RAPAURA Watergardens
RAPAURA Watergardens
4.5
About
A mature property, which has evolved over more than 45 years, Rapaura Watergardens offers something for everyone; native trees, ferns, seasonal flora, lily ponds, meandering walks over lush green lawns, bridges and streams, garden sculptures by an award winning artist and a relaxing bush walk to a cascading waterfall, ‘The Seven Stairs to Heaven’.
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingFull view
Top ways to experience nearby attractions
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Restaurants
1 within 5 kms
See what travellers are saying
- Sally Straughan33 contributionsSerenity at best!We stayed in the main house which is beautifully equipped and immaculate in presentation. There are multiple decks on all sides of the house which overlook the property where you can listen to the water rushing past and all the amazing birdsong. The walk around the property to the lakes and the waterfall are just amazing and plenty of really friendly ducks to accompany you. The kitchen is very well equipped too. We really enjoyed our stay and would definitely recommend to anyone looking for some peace and quiet.Visited September 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 23 September 2023
- Scenic016109871531 contributionWell worth a visit.This is a fantastic place to visit. The owner meets and greets you and is so friendly. There are 2 walks a 15 minute one round the lower gardens then about a 30 minute walk up to the waterfall. We really enjoyed the area and would recommend to place on the to do list.Visited January 2024Travelled with familyWritten 3 January 2024
- Curiosity6817062001317 contributionsGardens worth a visit!A visit to this beautiful garden is a must. It’s peaceful and lovely to admire the vision and work of the original owners that continues today. Follow the signs and pathway to see the waterful, Lilly ponds and bush. Bring a picnic to enjoy in the grounds too.Visited January 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 5 January 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.5
292 reviews
Excellent
213
Very good
54
Average
15
Poor
3
Terrible
7
AditiS
Auckland Central, New Zealand22 contributions
Nov 2020 • Friends
The second half of the garden is very beautiful and huge leading to the gorgeous waterfall towards the end. A special mention to Sacha who was so friendly, welcoming and very knowledgeable about the area. He recommended us to take certain routes and visit the huge Kauri tree on our way to Hot Water Beach accommodation. We enjoyed our trip to the beautifully maintained garden and would highly recommend everyone visiting Coromandel Peninsula to stop by this hidden gem in Thames.
Written 24 November 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
music657
Auckland Central, New Zealand19 contributions
Aug 2020
Raupaura Watergardens is a unique place as the walks are tranquil through shady paths past numerous little water works cleverly designed. The walk up to the waterfall is well built. The red Monet bridge is gorgeous and you can sit and contemplate the small lake and see the ducks. The whole area is creative - we've been here 3 times over many years and we've stayed in the accommodation twice as it is such a special place. Great cafe too.
Written 13 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mariana J
Auckland Central, New Zealand6 contributions
Mar 2021
I highly recommend this easy walk with awesome waterfall view. The man we got our tickets from was incredibly friendly and welcoming and even gave us some food for the ducks.
We also went to the restaurant, the soup of the day was so delicious we had to order another.
Highly recommend the full experience including stopping at their cafe :)
We also went to the restaurant, the soup of the day was so delicious we had to order another.
Highly recommend the full experience including stopping at their cafe :)
Written 22 March 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Katey Y
15 contributions
Jan 2021 • Family
We had a lovely morning pottering through the gardens with our two little ones. The numerous lily ponds were beautiful, I loved the fern gardens and the waterfall was just stunning. We enjoyed hopping over the rocks and sipping our feet in the water. The food was delicious too- freshly made and done well. Would highly recommend this place.
Written 29 January 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Parkertron
York, UK59 contributions
Dec 2020 • Couples
Really loved the waterfalls. I think this is a good option for people wanting to experience some of the beautiful bush out here, without having to do a full on bush walk.
We really appreciated the thorough instructions and advice for what do in the area from the kind man on reception.
We spent about 45 mins doing both walks, a sit by one of the ponds, and also exploring the waterfalls a little.
Would recommend to those wanting to do something easy going and quaint.
Also just a few minutes drive from the square Kauri, which is also a relatively easy walk (short, though up hill)
We really appreciated the thorough instructions and advice for what do in the area from the kind man on reception.
We spent about 45 mins doing both walks, a sit by one of the ponds, and also exploring the waterfalls a little.
Would recommend to those wanting to do something easy going and quaint.
Also just a few minutes drive from the square Kauri, which is also a relatively easy walk (short, though up hill)
Written 14 December 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Scenic01610987153
1 contribution
Jan 2024 • Family
This is a fantastic place to visit. The owner meets and greets you and is so friendly. There are 2 walks a 15 minute one round the lower gardens then about a 30 minute walk up to the waterfall. We really enjoyed the area and would recommend to place on the to do list.
Written 3 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Curiosity68170620013
17 contributions
Jan 2024 • Couples
A visit to this beautiful garden is a must. It’s peaceful and lovely to admire the vision and work of the original owners that continues today. Follow the signs and pathway to see the waterful, Lilly ponds and bush. Bring a picnic to enjoy in the grounds too.
Written 5 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Patricia C
Houston, TX115 contributions
Nov 2022
Rapaura Gardens is a lovely place to visit. It's a bit off the beaten track but well worth the effort to find it. The gardens are serene and absolutely beautiful with great tracks to explore and just enjoy the beauty of the place. I definitely recommend a visit if you are on the North Island heading toward the Coromadel or Hobbiton. It is well worth the stop.
Written 30 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Henry
5 contributions
Jan 2023 • Friends
Gorgeous gardens with art tucked away for eyes to discover, as well as a walk through the bush to waterfalls. The hosts are super friendly and helpful. We have been to many gardens in the US, but nothing to match the peacefulness and serenity of Rapaura. Allow 45 minutes minimum.
Written 11 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sally Straughan
33 contributions
Sept 2023 • Friends
We stayed in the main house which is beautifully equipped and immaculate in presentation. There are multiple decks on all sides of the house which overlook the property where you can listen to the water rushing past and all the amazing birdsong. The walk around the property to the lakes and the waterfall are just amazing and plenty of really friendly ducks to accompany you. The kitchen is very well equipped too. We really enjoyed our stay and would definitely recommend to anyone looking for some peace and quiet.
Written 23 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Is the park suitable to visit with a pram?
Written 20 October 2018
Of course you can take a pram with you, but then you can
only see a small part of the possible walk. So the answer must be no.
Written 20 February 2019
Hi there and sorry I have not seen your query.
There were no signs that restricted dogs but there are many ducks walking around and begging you to feed them.
Best to answer that question are the gardens themselves.
Enjoy your walk to the falls
Written 3 June 2016
Showing results 1-5 of 5
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing