With its dazzling sunshine, blue skies and mild temperatures, Hawke’s Bay is a leading vacation destination for New Zealanders as well as out of country tourists. Named after Sir Edward Hawke, First Lord of the Admiralty (1766), this eastern region of New Zealand boasts almost 3,000 hours of sunshine every year, making it an ideal location for virtually every type of leisure time activity. Beautiful beaches and dramatic natural beauty scenery abound here. Two locations, Cape Kidnappers and Te Mata Peak, are famous landmarks that offer exquisite vistas. Cape Kidnappers also is home to a gannet colony, reputed to be the largest mainland colony in the world. Besides its award winning wines, the region has a lively arts scene – with the famous Art Deco cities of Napier and Hastings – a wide range of outstanding places to stay, fine dining, and a wide variety of local produce and cheeses. For complete information, check out www.hawkesbay.com or www.hawkesbaynz.com.
It’s important to remember that the New Zealand seasons are opposite to those of the northern hemisphere – winter in New Zealand is summer in the north. Regardless, due to its superb climate, this part of eastern New Zealand can be a year round destination. The off seasons of the winter (mid-June through August and spring (September through November) offer some great accommodation deals and one avoids having to work around the high-season crowds.
The following lists the three major towns in the Hawke’s Bay region, from north to south. All are charming spots to visit with a combination of art, history, and shopping opportunities.
Named after the British General Sir Charles Napier, the city was established in the 1840s as a whaling and trading station and is now situated in the middle of the oldest wine growing region in New Zealand. In 1931 a strong earthquake totally destroyed the town. It was rebuilt and today Napier has one of the most outstanding collections of 1930s architecture in the region, if not the country. The styles range from Spanish Mission and Stripped Classical to Art Deco. In fact this city is known as the Art Deco Capital of the world. There are many cafes within walking distance of the center of town, and do take a stroll along its Marine Parade which takes you past many of the city’s attractions.
www.napier.govt.nz
Like Napier, this city suffered much damage during the 1931 earthquake and was rebuilt in a similar style. The city boasts having one of the longest and most attractive shopping boulevards in the country. Hastings is considered one of the sunniest areas of New Zealand and the countryside surrounding it is full of orchards and vineyards. Many of Hawke’s Bay wineries are just a short trip from the center of town.
www.hastings.nz.com
This is a charming village near the slopes of Te Mata Peak. Considered the heart of Hawke’s Bay wine country, this town has lovely streets filled with shops, art galleries, and artist studios. Havelock North is also known for its wonderful parks and the Keirunga Gardens. This is the closet settlement to Cape Kidnappers which is the home of the largest mainland gannet colony in the world.
With its dazzling sunshine, blue skies and mild temperatures, Hawke’s Bay is a leading vacation destination for New Zealanders as well as out of country tourists. Named after Sir Edward Hawke, First Lord of the Admiralty (1766), this eastern region of New Zealand boasts almost 3,000 hours of sunshine every year, making it an ideal location for virtually every type of leisure time activity. Beautiful beaches and dramatic natural beauty scenery abound here. Two locations, Cape Kidnappers and Te Mata Peak, are famous landmarks that offer exquisite vistas. Cape Kidnappers also is home to a gannet colony, reputed to be the largest mainland colony in the world. Besides its award winning wines, the region has a lively arts scene – with the famous Art Deco cities of Napier and Hastings – a wide range of outstanding places to stay, fine dining, and a wide variety of local produce and cheeses.
For complete information, check out www.hawkesbay.com or www.hawkesbaynz.com.
