Hawke’s Bay is one of the most underrated regions of New Zealand. There are tons of amazing things to do in Hawke’s Bay and this post will go through everything you will need to know to plan a fantastic trip to this beautiful part of New Zealand.
Hawke’s Bay lies on the eastern side of the North Island and is full of stunning coastal vineyards, long black sand beaches, and quiet coves. Napier is the region’s main population center. A little city built with art deco style architecture, it’s charming and relatively undiscovered on the international scale.
But while the city is nice, the stretch of coastline that runs from south of the city to the end of the bay to the north is what you come to see. Dotted with beautiful vineyards and unique beaches, Hawke’s Bay is waiting to be explored!
- Hawke’s Bay – What You Need to Know
- Things to do in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
- 1) Discover the Art Deco City of Napier
- 2) Hit the Beach
- 3) Visit Hawke’s Bay Beautiful Wineries
- 4) Take in the View from Te Mata Peak
- 5) Visit the Cape Kidnappers Gannet Colony
- 6) Go White Water Rafting
- 7) Take an Epic Hike on the Lake Waikaremoana Great Walk
- Hawke’s Bay – Frequently Asked Questions
- Hawke’s Bay – Final Word
Note: this article contains affiliate links, which means that should you purchase something or get a quote through them I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. This helps keep the site running with up to date information. I do not represent World Nomads, GetYourGuide, Booking.com, or discovercars.com. This is information only and not a recommendation to buy the product mentioned in this article.
Hawke’s Bay – What You Need to Know
Where is Hawke’s Bay?
Hawke’s Bay is on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand, about a 4.5 hour drive from Auckland or Wellington. It’s roughly defined as the 150ish kilometer stretch of coast between Cape Kidnappers and Mahia.
How to get to Hawke’s Bay
Napier has a small airport with domestic flights to Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch. Unless you’re coming from the South Island, however, it will be less hassle to just drive there, as it’s less than 5 hours from both Auckland and Wellington. I always drove there, as I was living in Wellington at the time.
It all really depends on where you are coming from though. If you do fly to Napier, you’ll still want to rent a car, as it’s really the only way to get around the Hawke’s Bay region. Just about everything on this post about things to do in Hawke’s Bay requires a car to get to.
You can book your car rental from the Napier airport or anywhere else in New Zealand here using Discovercars, who have great rates in New Zealand.If you’d rather take a scenic train ride across the North Island, you can also take the Kiwirail, which has a station in Napier. You’ll still need to rent a car from there though.
Hawke’s Bay Weather and when to visit
The weather in Hawke’s Bay is pretty damn nice. Winters are very mild, with daily highs averaging about 57 degrees (14 C). Summers don’t get too hot, either, with summer highs averaging about 76 degrees (24.5 C). Just remember that in the southern hemisphere summer is January and winter is July.
It’s pretty dry overall in Hawke’s Bay and doesn’t rain too much. July is the rainiest month, but even then you’re more likely than not to have a nice day. It’s really an ideal climate.
As it never gets too busy with tourists in Hawke’s Bay, it’s a great place to visit at any time of the year. Each season has its advantages. Summer is obviously best for beaches, while the mild winters make for great hiking weather. Spring and autumn are lovely for winery hopping on a bicycle.
Where to stay in Hawke’s Bay
Most Hawke’s Bay hotels and guesthouses are in Napier, but there are quite a few places you can stay directly on the beach, including some nice holiday homes. There are not big brand hotels here, and most available accommodations are actually privately managed apartments and houses.
I recommend staying outside the city center if you can, ideally along the coast. For a unique experience, book a place in Bay View, which features a volcanic black sand beach.
Where to stay in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
Bay View beach accommodation: Absolute Beachfront B&B
Napier waterfront hotel: The Crown Hotel
Napier serviced apartment alternative: Quest Napier Serviced Apartments
How long to spend in Hawke’s Bay
Three days would be a solid trip to Hawke’s Bay. It would give you time to explore the wineries, go to the beach, hike a mountain and have a nice dinner in Napier. There are so many things to do in Hawke’s Bay that you’ll never get bored.
To really get intimate with the region you can stay longer, but an entire week would probably be too long unless you’re looking to just kick back with your friends/family and take it easy.
I recommend visiting Hawke’s Bay as part of a longer New Zealand road trip. Check our my 2 week and my 3 week New Zealand itineraries for how to plan an amazing road trip across the country.
Food and money
The Hawke’s Bay region isn’t really known for any particular cuisine. Napier is a small city, so while you’ll be able to find most major cuisines (i.e. Indian or Chinese), more niche cuisines (i.e. something like Peruvian or Egyptian) will be tough to come by.
There are restaurants and takeaway shops all along the coast until you get where Highways 2 and 5 split. After that it becomes pretty remote and barren so better pack your lunch.
