Surfers have been making the pilgrimage to Raglan since the 1960s, when the left-hand point break at Manu Bay appeared in the classic surf film The Endless Summer. The waves peel along a rocky shoreline for what feels like forever, and on a good swell you can sit on the bluff and watch riders carving one long wall after another. The town has kept a relaxed, slightly bohemian character that grew out of that culture, with cafés, galleries, surf shops and people walking barefoot down the main street.
Raglan sits on a sheltered harbour on the west coast of the Waikato, about forty-five minutes from Hamilton. The road in, State Highway 23, is a pleasant run over rolling hills, with a few good bends and views of Mount Karioi, the old volcano that rises behind the town. Detour on the way to Bridal Veil Falls, Waireinga, where a stream plunges more than fifty metres over a basalt lip into a pool surrounded by bush; it is a short walk from the car park.
South and west of town, the coast road climbs past Manu Bay and Whale Bay onto the flanks of Karioi, turning to gravel in places, with spectacular views over the Tasman Sea. It is narrow, steep and twisty, and the gravel sections demand care, but the scenery is outstanding. The beaches here are black volcanic sand, and the surf is powerful, so swim only at patrolled beaches like Ngarunui, in summer, between the flags.
Raglan is a fine place for lunch. The cafés along the main street serve good coffee and food, and there is fish and chips to eat on the wharf, watching the boats and the tide sweeping in and out of the harbour mouth. The town is small, so services are limited, though basic fuel and groceries are available; Hamilton is the place for anything more. The west coast weather can change fast, with wind and rain sweeping in off the sea, but on a clear evening the sunsets over the Tasman are wonderful.