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The Pacific Coast Highway takes you on a 420 kilometre, ocean-flavoured journey
to spectacular coastal scenery and beaches, forest wilderness, photogenic seaside
villages and grape growing districts.
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| The largest city in New Zealand – Auckland - offers countless dining options. |
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The cities of Auckland, Tauranga, Gisborne, Napier and Hastings will satisfy
your urge to wine, dine and shop. Amazing natural landscapes such as White Island
- an active offshore volcano - will colour your travel memories forever.
Route Summary
Most people begin this driving route in Auckland, New Zealand's main international
gateway. The Coromandel Peninsula follows, with its beaches and native forests.
After the gold mining town of Waihi, the road sweeps along the Bay of Plenty,
passing Tauranga and Whakatane, then around East Cape to Hawke's Bay, finishing
at Napier. From here you can link to the Thermal Explorer touring route and travel
back to Auckland.
Key Features
The North Island's east coast is famed for its white sand beaches - some tranquil,
others frothing with surf. Make sure you see Cathedral Cove on the Coromandel
Peninsula, well worth the 40 minute hike to get there. A little further south
is Hot Water Beach, where you can dig your own spa pool at low tide and relax
in geothermally heated water that bubbles up through the sand. Other beach highlights
on your journey will include the surf beaches of Whangamata, Waihi and Mount Maunganui
- the latter comes complete with a slick resort town and an excellent choice of
good restaurants. Offshore from Whakatane lies White Island, an active volcano
that is safe enough for walking tours.
| New Zealand's most popular surf beaches are protected by volunteer surf life savers. |
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East Cape is memorable for the series of small Maori settlements that dot the
main highway. The beautifully carved meeting houses you'll see aren't just for
show, they're used every day. One of the bigger population centres on this trip
is Te Kaha, a seaside town that was once the hub of the local whaling industry.
Te Kaha's large marae (village centre) is famous for its highly ornate meeting
house, which you can look through with permission. In Gisborne you can arrange
to visit the remarkable whare rununga at Te Poho O Rawiri Marae - the interior
is a work of art. To secure a piece of high quality contemporary Maori art, make
time to view Tairawhiti Museum & Arts Centre.
From a hedonistic point of view, the Pacific Coast Highway never fails to satisfy.
Auckland is the unofficial headquarters for Pacific Rim cuisine. At Viaduct Basin
and along Ponsonby Road, innovative chefs play with the freshest ingredients from
local growers and producers. In Gisborne and Hawke's Bay, winery restaurants make
it easy to appreciate lush Chardonnay, smooth Merlot and spicy Cabernet Sauvignon
in the company of first class cuisine.
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PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY
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Seasonal Tips
DURING YOUR VISIT
Spend a night on Mount Hikurangi, the first place on mainland New Zealand to see the sunrise each day; or catch a tractor tour to the Cape Kidnappers gannet colony, where the nesting season is getting underway.
Spring is a nice time to walk the streets of Napier, where you'll find a treasure trove of Spanish Mission, Stripped Classical, and Art Deco architecture.
Key Tips
- If you want to climb Mt Hikurangi, you'll need permission from Te Runanga Ngati
Porou (Tribal Authority).
- New Zealand has strict drink driving rules. If you plan a tasting tour of Hawke's
Bay wineries, hire a mountain bike or catch a minivan.
- There are 12 i-SITE Visitor Centres along the Pacific Coast Highway.
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