies boogie boards for you to lay on. You are dropped off at the foot of a dune and then have an hour to get as many runs in as you can.

Hop on the boat and get ready to go!

I am not a fan of cold water (as I have said in a few posts already) so having to ride a toboggan down a hill into the cold bay was not high on my list of activities. But everyone was into it, so I better join in.

The Sandboarding Experience

The ride itself was a lot of fun. The sand dune was steep and fast and we whizzed down the hill. The faster you go downhill, the farther into the water you go. Dave joined in with our guide Vinnie had done this several times before and was a sandboaring pro. They jumped on their boards at full speed and flung themselves into a speedy flight.

Sand boarding is all about the speed

Dave, being a first timer and about a decade older had the best of intentions but gave himself quite a jolt when he hit the water. The impact was harsh and he the board shot up hitting him in the face and jolting his jaw shut in one clenching bite. He put a smile on his face and didn’t admit defeat and kept on boarding for the rest of the hour.

It wasn’t until we got back to the bus that he told me the pain he was in. Silly boy.

Deb takes it slower on her first run!

I took it slower my first board down and put my toes in the sand dragging them along to slow myself down. I didn’t hurt myself and was ready for more.

Once I did the first run down the hill into the chilly waters I was over my apprehension. I was now ready to have a little fun and could go a little faster and farther out into the bay. The faster you go down the hill, the farther you go into the water. Your board skips across the top of the water and you have a good little ride before sinking into the brisk bay.

Sand boarding into the Hokianga cold water.

I Forgot how much Fun Tobogganing Can Be!

Everyone got into it, even an older couple that had no intention of sandboarding. They came across on the boat to take some pictures, but once they saw how much fun it was, they joined in too!

To find your inner child and have some fun frolicking in the sand, Sandboarding in Openoni was good fun. You will be smiling the day away as you sail down the dunes.

The Facts:

The biggest problem was that there weren’t proper facilities to change after the day out in the sand. There were 2 toilets to change in, but they only had very small sinks to try to rinse off a bit of the sand. Needless to say, we were all covered in sand and had to sit on the bus for the rest of the afternoon in a very uncomfortable situation.

Sand Boarding was good fun, would I recommend it? If you find yourself in the town of Openoni go for it. If you have to make a detour to get there, give it a miss. It was fun, but not life changing fun.

Cost $20 NZD -The Price is right and the timing is good. After an hour, you will have had your fill of sandboarding and be ready to move on to your next destination.

For more information on adventure tours of New Zealand Check out the Flying Kiwi

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I’m sure the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of Peru is NOT Sand Dunes. Well in Hucachina in Ica province there is a vast desert which will wow you with amazing views, thrill you in a dune buggy and put you sand boarding skills to work. This photo was taken at the end of the day as we finished our sand boarding and were heading down for a bite to eat. Coming towards us were two “local” sand boarders who told us “the dunes were more exciting for sandboarding at sun set.

As the shadows deepened and magic hour approached it made for the perfect capture of this beautiful place.

My 3 Best Kept Travel Secrets

We were recently nominated to participate in Tripbase’s “My 3 Best Kept Travel Secrets” game by our great Twitter friend, Isabelle of @IsabellesTravel. You can read Isabelles best kept travel secret here.

“The aim of this game is to unite travel bloggers in a joint endeavor – to create an amazing list of top travel recommendations across the globe to share with the entire online travel community.” – Katie from Tripbase.com.

So here are our Travel Adventure Secrets.

1. Pinnacles of Borneo

Everyone seems to know about climbing Mount Kinabalu in Malaysian Borneo, but one of our favorite adventures of our life was trekking to the Pinnacles of Gunung Mulu in Sarawak.  A stone forest of white and grey limestone, jutting 45 metres out of the earth in razor sharp formations.

It is an adventure just getting there. It takes two days to trek to the pinnacles.  After flying into Gunung Mulu National Park on a twin-engine airplane, you take a 2-hour boat ride to the start of an 8km trail.  After your long trek through the jungle it is a beautiful overnight at Camp 5 where you prepare for your summit push the following morning.  The steep climb is exhilarating and to finally reach the summit and witness this rare and awe-inspiring site is an incredible life experience. It is our little secret for when you make your way to Borneo, enjoy!

2. The White Desert of Egypt

Egypts white desert, not a secret for long.

Everyone thinks of the great Pyramids, the Sphinx, Abu Simble and the Luxor Temple.  But make your way out to Egypt’s interior and you will witness a true natural wonder.

Book an overnight safari where you will camp Bedouin style among giant monoliths scattered throughout the barren landscape.  Centuries of erosion have shaped these chalk formations into gigantic mushrooms, camels, hawks and mountains.

It is one of the most unique and thrilling opportunities a person can have in their life.

3. Huacachina Peru

Peru's Giant Sand dunes

Peru has many famous sites that have intrigued and fascinated the world.  It houses Macchu Pichu, Lake Titicaca and the Andes Mountains. However for us, one of the most exciting and adventurous destinations was in Huacachina.   Located in Ica Province, you will find some of the largest sand dunes in the world as you enjoy yourself at this beautiful Oasis.

Relaxing is nice, but all the fun starts when you take a dune buggy ride out to ride the giant dunes.  It is more exciting than a roller coaster as the skilled drivers climb steep hills only to fly down near vertical drops.

Sand boarding is a must and it can be done out in the middle of the desert on your excursion or grab a board from a guesthouse in Huacachina and make the hike on your own to the top of one of the surrounding dunes.  There isn’t a more beautiful site than to stand atop a giant peak during sunset while looking out over the endless desert sands.

And that my friends are our three best kept travel secrets with a little adventure team twist.

The object of the game is to tag other Blogs to take part.

Here are our 5 tags for you to check out their sites!

• Ottsworld
• TheTravelExpert(a)
• TheQFamilyAdventures
• ApproachGuides
• TheProfessionalHobo