Image: Manu Bay
I had forgotten how far from Hamilton Raglan was, and as I wound my way around the hills through awesome countryside, it was another 40 minutes before the sights of Bow Street and the old hotel came into view. All those years seemed to vanish in an instant as the memories came flooding back.
I was very keen to check out the surf at Manu Bay. Upon arriving, I found the ocean was like a mirror. Calm, glassy and beautiful – but unfortunately no swell. Manu Bay is home to the Point Boardriders Club which was formed in 1962. They still hold regular surf competitions here, and when The Point is ‘going off’ it’s quite spectacular to watch.
Time now for coffee and after checking TripAdvisor I head back into town to find the #1 ranked café. The Shack on Bow Street dishes up lots of daily specials made from local produce. The coffee is Rocket and it’s hot and strong. Just how I like it.
Raglan locals are very arty and creative and this town is home to the very tasty Raglan Coconut Yoghurt. It is dairy, gluten, preservative, nut, soy, gum, and GMO free with no added sugar. It’s also probiotic and vegan friendly. Check out their story on www.raglancoconutyoghurt.co.nz
Later I head to Orca Restaurant for happy hour and after reading the menu I start to salivate and can’t resist the ginger, chilli and coriander prawns to finish off the night while watching the sunset. Perfect.
Raglan provides plenty of room for self-contained freedom campers, so I found a spot and bunkered down for the night. Thanks, Raglan, for a great visit. The weather couldn’t have been better.
Image: Raglan sunset
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