New Zealand uses the New Zealand Dollar. Things are expensive in New Zealand, but for Americans and Europeans traveling there, costs are a bit better due to the favorable exchange rate. You don’t need cash anywhere. Get at least a little cash though. It’s pretty cool. Try to rip it apart. You can’t, can you?
Travel insurance
When visiting New Zew Zealand, it’s advised to have travel insurance so that you’re protected in case of unexpected circumstances or illness. We use World Nomads when we travel internationally. Word Nomads provides coverage to travelers in over 100 countries. You can search for a coverage plan using the link below.
Hawke’s Bay wine
One of the top things to do in Hawke’s Bay is to go wine tasting. While it may not be known for its wine like the Marlborough region of the South Island (where that New Zealand wine you bought at Trader Joe’s comes from), you’d be hard pressed to find a more beautiful wine region in the country. See below for more about wine in the region.
Things to do in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
Now that we’ve introduced the region of Hawke’s Bay, let’s get into the things to do and see there. There is a lot to cover and we won’t go into each landmark or activity in great detail. We are just giving an introduction to the things to do in Hawke’s Bay here, but it should be enough to help you decide how you want to plan your trip.
1) Discover the Art Deco City of Napier
One of the top things to do in Hawke’s Bay is to explore the city of Napier. Napier – home to about 62,000 people – is right along the coast of the bay and is worth 2-3 hours of your time. Most of the region’s other attractions are outside the city, but don’t pass up the opportunity to have a nice walk around this charming little art deco downtown.
The city of Napier was almost completely destroyed by a major earthquake in 1931. The magnitude 7.8 earthquake killed 256 people in Hawke’s Bay and is still the deadliest natural disaster in New Zealand’s history. The city center was left in rubble, so almost everything you’ll see today is less than 100 years old.
Start by heading to Tennyson street – basically Main Street – and view the 1930s buildings as you walk away from the coast. The street is lined with historic structures and even some historic cars.
There are organized tours of the city’s art deco streets if you want to learn a little more about the history of Napier from a licensed local guide. Art deco architecture was the hip style worldwide during Napier’s rebuilding in the 1930s. So the unique look of the city can be attributed almost solely to the destruction the 1931 earthquake caused.
After that head south to the National Aquarium of New Zealand. From there it’s a lovely 3.5 km walk along the coast to Bluff Hill, the highest point in the city.
If you don’t feel like climbing the steep hill there is also a road to the top. From atop the hill you get a great view of Napier and all of Hawke’s Bay in every direction. If you’re into museums you can also stop by the MTG Hawke’s Bay to learn all about the history of the region from the Maoris to modern day.
2) Hit the Beach
If you’re coming to Hawke’s Bay during the summer you’re going to want to check out some of the region’s awesome beaches. There are some stunning coastlines in this region and you’ll get some great views from its beaches. We’ll go through a couple of the top beaches here.
Waipatiki Beach
The best beach in the region, and one of the most beautiful beaches in New Zealand, is without a doubt Waipatiki Beach. This is a large cove nestled between steep mountains with fine, tannish sand.
There’s a winding road that leads there and that’s really the only way to get to the beach. Before you reach the beach there are a few holiday homes and some cabins you can rent should you wish to stay the night.
The beach itself offers some stunning views of the Hawke’s Bay coastline. But just be careful about swimming in the water. As much as I loved the beach, my wife and I experienced a near-death experience when we got caught in a rip tide and almost got swept out to sea.
Somehow I managed to keep both of our heads above water until a surfer heard our cries for help and saved us with his surfboard. It was the scariest moment of my life and we learned never to go too far out into the ocean. Waipatiki is beautiful but maybe best enjoyed from the shallow water near the shore!
Bay View
Bay View is basically a little residential village on the coast. What makes this beach unique is its color. The sand is black. It’s more pebbles than sand, but some of the pebbles are pretty small. This black stretch of beach is long, running from Napier to about 20 km north where the mountains start.
The color comes from volcanic activity. New Zealand has many active volcanoes, and the combination of lava and water forms the black pebbles.
Mahia Beach
Way up at the north end of Hawke’s Bay is the Mahia Peninsula. This is a rugged, mountainous peninsula with just one road through it. Steep limestone cliffs rise right out of the sea. At the north end of the peninsula is Mahia Beach, a quiet beach with a few homes, a few lodges and a restaurant.
From the beach you can hike up to the Mokotahi Lookout for gorgeous views all around. Mahia Beach is a good 2.5 hour drive from Napier, all the way on the other side of Hawke’s Bay. So keep that in mind, as if you’re planning to go there, it really takes a full day trip.
