Towns, Cities

Turangi Camping Grounds: Where to Stay Near Tongariro

Turangi sits close to the southern end of Lake Taupo, with the Tongariro River running past the edge of town and mountains filling the skyline to the south. It is roughly halfway between Auckland and Wellington, which makes it an obvious place to break a long drive, yet plenty of campers end up staying several…

Turangi New Zealand: Trout Fishing Town on the Tongariro River

Turangi New Zealand is a small town on the west bank of the Tongariro River, about 50 kilometres south-west of Taupō on the North Island Volcanic Plateau. It is the sort of place that rewards travellers who slow down. The fishing is serious, the river walks are easy to reach, and the surrounding country serves…

Turangi Motels New Zealand: Where to Stay on the Tongariro River

Turangi Motels New Zealand. Turangi sits at the southern end of Lake Taupō, on the banks of the Tongariro River, and it has built its reputation on two things: trout fishing and tramping. The town is small, the streets are quiet, and the accommodation is dominated by motels rather than big hotels. For self-drive travellers…

Whanganui Camping: River, Beach and Countryside Sites

Whanganui sits where a long river meets the west coast, and the district around it packs plenty of variety into a compact area. You can camp beside the sea at Castlecliff or Kai Iwi, park up next to the Whanganui River, or head inland towards the national park for something quieter. As the Discover Whanganui…

Things to Do in Turangi, New Zealand: Trout, Trails and Hot Pools

Things to Do in Turangi, New Zealand. Tūrangi is one of those small North Island towns that quietly does a lot. It sits about a 40-minute drive from Taupō town and acts as the gateway to Tongariro National Park, so mountains, rivers and hot pools are all within easy reach of the main street. The…

Whanganui Camping: Holiday Parks and Freedom Camping Spots

Whanganui camping. Whanganui sits on the river that shares its name, close to the coast, which means the camping options here stretch from beachside holiday parks to riverside sites deep in the national park. You can wake to the sound of surf at Castlecliff, park the campervan under trees a short drive from town, or…

Turangi Trout Fishing: A Practical Guide to the Tongariro

Turangi Trout fishing. Turangi sits at the southern end of Lake Taupō, and the town has staked its reputation on trout. Locals and tourism operators call it the trout fishing capital of the world, and the Tongariro River running past the township explains that claim better than any brochure can. There are only two species…

Whakatane Camping Sites: Holiday Parks, Beach Camps and Freedom Camping

Whakatane Camping Sites. Whakatāne sits on the edge of the Eastern Bay of Plenty, and the district around it packs a lot into a small area. Local tourism listings sum it up neatly: golden beaches, steaming hot pools and lush native forests, all close together. For campers, that combination is hard to beat, because you…

Restaurants in Whakatane: Where to Eat in the Bay of Plenty

Restaurants in Whakatane. Whakatāne has a habit of surprising people. You turn up for the river, the coastline and the sunshine, then discover the eating is genuinely good. The district’s visitor website describes the area as brimming with culinary delights, and the listings back that up: wood-fired pizza, Indian and Turkish kitchens, Mexican plates, barbecue,…

Whanganui Restaurants: Where to Eat and Drink in the Little City of Cool

Whanganui Restaurants. Whanganui has quietly become one of the North Island‘s better small city food stops. Cuisine Magazine sent writer Alexia Santamaria to the city for a feature titled The Little City of Cool, and her takeaway was that Whanganui has plenty to keep visitors fed and watered. Discover Whanganui’s official Eat & Drink pages…