Tourism New Zealand's Trade Website

Taranaki Region

www.taranaki.info/visit

Taranaki is dominated by the volcanic cone that inspires all that live and visits the region and is set in the Egmont National Park.

The region is recognised for it glorious parks and gardens, great walking and cycling, it turbulent history told through its museums, superb surfing and an eclectic arts culture.

Key selling points

• Mt Taranaki offers its visitors many experiences from the lower slopes to the stunning views from the 2518m summit; it offers a range of experiences unique to the region, and easily accessible from anywhere in the province. The Maunganui Skifield offers skiing and boarding in the winter months, and a range of Taranaki tour guides offer expert guidance for those keen to reach the summit of this spectacular peak.
• Taranaki is fringed by a dynamic coast, home to world-class surf breaks, pristine empty black sand beaches, and three protected marine parks that have shaped the way the people of Taranaki live.
• Between the coast and the mountain lie rich plains, offering fertile dairying pastures, bush-clad river valleys, and countless parks, reserves, historic sites, and award winning gardens, each with their own story to tell.
• Surf Highway 45 has three distinct stories; the first and most obvious is of wave fuelled adventure, the second is of a unique natural environment, perched between the spectacular brooding Mt Taranaki and the dynamic forces of the spirited Taranaki coastline and thirdly the graphic story of its Kiwi culture - through its rich history and creative people.
• Forgotten World Highway 43; New Zealand first heritage trail, the trail offers an unparalleled journey through Taranaki’s pioneering past and amazing landscapes.

Key centres

• New Plymouth, the region’s main city, was declared the Top Town in New Zealand by the North & South magazine in November 2008. Later that month the United Nations endorsed Liveable Communities Awards found New Plymouth the best city of its size in the world, and the city's Coastal Walkway the world's best environmental project. Boasting the highly rated Puke Ariki museum and Govett Brewster Art Gallery, New Plymouth will host three games in the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
• Hawera is the main centre of South Taranaki wedged between Mt Taranaki's majestic cone and the Tasman Sea. The district boasts outdoor pursuits to satisfy the most hyperactive visitor and some of the best tramping, fishing and surfing in New Zealand.
• Stratford, centrally located in Taranaki, the township is the main gateway to both Mt Taranaki and New Zealand first heritage trail - the Forgotten World Highway.

Climate

New Plymouth:

Mean daily temperatures - degrees Centigrade/Fahrenheit