Queenstown - Wellington - Auckland

Day 6: Martinborough to Napier

On this page: Travel time:   Km/Miles Martinborough - Masterton 0.5 hr  45/28 Masterton - Hastings 2.75 hrs  216/135 Hastings - Napier 0.75 hr  20/13   Totals for Day 4 hrs  281/176

Martinborough - Masterton - Hastings - Napier

In recent years, Martinborough has become the gourmet capital of the lower North Island. It is home to over 25 boutique vineyards, several fabulous restaurants and a number of upmarket bed and breakfast establishments. From the charming town square, you can walk to most of the local attractions.

Enjoy the clean, green scenery as you drive north through the friendly townships of the Wairarapa. In Featherston you’ll find an interesting locomotive museum. Greytown has many beautiful examples of Victorian architecture and a quaint museum – take yourself on a self-guided walk. Carterton is a good place to shop for paua shell souvenirs – it’s also a place to enjoy daffodils in the spring.

Every year in March, Masterton hosts the international Golden Shears competition. Sheep shearing in the Wairarapa is both a sport and an art form. The town’s main park has an aviary, aquarium, deer park and a small boating lake. Or you could rediscover your childhood at the local toy museum.

Scenic Highlights

Castlepoint Scenic Reserve
At Castlepont you can hunt for one of the world's rarest daisies, climb Castle Rock or watch the waves for dolphins and fur seals.

Holdsworth
Pack a picnic basket for a day trip or gear up for a three day hike - this section of the Tararua Forest Park has something for everyone.

Pukaha Mount Bruce National Wildlife Centre
Cheeky kaka, friendly takahe and giant eels will have you reaching for your camera. Mount Bruce promises you some extraordinary wildlife encounters.

Putangirua Pinnacles Scenic Reserve
You don't have to travel far to find yourself on another planet. The Putangirua Pinnacles are just an hour's drive from Martinborough.

Riversdale Beach
Riversdale Beach is where the people of Wairarapa come to play. It's a great place for swimming, surfing, snorkelling, golf and fishing.

Activities

Wairarapa
Arts & Crafts (3), Wineries (4)

Tour and Sightseeing

Wairarapa
Wineries (3)

Martinborough - Masterton - Hastings - Napier

Every year in March, Masterton hosts the international Golden Shears competition. Sheep shearing in the Wairarapa is both a sport and an art form. The town’s main park has an aviary, aquarium, deer park and a small boating lake. Or you could rediscover your childhood at the local toy museum.

On the drive to Hastings, you’ll encounter a wildlife sanctuary at Mt Bruce and the legendary town of Eketahuna (in kiwi slang Eketahuna is the archetypal hick town). The Tararua Windfarm (it makes electricity out of thin air) is a little further north – to see it, follow the road to Ballance. After the antique shops of Woodville you can inspect locally made knitwear in Dannevirke, a town originally settled by Scandinavians. The rural service towns of Waipukurau and Waipawa both have historic buildings to view.

Hastings was devastated by the 1931 earthquake, so has plenty of Art Deco and Spanish Mission-style architecture to see. Fabulous parks, pipfruit and delicious ice cream are three other reasons to visit Hastings.

Scenic Highlights

Cape Kidnappers
Getting to Cape Kidnappers is half the fun. You can walk, ride on a tractor trailer or paddle a kayak.

Castlepoint Scenic Reserve
At Castlepont you can hunt for one of the world's rarest daisies, climb Castle Rock or watch the waves for dolphins and fur seals.

Holdsworth
Pack a picnic basket for a day trip or gear up for a three day hike - this section of the Tararua Forest Park has something for everyone.

Pukaha Mount Bruce National Wildlife Centre
Cheeky kaka, friendly takahe and giant eels will have you reaching for your camera. Mount Bruce promises you some extraordinary wildlife encounters.

Riversdale Beach
Riversdale Beach is where the people of Wairarapa come to play. It's a great place for swimming, surfing, snorkelling, golf and fishing.

Activities

Hawkes Bay
Farms (1)

Wairarapa
Arts & Crafts (3), Horse Treks (1)

Tour and Sightseeing

Hawkes Bay
Farms (1), Gardens (1)

Martinborough - Masterton - Hastings - Napier

Hastings was devastated by a huge earthquake in 1931. As a result, the city has a great deal of remarkable Art Deco and Spanish Mission-style architecture. Fabulous parks and delicious ice cream are two other reasons to visit Hastings. In the apple and pear season, there’s no better place to be – Hastings is New Zealand’s leading pipfruit region.

The city of Napier is only 20 kilometres to the north of Hastings. It was also levelled by the 1931 earthquake, and rebuilt in the style of the times. Napier is now considered the Art Deco Capital of the world. To get in touch with the history of this region, visit the Earthquake Exhibition and Nga Tukemata (an exhibition which celebrates the Maori history of the East Coast) at the local museum. The vineyards of Hawke’s Bay are all within easy reach of Napier. Another attraction is the gannet colony at Cape Kidnappers.

Scenic Highlights

Cape Kidnappers
Getting to Cape Kidnappers is half the fun. You can walk, ride on a tractor trailer or paddle a kayak.

Napier - Art Deco Architecture
Beautifully preserved 1930s architecture is Napier's special point of difference.

Lake Tutira
Lake Tutira is an idyllic place to have a picnic or pitch a tent. Hike the walkway or see how many bird species you can count.

Activities

Hawkes Bay
Farms (1), Heritage Attractions (1)

Tour and Sightseeing

Hawkes Bay
Farms (1), Gardens (1), Heritage Attractions (1)