Experience Life in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
Spectacular glaciers, picturesque fiords, rugged mountains, vast plains, rolling hillsides, subtropical forest, volcanic plateau, miles of coastline with gorgeous sandy beaches – this is New Zealand.
Hawke’s Bay is a region located on the East Coast of New Zealand’s North Island.
To get a feel for the Hawke’s Bay region’s geography, head up to Te Mata Peak, where you’ll be rewarded with spectacular views in every direction and from here hang gliders soar above the alluvial Heretaunga Plains.
On a clear day you can see the volcano of Ruapehu in the distance – hundreds of kilometres away. The nature trails, the majestic hundred-year-old giant redwoods here, are perfect for hikers and mountain bikers.
Cape Kidnappers, our impressive sandstone headland with its dramatic cliffs is home to more than 20,000 gannets, the largest gannet colony in Australasia.
Hawke’s Bay is a mecca for excellent food and wine and is known as ‘the fruit bowl of New Zealand”. During summer, peaches, yellow fleshed nectarines, apricots, cherries, plums and all varieties of berries can be found for sale at road-side stalls. Try a real berry ice-cream or ‘pick your own’ fruit. Delicious Hawke’s Bay apples and pears are harvested in autumn.
Blessed with fertile soils and a warm, temperate climate, we are among New Zealand’s leading producers of wine; notably red wines – cabernet sauvignon, merlot and syrah – and stunning chardonnays.
The two largest urban areas are Napier and Hastings. The city of Napier is full of beautifully preserved 1930s architecture, the result of a rebuild after a massive earthquake. Because of this, stepping into Napier’s vibrant city centre is like stepping into a 1930s time capsule.
Hasting’s city centre has plenty of chill-out open spaces and a growing number of restaurants, cafes, and wine bars.
The region offers a big, beautiful trail network with 200kms of dedicated cycle paths and quiet country roads. It’s a great way to see Hawke’s Bay while soaking up the scenery through coastal towns, scenic wetlands, and river pathways. Nature-lovers will find plenty to see and enjoy.
Hawke’s Bay is a great place to work and play, and the people who live here are warm and welcoming. It doesn’t take long to settle in and feel at home.
