Escape to the Cape
Bask in the solitude as you take one of the Southern Hemisphere's great coastal road journeys, State Highway 35, around the East Cape to Gisborne. Renowned for its excellent surfing breaks, perfect swimming beaches and miles of untouched coastline, Eastland - from Opotiki around the East Cape to Gisborne, and on to Mahia and Wairoa, is famous as New Zealand's coastal playground.
Opotiki is the northern gateway to Eastland and State Highway 35 (part of the Pacific Coast Highway). Time slows down in this magical part of the world where there are scores of beautiful beaches, bays and quaint coastal villages. Known colloquially as "The East Coast" this touring route offers some of the world's most spectacular coastal scenery and breathtaking ocean views.
Follow the Tairawhiti Heritage trail which highlights the historical and cultural sites of interest. Take a stroll along the Tolaga Bay Wharf, (Gisborne 54kms) at 660 metres, it is the longest pier in New Zealand. Turn off at Ruatoria (Gisborne 130kms) towards Mt Hikurangi, at 1752 meters it is the first point on mainland New Zealand to see the sunrise each day. Permission is required to climb the mountain. Standing as a memorial to Ngati Porou soldiers who died in the First World War the St Mary's Church at Tikitiki (Gisborne 149kms) is one of the most ornate Maori churches in New Zealand. At the most easterly point on mainland New Zealand stands the East Coast Lighthouse (Gisborne 174kms). The historic lighthouse stands 154m above sea-level accessed by a walking track of approximately 700 steps.
Gisborne City, the most easterly city in the world, is the first to welcome the sunrise each and every day. And where the sun first rises it likes to linger, for Eastland is blessed with a sub-tropical climate most-often enjoying clear blue skies and warm, lazy sunshine. The perfect base for exploring all that Eastland has to offer, Gisborne's city centre is a sunny, palm-shaded, pedestrian friendly esplanade on the shores of the Pacific Ocean.
Travel the southern reaches of Eastland to explore "New Zealand as it use to be". Here you will discover forest-fringed Lake Waikaremoana - the centrepiece of New Zealand's third largest national park, Te Urewera. This hauntingly beautiful extract of forest is the largest remaining in the North Island and offers excellent outdoor pursuits opportunities. It is also one of New Zealand's 10 Great Walks. Take the time to stop at Morere Hot Springs, situated amoungst native bush it offers hot thermal pools and short walks under the Nikau Palms.
Eastland hosts a wide range of soft adventure activities - surfing, safe swimming (in both lakes and ocean), white water rafting, horse trekking, bush walks, jet boating, trout fishing, deep sea fishing, golf, diving, kayaking and snorkeling with sharks (in a cage of course).
A warm and genuine welcome is offered to visit and enjoy this unique and diverse part of New Zealand - Come and rediscover the true spirit of a New Zealand holiday.
Gisborne
Gisborne, the first city in the world to see the sun each day, is located on the sunny East Coast of the North Island.
The Maori name for the district is Tairawhiti which means "The coast upon which the sun shines across the water". Kaiti Beach, near the city, was where the Maori immigrational waka, Horouta, landed; and is also the first European landing place in New Zealand.
Captain Cook first set foot here in 1769. European settlement was established in 1831 and the town which developed was named after Hon. William Gisborne, the Colonial Secretary, in 1870.
Prior to this the settlement was known as Turanga but confusion with Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, led to the name change. To the early Maori the Poverty Bay area was known as Turanganui-a-Kiwa, "The stopping place of Kiwa". Gisborne became a borough in 1877 and a city in 1955.
Wairoa
Wairoa, 118km northeast of Napier and 99km south of Gisborne is a pretty town situated on the banks of the broad Wairoa River, and is the southern gateway to Eastland. The Maori name means "Long water".
It is the gateway to the wilderness playgrounds of Te Urewera National Park and Lake Waikaremoana.
Activities to be enjoyed include lake kayaking, trout fishing, boating, day walks and a multi-day walking trip around magnificent Lake Waikaremoana, one of New Zealand's 10 Great Walks.
North from Wairoa is Mahia Peninsula, a beach-fringed promontory jutting into the Pacific providing a mecca for fishermen, surfers, divers and those looking for the quintessential beach holiday.
Inland from Mahia on the highway between Gisborne and Wairoa are the Morere Hot Springs set in a nikau-predominant native bush reserve with superb walking tracks.
Wairoa (district population of 10,000, town around 5200) provides an excellent, sheltered venue for waterskiing, yachting and rowing and features a relocated lighthouse set on the banks of the river.
Opotiki
Opotiki, in the Bay of Plenty, is located at the confluence of the Waioeka and Otara Rivers.
The name Opotiki originated from the name of a spring, O-Potiki-Mai-Tawhiti, situated on the eastern bluff above Waiotahi Beach.
The extensive Bay of Plenty coastline provides large stretches of safe, sandy beaches alternated by rocky points ideal for swimming, fishing, boating, or scuba diving. There are also numerous rivers for fishing, rafting, kayaking and jet-boating.
The town (population 5000) marks the "fork in road" where SH2 continues for 147km via the magnificent native bush-lined Waioeka Gorge and over a saddle in the ranges to Gisborne; or branches into SH35, part of the Pacific Coast Highway, which winds its way for 334km around the spectacular East Cape to the same destination.