After the rather bleak nature of the former coal mining towns, encountered on its approach, you might expect Karamea to be similarly afflicted. However, this former ‘frontier’ settlement, perched on its namesake river mouth and overshadowed by the rising peaks of the Kahurangi National Park, is a far more pleasing sight and has a peaceful (as opposed to dead) atmosphere. Although most often used as a base for the famed Heaphy Track (which begins at the road terminus 15 km north) Karamea also has some lesser-known sights nearby that are quite simply superb, in particular the limestone caves and arches of the Oparara Basin.
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