Hokianga Harbour
Kohukohu is located on the shores of the upper Hokianga Harbour, a vast inland waterway. A tidal river system lined with mangroves, small harbourside wooden villages and family farms. Sand dunes and ocean beaches are found where the Hokianga Harbour mouth meets the Tasman Sea.
Dense fern-filled Kauri forests grow in the mountains around the harbour. The most famous forest is the Waipoua Kauri Forest.
Ocean beaches are located at Mitimiti and Ahipara in the north Hokianga area and at Omapere and Waimamaku in the south Hokianga, all about an hour's drive from Kohukohu.
The people of the Hokianga are of mainly Maori and European descent. The Maori navigator Kupe found this harbour on his journey of discovery, his canoe Matawhaorua returned with the Ngapuhi tribe's forefathers to the region now named Te Hokianga nui a Kupe - The Great Returning Place of Kupe. In 1820 the first European ship to cross the dangerous bar and reefs to enter the harbour opened the way to the subsequent exploitation of the region's then extensive kauri forest.
Hokianga Car Ferry
The Hokianga car ferry links Kohukohu with Rawene and onwards to Opononi and the Kauri Forests on the Twin Coast Discovery Highway. Kauri forest walks and horse riding are near Opononi and in Waipoua Kauri forest. New Zealand's tallest kauri tree is at the Waipoua forest, 50 kms from the ferry. In the summer holidays, a water taxi takes passengers from Opononi to the giant sand dunes for exploring and sandboarding.
Kohukohu is 3 kms north of the Hokianga Car Ferry northern terminal. The ferry operates all year, daily departures from the northern terminal begin at 7:45am and the last sailing north from Rawene is at 7.30pm
On a return day trip from Kohukohu to the south side of the harbour, crossing the harbour by ferry saves up to 200 kms of road travel around the harbour.
Ferry Fares
| Foot/Car Passenger one way | $2.00 |
| Motorcycle one way | $3.50 |
| Light Vehicles (<2200kg) one way | $16.00 |
| Campervan (heavy) one way | $30.00 |
| Foot/Car Passenger return | $4.00 |
| Light Vehicle return | $20.00 |
| Passenger Concession 10 trips | $9.00 |
| Motorcycle Concession 10 trips | $30.00 |
| Light vehicle Concession 5 trips | $30.00 |