September 2017: As part of a larger two-week trip across the South Pacific, my wife and I spent two days in New Zealand with one goal: to visit one of the wild glowworm caves. While there are many commercial show caves, I wanted to find one without any tourist infrastructure, where we could explore at our own risk. I found this in the Waipu Cave system. The drive was about 5 hours from Auckland, so we rented a car upon arrival and headed north. Half the fun of every adventure is the drive itself, so we stopped along the way to visit local parks, waterfalls, and protected forest reserves, where lush ferns covered the undergrowth.
Waipu Caves
This visit to Auckland was my second. I first came here for a few days when I was 20 years old, back in 1997. It felt great to return after all these years, and I couldn’t help but recall how exotic Auckland seemed to me back then.
Auckland 1997
Landscapes from the backroads
A small forest reserve with waterfalls 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. Once the sun began to rise, we braved the freezing winter cold and started our hike to the caves, flashlights in hand. I chose Waipu because it was the closest wild glow worm cave to Auckland, with no tourist infrastructure, giving us the freedom to explore at our own pace. The Waipu cave network was vast, surrounded by lush forest, and home to a thriving population of glow worms. These worms glow to attract insects, which become entangled in their glowing threads, slowly being dissolved and 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 eye on the weather forecast. This was particularly important because a river runs through the cave system, and with little warning, flash floods can occur. In fact, these floods have tragically swept people away in the past, leading to fatalities in the caves. I wanted to ensure that the conditions were safe before venturing in.
Paula in Waipu
Paula in Waipu
Paula in Waipu
Paula and I were the only visitors to the cave that day. After hiking for a couple of hours, we reached the highlight of the adventure—the glow worm section, about 30 minutes into the cave. This was where we spent the most time, just soaking in the mesmerizing sight of countless blue dots glowing softly in the dark, their light flickering in the silence of the cave. It was one of those rare moments of complete stillness and awe.
My biggest regret from that day is not capturing a better photo of the glow worms. I wish I had taken more time to set up a shot, but my skills and patience just weren’t up to it. In the end, all I have is a photo of a stalactite, with a few faint blue dots barely visible. It’s a reminder of what I saw, but it doesn’t quite do the experience justice.
Glow worms on a stalagtite.
From New Zealand, Paula and I continued our journey to Tonga, where we had the incredible opportunity to swim with humpback whales.