September 2017: As part of a two-week journey across the South Pacific, my wife and I spent two days in New Zealand with one goal: to explore a wild glowworm cave. Rather than visiting a commercial show cave, we sought an unmanaged one where we could venture at our own risk. This led us to the Waipu Cave system. Upon arriving in Auckland, we rented a car and drove five hours north, making stops along the way to visit local parks, waterfalls, and protected forest reserves, where lush ferns blanketed the undergrowth.

Waipu Caves
This was my second visit to Auckland. The first time, I spent a few days here in 1997 when I was 20 years old. Returning after all these years, I couldn’t help but reflect on how exotic Auckland had seemed to me back then. It was a nostalgic experience, seeing the city again through a different lens.

Auckland 1997

Landscapes from the backroads

A small forest reserve with waterfalls that we hiked to along the way to Waipu cave
Waipu Glow Worm Cave
We arrived at Waipu early in the morning and decided to sleep in our car for a few hours until sunrise. As the first light broke, we braved the freezing winter cold and began our hike to the caves, flashlights in hand. I chose Waipu because it was the closest wild glowworm cave to Auckland, free from tourist infrastructure, allowing us to explore entirely at our own pace.
The cave network was vast, surrounded by lush forest, and home to a thriving population of glowworms. These bioluminescent creatures use their eerie blue glow to attract insects, which become ensnared in their sticky threads—slowly dissolving and being digested alive over time.

Me at the entrance
A month before our trip, the caves had been closed due to heavy rains and flash floods, so I kept a close watch on the weather forecast. This was especially important because a river runs through the cave system, and flash floods can occur with little warning. In fact, these sudden floods have tragically swept people away in the past, leading to fatalities. I wanted to be absolutely certain the conditions were safe before venturing inside.

Paula in Waipu

Paula in Waipu

Paula crossing a stream in Waipu
Paula and I had the cave entirely to ourselves that day. After a couple of hours of hiking, we reached the highlight of our adventure—the glowworm section, about 30 minutes into the cave. Here, we lingered the longest, captivated by the mesmerizing sight of countless blue dots glowing softly in the darkness, their light flickering in the stillness. It was one of those rare moments of complete silence and awe.
My only regret from that day is not capturing a better photo of the glowworms. I wish I had taken more time to set up the shot, but my skills—and patience—weren’t quite up to the challenge. In the end, all I have is a photo of a stalactite with a few faint blue dots barely visible. It serves as a reminder of what we saw, but it doesn’t come close to doing the experience justice.

Glow worms on a stalagtite.
From New Zealand, Paula and I continued our journey to Tonga, where we had the incredible experience of swimming with humpback whales-Swimming with Humpback Whales in Eua Island and Getting to Know One of the Most Traditional South Pacific Island Nations | Venture The Planet. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be in the water alongside these majestic creatures.