Hawkes Bay
Table of Contents: Regions / Cities / Other destinations / Culture and History / Talk / Travel to Hawkes Bay, visa requirements By road Flights to Hawkes Bay, airtickets By boat / Get around / Hawkes Bay attractions and sightseeing / Itineraries / City tours / Food and Wine Tours / Good restaurants and cheap meals / Hawkes Bay nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs. / Stay safe / Get out More from North Island (New Zealand): Greater Wellington, Hawkes Bay, Taranaki, Waikato, Wanganui |
Hawkes Bay [1] is a district on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand.
Regions
- Northern Hawke's Bay
- Central Hawke's Bay
Cities
- Napier - famed for its Art Deco architecture
- Hastings - includes the districts of Flaxmere and Havelock North, also has Art Deco architecture and is well known for fantastic food and copious sunshine
- Elsthorpe - excellent rural New Zealand
- Wairoa - small coastal settlement in northern Hawkes Bay
Other destinations
- Central Hawke's bay
- Dannevirke
- Waipukurau
- Waipawa
- Porangahau
- Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu (which translates into English as The hilltop, where Tamatea with big knees, conqueror of mountains, eater of land, traveller over land and sea, played his koauau (nose flute) to his beloved).
- Northern Hawke's Bay
- Lake Morere
- Mahia Peninsula
- Lake Waikaremoana
- Te Urewera National Park
- Morere Hot Springs
Culture and History
The Hawkes Bay district gets its name from Hawke Bay, a large bay in the North Island's eastern coastline. The district extends south to the Wairarapa.
The Hawkes Bay was one of the original colonial provinces when New Zealand was colonised by British settlers in the mid to late nineteenth century. The flat fertile land has been developed for farming. Initially sheep, later beef and dairying as well as forestry, orcharding and cropping. The warm dry sunny climate makes the region ideal for winegrowing and the vineyard industry has developed strongly in recent years.
Talk
Travel to Hawkes Bay, visa requirements
By road
- State Highway 2 passes through the centre of Napier and Hastings and the provincial towns.
- State Highway 5 - the Napier-Taupo road - joins State Highway 2 just north of Napier.
- If travelling from the south, State Highway 50 provides a scenic route that is more direct to Napier and bypasses Waipukurau, Waipawa and Hastings. This road is of a slightly lower standard than State Highway 2 and has some narrow winding sections that need to be taken slowly as well as a couple of single lane bridges with sharp approach coners at the bottom of steep grades, so take care.
- If travelling from Taihepe the historic Taihepe road over the Kaweka ranges could be entertaining. It has an incrediably steep bit called the 'gentle anne' and and the store keeper at the bottom kept a team of Draught horses especially to carry wagons over this one peice of road. Much of the road is dirt, but still easily driveable in a 2 wheel hatch back. It comes out at Fernhill halfway between Hastings and Napier.
Flights to Hawkes Bay, airtickets
- The Napier Airport serves the region with domestic flights from most locations withing New Zealand.
By boat
- Luxury cruise liners often visit the port of napier and allow day excersions around Hawkes Bay. If you are visiting it would be wise to hire a car if you are interested in exploring
Get around
Hawkes Bay attractions and sightseeing
- Cape Kidnappers - gannet colony and panoramic views of the bay
- Te Mata peak - drive to the top for panoramic views
Itineraries
City tours
Food and Wine Tours
http://grapeescapenz.co.nz
Hawke’s Bay Wine Country is New Zealand’s leading food and wine region. With over 2200 hours of sunshine, Hawke’s Bay is a year-round holiday destination with an eclectic mix of visual and sensory experiences.
Hawke’s Bay is the country’s oldest winemaking region and is New Zealand’s leading producer of award winning red wines. Hawke’s Bay is also home to a world-class fresh local produce and artisan food producers complemented by a vibrant arts scene and a rich Maori culture.
Whether it is the fresh bud burst of spring, long hot languid days of summer, the golden hues of harvest or crisp air and blue skies of winter, Hawke’s Bay Wine Country is waiting to be discovered.
Meet like- minded people and share an appreciation of Hawke's Bay's fantastic wines. Taste great wines made with passion and learn of the areas unique growing conditions. Take home great tasting wines and memories.
Depart Napier 1pm – Return 5pm
Visit 4 – 5 local wineries Tour Includes Taste Syrah, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and much more Some of New Zealand's finest cheeses matched with wine Walk amongst the vines and learn about Terroir Winery tour can be arranged if requested when booking We like to keep our tours as flexible as possible and always set time aside for people wanting to take time for a winery lunch. We start half an hour earlier if lunch is requested. “Highly recommended”
Good restaurants and cheap meals
Hawkes Bay nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs.
Stay safe
Get out
More from North Island (New Zealand): Greater Wellington, Hawkes Bay, Taranaki, Waikato, Wanganui |
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