Napier Travel Guide: Travel and tourist information, things to do and see in Napier

Undoubtedly, New Zealand's most unusual city, arrival in Napier marks the end of the Pacific Coast Highway - at least for those travelling in a southerly direction! Completely rebuilt following a devastating earthquake in 1931, it features one of the densest concentrations of art deco buildings in the world.

It is a fascinating city, benefiting from a good coastal location and a Mediterranean-like climate. This is no doubt key to the status of the surrounding area of Hawke's Bay being one of New Zealand's top wine producers.

The Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot wines are particularly fine and can be enjoyed at the numerous cafés lining the streets. Marine Parade, a seaside development with parks, sunken gardens as well as more traditional seaside amusements is also within the town, as are the Kiwi House, Marineland and Hawkes Bay Aquarium.

The surrounds of Napier offer much to explore, especially for those with a taste for wine and a visit to some of the quality vineyards that characterise the region is a must.

Those looking for nature should head to Cape Kidnappers - the world's largest onshore gannetry, which comes to life between late October and late April or visit the impressive Te Mata Peak, steeped in Maori legend.

Since the mid-nineteenth century, Hawkes Bay has been recognised as a premium wine-growing centre. Today eighteen wine producers produce one third of the national grape harvest and many are open for winetastings and lunch. An extended, dry ripening system with low humidity and high sunshine hours consistently produce elegant full flavoured wines with a fine bouquet and an ability to develop with age.

Cape Kidnappers' Gannet Reserve is another major attraction, and contains the largest, most accessible mainland colony in the world. Tours regularly operate to take visitors to the sanctuary.

A visit to the attractions of Marine Parade is also a must. View kiwi birds at the Napier Kiwi House, visit the Hawkes Bay Museum, the Aquarium and experience an 'earthquake' at the Stables Complex. Marineland of New Zealand has performing dolphins, sea lions and other marine animals. Swimming with the dolphins is also available at Marineland.

Many restaurants, bars, businesses and shops are located in historic buildings of the 1930s in Downtown Napier. You can not only look at Art Deco, but also eat, drink sleep, bank and shop in it.

Among the many exhibitions at the Hawke's Bay Museum (on Marine Parade and Herschell Street) is one that tells the story of the 1931 earthquake and features "Survivors Stories", a 20 minute video. Open 9am to 6pm daily (no admission after 5.30pm) in summer (1 Dec - 30 April), and 10am to 5pm no admission after 4.30pm) in winter. You've time to find out all about the earthquake before you take a Morning Guided Walk.

Nearby Hastings, only 20 kms away, was also rebuilt after the 1931 Earthquake and emphasises the Spanish Mission style, with some superb examples.

Suggest a change to the Napier Things to do section (click to dropdown)

Population: 4.035.500
Languages: English, Maori (both official)
Currency: New Zealand dollar
Currency code: NZD
Local Times:
New Zealand - Auckland

New Zealand - Chatham Island

New Zealand - Wellington

Country Dialling Code: +64
Voltage: 240V 50Hz
Electrical plugs:
Flat prongs, inverted 'V' positioned with earth connector

Flat prongs, inverted 'V' positioned with earth connector

It's been Middle Earth and Narnia in the movies but New Zealand's beautiful landscapes are no fantasy.

With a varied and dramatic landscape, a long and significant cultural heritage, and some of the world's rarest and most fascinating plant and animal species, New Zealand is an ideal adventure travel destination. Take a trip here and discover why New Zealand has it all - from flightless birds to breaching whales and breathtaking fjords to erupting geysers.

New Zealand comes with a reputation as a unique land packed with magnificent, raw scenery : craggy coastlines, sweeping beaches, primeval forests, snow-capped alpine mountains, bubbling volcanic pools, fast-flowing rivers and glacier-fed lakes, all beneath a brilliant blue sky. The far north is a subtropical haven of unspoilt beaches, citrus fruits and hibiscus flowers, while volcanic mud pools and geysers feature in the central part of North Island. The South Island boasts whale watching, ice glaciers and rugged snow-covered Alps. And yes, there are many wide-open spaces.

What's more, everything is easily accessible, packed into a land area little larger than Britain and with a population of just 3.8 million, over half of it tucked away in the three largest cities : Auckland, the capital Wellington, and the South Island's Christchurch. Elsewhere, you can travel miles through steep-hilled farmland and rarely see a soul, and there are even remote spots which, it's reliably contended, no human has ever visited.

Geologically, New Zealand split off from the super-continent of Gondwanaland early, developing a unique ecosystem in which birds adapted to fill the role normally held by mammals, many becoming flightless through lack of predators.

Only in the last couple of decades has New Zealand come of age and developed a true national self-confidence, something partly forced on it by Britain severing the colonial apron strings in the early 1970s, and partly by the resurgence of Maori identity. Maori demands have been nurtured by a willingness on the part of most pakeha to redress the wrongs perpetrated over the last century and a half, as long as it doesn't impinge on their high standard of living or overall feeling of control. More recently, integration has been replaced with a policy of promoting two cultures alongside each other, but with maximum interaction. In this way New Zealand is set to forge through the new century with considerable dignity and a good deal of uncertainty.

The British represent the second largest group of visitors to New Zealand - after neighbouring Australia. But at 12,000 miles away from the UK it's a once-in-a-lifetime destination for many and takes a bit of planning.

Most British travellers either tack New Zealand on to the end of an Australian holiday and regret not having enough time, or take two or three weeks and race around like mad to see the whole country. While New Zealand is small enough to 'do' in that time, a more enjoyable option is to spend longer at just a few places - and then you have an excuse to go back!

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