About

Madhuban….

I’m Madhu, the fortunate owner of the Apartment Hotel Madhuban. Madhuban is my family home, purchased in 2019, and originally a four bedroom dwelling. After carefully planned renovations, which still continue, the residence has been converted to three self contained, unique, fully furnished Apartment Hotel suites, for our guests wishing to explore the mesmerizing Bay of Islands, and the Far North. Our suites are equipped with bathrooms, kitchen, laundry, parking facilities and more.

A welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere greets you on arrival at the apartment hotel. The general ambience, the sounds of waves crashing on the shore, and the individual care that we can provide, makes us unique. We are small – with only three suites, each with its separate entrance. Each suite has a private kitchen and bathroom and can accommodate four adults, at very competitive rates per person. Book your next stay with us now. We are the only waterfront vacation rental in Whangaroa, with shallow waters right across the road, the sea is a sort of a large, pool almost attached to the property.

Pardon our dust – a massive pergola, resting place, and a bathroom across from the sea is under construction.

Madhuban is a Hindi/Sanskrit word, derived from the roots Madhu+Bann, meaning honey, and forest. The literal meaning of the word is “forest of honey”. But when used together, the root word “honey” symbolically alludes to enchantment. And hence, the closest meaning of Madhuban is “An Enchanted Forest”. And this slice of heaven, Whangaroa, sure is a mystical experience. A play on root words, tongue in cheek and Madhuban becomes Madhu’s enchanted forest. 🙂

The Maori call Whangaroa as the land of the Gods. Madhuban is located at the base of the sacred Ohakiri Pa, or what is now popularly known as St Paul’s Rock. The legends of Ohakiri Pa are detailed in my Blog. Having had a background in Depth Psychology, and being an ardent admirer of Carl Gustav Jung, the richness of folklore irresistibly drew me here. I could not have found a more suitable place for a home.

The actual name of the village is Whaingaroa. In Maori tradition, the name commemorates the lament “whaingaroa” or “what a long wait” of a woman whose warrior husband had left for a foray to the south. Today the correct name is honoured by local iwi, who preserve the historic precedent in the name of our runanga, Te Runanga O Whaingaroa.

About me – I am originally from India. For almost 20 years, I had found a permanent home in the outskirts of Yosemite National Park, in sunny California, but destiny brought me here. Travel is my passion, but that travel which is immersive and experiential, not just plain sightseeing. Travel that imbibes a lasting experience of culture, food, people, traditions, even religions. And so, I travel to lands rich in history and culture, lands that intrigue me because of what has been before us. Like Whangaroa, or more precisely, Whaingaroa – the enchanting, magical harbor where I currently reside – until wanderlust beckons.

I share my home with fellow travelers, with a hope that they see my tiny beautiful village and its inhabitants thru the window of time, and fall in love with it and them as much as I did. Not only because of all the To Do Stuff that the transitioning travelers can cram into their itinerary within their short stay, but also because of what the past here symbolizes, and its connection to who we have been, who we are, and the becoming of us. Such experience and awareness is eternal…

Madhuban - NZ