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Blow your socks off with the hidden airport strip location
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New Zealand Adventures

🛬 Locals' secret plane-spotting spot!
Tucked away on a backroad you’d never normally drive down, this is the place to watch planes land and take off — up close and personal! Just don’t park or stand directly behind the airstrip… or you will get blown away. 💨

We’ve seen cars on the grass verge getting pushed back, and even scooters (including ours 😅) knocked over from the force — and they weren’t even that close!

🔥 For the thrill-seekers, there’s something called jetblasting — and yep, it’s exactly as wild as it sounds. A local tip we tried when the big planes from LA used to visit Raro… and it was insane. It’s risky, it’s frowned upon by the airport 🚫, but it’s unforgettable.

If you’re game:

  • Lay on the ground and grab the pole on the fence 🪵

  • Or brace your butt against the wooden posts and cling on to the fence like your life depends on it 😆

  • Lose the hat and sunnies 🧢🕶️ (I lost mine!)

  • Eyes closed once the engines roar — trust us, you’ll do it instinctively.

🌬️ It’s rare for the wind to be blowing in the right direction for take-offs this way, but if it lines up — it's an epic experience. Otherwise, just chill to the side and enjoy the view of planes soaring in and out. Still amazing!

📍Bonus tip: The seawall is another great (and safer!) place to watch the action.

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