Overview
Take a Trip to Hawkes Bay on your New Zealand Vacation
The Hawkes Bay region is located on the east coast of the North Island and is a semi-circular bay which extends 100 kilometres/60 miles. Both the coast and the interior are scenic and hilly.
It is one of the most important wine-producing regions in the country where over 70 wineries exist mainly close to the city of Napier. These exist mainly because Hawkes Bay is one of the warmest and driest regions in the country to be enjoyed during Hawkes Bay tours on a New Zealand vacation.
Napier is a seaport and tourist resort which enjoys a warm and dry Mediterranean-style climate. Due to an earthquake in 1931, the city was redesigned and became known for its Art Deco architecture. In fact, it is known as the Art Deco City and is totally different in this respect from other cities in New Zealand. One highlight is the Pania of the Reef, one of the most photographed tourist attractions on a New Zealand vacation and something akin to the Mermaid Statue in Copenhagen. Hastings, the other major city, was also affected by the earthquake and again offers examples of Art Deco and also Spanish Mission design.
For nature lovers, there are beautiful parks such as Kaweka Conservation Park, a wilderness playground in which hiking, hunting and fishing are very popular and the Ruahine Ranges which offer great hiking trails with excellent views of the surrounding countryside in New Zealand tours.
Cape Kidnappers is a sandstone headland east of Hastings which contains the largest gannet colony in New Zealand.
Cape Kidnappers is a sandstone headland east of Hastings which contains the largest gannet colony in New Zealand.
At a Glance
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New Zealand Dollar (NZD)What do the experts say?
The food in New Zealand is incredible, and New Zealanders are rightly proud of their paddock to plate cuisine. Almost everything is sustainably grown and processed, from lamb and seafood to vegetables and fruit.
About 20 percent of New Zealand is made up of National Parks, Forests, and Nature Reserves. And they’re all free to enter!
The Māori cultural experiences and performances offered throughout the North and South Islands are well worth seeking out. If the opportunity presents itself, definitely take part in a hāngī
Looking for a great restaurant in New Zealand? Try The Bunker in Queenstown, Plato in Dunedin, Manu in Christchurch, and Oppies Fish & Chips in Rotorua
All Blacks rugby is huge in New Zealand. If you’re a sports fan, be sure to check out a home game. The All Blacks typically play their home test matches during the months of July, August, September and sometimes October
Gannets basking in the sun at Cape Kidnappers g...
Hawkes Bay vineyard
A rainy winters day in Hawkes Bay
Surfing the break at Haumoana beach
Gannets at Cape Kidnappers gannet colony
Cape Kidnappers
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ExcellentBased on 5,217 ReviewsOur 2-week trip to Normandy, Switzerland and Italy after we disembarked from the Queen Mary 2 in Southampton in mid-May was superb. Michael Keon did an amazing job of putting together highlights for us to see and visit with the short time we had. All the train reservations, private and small group tours and transportations were very well coordinated, on time, and usually exceeded our expectations. Drivers were courteous and knowledgeable. Mike did a wonderful job getting everything coordinated, in spite of our almost “last minute” booking. I booked a month-long trip through GOWAY back in 1989 for Australia, New Zealand and Fiji, and they were superb then. So I tried them again, and found the entire organization to be even better. Mike was quick to respond to any questions that came up regarding booksings and times, regardless of the 6-hour time difference. Just superb! Although we had a nasty experience in Milan, GOWAY was very responsive and saw to our requests and our needs. Again, Michael Keon is the person who coordinated our travel. I will ask for Mike when I travel again with GOWAY. I recommend GOWAY highly. PJ WheelerA BIG THANK YOU to Goway Travel, Brooke Theron and all of the partners onsite. Our trip to Africa was incredible, memories that will last forever.
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Thank you to Bijal for the excellent African Safari that you put together for us. You were wonderful.Nancy HayWe enjoyed our trip very much. I was very pleased by the hotel, tours, and itinerary selections that Alice Teramoto made for us. It was all well organized and easy to follow.
Thank you very much for helping us have a great experience in Peru.INEverything was planned perfectly. The excursions were so small and personal. ClaireGoway planned a custom 2 week safari trip for my wife and I which was beyond perfect. Extremely satisfied with the entire process from planning, booking and follow up. Special thanks to my Travel Specialists, Brooke Theron and Angela DonnellyNeil RWorking with Allan is absolutely a dream. He is one of the most responsive people I’ve had the pleasure of working with and his attention to detail is unmatched. I truly wish I could just use him for every single trip I need to book.Liz Poore
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