Hastings Camping Grounds: Holiday Parks and Freedom Camping

Hastings Camping Grounds. Hastings is one of the handiest places in Hawke’s Bay to base yourself if you are travelling by campervan, caravan or tent. The town sits among orchards and vineyards, with the coast a short drive away, and the camping options range from full-service holiday parks to designated freedom camping spots around the…

Havelock North New Zealand: Hawke’s Bay Village Guide

Havelock North New Zealand. Havelock North sits in the Hawke’s Bay region on the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island, less than 2 km south-east of Hastings. It is officially part of Hastings District, but spend an afternoon in the village and you will quickly understand why locals treat it as a destination in…

Things to Do in Hastings, New Zealand: Food, Wine and Outdoors

Things to do in Hastings, New Zealand. Hastings sits in the heart of Hawke’s Bay on New Zealand’s North Island, and its reputation runs well ahead of its size. The district is often called the gem of Hawke’s Bay for its culinary treasures, and that label holds up once you start poking around. Fruit orchards,…

Accommodation in Havelock North: Where to Stay in Hawke’s Bay

Accommodation in Havelock North. Havelock North is one of those Hawke’s Bay towns that quietly does a lot of things well. The village centre holds cafes, restaurants, bars, a shopping area and a village supermarket, so you can leave the car parked and walk to dinner. That compact layout shapes the accommodation scene as well,…

Restaurants in Hastings New Zealand: Where to Eat

Restaurants in Hastings New Zealand. Hastings sits in the middle of Hawke’s Bay, ringed by vineyards and orchards, and its dining scene reflects that setting. The central streets hold wine bars, cafés, bistros and restaurants covering a wide spread of cuisines, and much of it is concentrated around the Heretaunga Street East strip, which makes…

Havelock North Camping: Where to Stay in Hawke’s Bay

Havelock North Camping. Havelock North is one of those Hawke’s Bay towns that quietly does everything well. There is a village centre with cafes and shops, wine country on the doorstep, and long, warm summers that make a tent or a campervan feel like the smartest decision you have made all year. As a camping…

Restaurants Havelock North New Zealand: Where to Eat in Hawke’s Bay

Restaurants Havelock North New Zealand. Havelock North squeezes an unusual amount of good eating into a very small village. The main streets hold a compact cluster of kitchens, from an award-winning Japanese izakaya to a modern bistro serving local seasonal food, and the vineyards that surround the village add another layer of dining that most…

Accommodation in Hastings New Zealand: Where to Stay

Accommodation in Hastings New Zealand. Hastings sits in the middle of Hawke’s Bay’s food and wine country, and it has quietly become one of the most practical places to base yourself for a few nights on the North Island. The town is compact, Havelock North is close by, and the Hawke’s Bay Trails network puts…

North Island New Zealand Road Trip: Routes, Timing and Tips

North Island New Zealand road trip. Somewhere between Auckland and Wellington there is a version of the North Island that fits almost any traveller. Geothermal fields that steam beside the road. A volcanic plateau that glows in the late afternoon. Coastlines good enough for snorkelling, and a harbour city at the end of it all…

Coromandel Town: Historic Heart of the Coromandel Peninsula

Coromandel Town rewards people who slow down for it. The settlement sits on the western side of the Coromandel Peninsula, roughly 55 km north of Thames, and it holds a mix that is hard to find anywhere else in Aotearoa: gold rush history, Victorian shopfronts, working mussel farms, a harbour full of boats, and a…