It’s a Kiwi summer tradition – grabbing your towel and togs and heading to wherever you can dip, dive and drop into some water, but where are the best places to go?
AA Directions has pulled together 10 of the best summer swimming holes to help inspire you to make the most of summer.
Why stay at home when you can jump in the car and make a beautiful day trip to the local swimming spot?
“What we love about swimming holes is that they’re not always easy to find, so stumbling across one is like finding a hidden gem,” says AA Directions Editor Kath Webster.
“Included on our list are a few spots that came highly recommended by AA Members,” she adds. Here is AA Directions’ top 10 swimming holes:
Karekare Falls, Waitakere, Auckland
Get to this spot with a 30-minute climb up the Taraire track to the top of the falls.
Bulli Point, Lake Taupo
Located on the main road to Turangi, there are ledges of varying heights to leap into the lake from.
Blue Spring, Putaruru, Waikato
Te Waihau walkway follows a river with calm, clear pools great for swimming.
Kerosene Creek, Rotorua
This natural hot spring in a river between Rotorua and Taupo is a popular gem.
Rainbow Falls, Kerikeri
An easy walk through native bush leads to these falls and swimming hole.
Mermaid Pool, Matapouri, Northland
Around the rocks from the beach, this rock pool is easiest to access at low tide.
Mosquito Point, Whanganui
What makes this spot special is a sturdy rope swing to leap into the river from.
Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve, Marlborough
Several great swimming spots are dotted along this river bank.
Cleopatra’s Pool, Abel Tasman National Park
Complete with a natural waterslide.
Lake Rotoiti, Nelson Lakes, South Island
Leaping off the long wooden jetty into this cold lake is the best way to get in!
Kath says spending summer with water comes naturally to most New Zealanders. “If it’s not camping at the beach, it’s fishing, surfing, or sailing and, in the height of summer, finding somewhere cool to swim,” she says.