Napier & Hawke's Bay

Rebuilt in Art Deco style after the 1931 earthquake, Napier is one of the sunniest spots in the country and the hub of the Hawke's Bay wine region. Cycle the vineyard trails, wander the 1930s streets and follow the coast around to the Cape Kidnappers gannet colony.

Camp near the waterfront and settle into a warm, easygoing pace. It's a comfortable stop on the eastern route through the North Island.

Napier was flattened by an earthquake in 1931 and rebuilt almost entirely in Art Deco, which makes the town centre unlike anywhere else in the country — the free self-guided walking map from the visitor centre covers it in an hour. The surrounding Hawke's Bay is wine country, flat and easy to cycle, with a network of trails you can ride from the campgrounds without touching a road.