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Northland contains some of the best beaches in New Zealand and coupled with its sub-tropical climate, it puts this region on the map as a summer destination. It is often referred to by New Zealanders as the Far North, or the Winterless North. Northland is bounded to the west by the Tasman Sea, and to the east by the Pacific Ocean. The land is predominantly rolling hill country. Farms and forests occupy over half of the land.
The western coast of the region is dominated by several long straight beaches, the most famous of which is the inaccurately named 88 kilometre-long stretch of Ninety Mile Beach in the region's far north. The east coast is more rugged, and is dotted with scenic bays, peninsulas, and white sand beaches.
The northernmost points of the North Island mainland lie at the top of Northland. These include several points often confused as being the country's northernmost points: Cape Maria van Diemen, Spirits Bay, Cape Reinga, and North Cape. The northernmost point of the North Island is actually the Surville Cliffs, close to North Cape, although the northernmost point of the country is further north in the Kermadec chain of islands. Cape Reinga and Spirits Bay do, however, have a symbolic part to play as the end of the country. In Māori mythology, it is from here that the souls of the dead depart on their journey to the afterlife.
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