3) Visit Hawke’s Bay Beautiful Wineries
One of my favorite things to do in Hawke’s Bay is check out the gorgeous coastal wineries. You’ll find most of them south of Napier, at the far south end of the bay near the town of Te Awanga . There aren’t nearly as many wineries as you’ll find in Marlborough, but you won’t be disappointed with your options.
The wineries here will charge you for a tasting, but you’ll typically get your tasting fee back if you buy a bottle to go, a deal my mother took advantage of by buying a bottle at all five vineyards we visited. Let’s go through the top wineries to hit on your visit to Hawke’s Bay.
- Clearview Estate: Clearview is on the coast and has a beautiful tasting room and restaurant.
- Elephant Hill: Elephant Hill is perhaps the most stunning of all the vineyards in the region. With views of the bay and the limestone cliffs beyond, you’ll want to sit and enjoy a glass of wine here just for the scenery.
- Te Awanga Estate: I’ve never been to Te Awanga Estate but it’s near the coast and is supposed to have great wine.
- Black Barn: Black Barn is inland near the town of Havelock North, but has amazing wine on a stunning property. It was seriously damaged by a fire in February of 2022 but reopened in 2023, as beautiful as ever. There is an excellent bistro at the winery for those looking to indulge in a delicious lunch.
- Askerne Estate Winery: Askerne is a more laid back, boutique winery where you can enjoy a nice picnic with scenic views. Askerne has been around since 1993 so they’re one of the elders in the region.
- Crab Farm Winery: Crab Farm Winery is a funky winery north of Napier, sort of all on its own. I throughly enjoyed their wine. Note that on most Saturdays they close at 3:00 for weddings.
- Craggy Range Winery: Craggy Range is an inland winery in the foothills of Te Mata peak that is family owned. It’s one of the most beautiful wineries you’ll see in New Zealand and has been family owned since 1998.
The wineries in Hawke’s Bay are not exactly all right next to each other. Some are close to others, but they are mostly scattered around the vast southern Hawke’s Bay region, making biking between wineries doable, but time-consuming.
You’ll likely be driving between wineries so be sure to have a sober driver. Drunk driving has severe punishments in New Zealand, so don’t even mess with that. If you want to really enjoy all that wine, there are plenty of tour agencies that will take you around the wineries on a fun winery and brewery hopping tour.
4) Take in the View from Te Mata Peak
Te Mata Peak is the most iconic geological landscape in the Hawke’s Bay region. Green and rocky at the same time, it towers above the town of Havelock North below. From the top of the mountain you get a 360 degree view of the central east coast of the North Island.
Many visitors to Hawke’s Bay skip Te Mata peak, but they’re missing out. There is a road to the top for easy access, or you can hike it if you want a challenge. Along the road to the top there is a little restaurant where you can enjoy a meal with fantastic views of Hawke’s Bay.
5) Visit the Cape Kidnappers Gannet Colony
At the very south end of the bay is Cape Kidnappers. This undeveloped land features the world’s largest gannet colony at the end of the cape. About 20,000 of these exotic seabirds call this cape home.
To see the gannets, however, you’ll have to hike 10 km each way along the coast, or take an organized tour. They’ll drive you along the same coastal walking path on a tractor to the gannet colony. The tour takes 3-4 hours (45 minute drive each way) and costs $95 NZD.
6) Go White Water Rafting
Fancy some rafting? The rivers of Hawke’s Bay are perfect for that. Mohaka Rafting will take you down the Mohaka River on an epic rafting tour. It’s definitely the most intense thing you can do in Hawke’s Bay.
The difficulty level varies depending on what you’re up for and there is something for everyone. They have Grade 2, 3, and 5 rapids and you can go as a day trip or even do an overnight rafting adventure. If you really want to get wild on your trip to Hawke’s Bay, this might be for you! Be sure to book the rafting experience in advance.
7) Take an Epic Hike on the Lake Waikaremoana Great Walk
New Zealand is a hiker’s paradise, and while Hawke’s Bay may now be as popular of a hiking destination as Mount Cook or anywhere on the South Island, one of the country’s “great walks” is in the region. A “great walk” is basically a long, multi-day hike chosen by the New Zealand national park department to be featured in this exclusive category.
About 2.5 hours north of Napier you’ll find Lake Waikaremoana, a gorgeous lake in the mountains. The hike covers about 46km and will take a few days, but will really give you a chance to get in touch with the North Island’s nature. For more information refer to the Parks and Recreation website.
Hawke’s Bay – Frequently Asked Questions
What is Hawke’s Bay known for?
Hawke’s Bay is known for its beautiful coastline, lovely wineries, and a mild-arid climate that keeps the weather favorable year-round. It’s also known for the city of Napier, one of the world’s best examples of a city built with art deco architecture.
What cities are in Hawke’s Bay?
The main cities in Hawke’s Bay are Napier, Hasting, and Havlock North. Napier is the largest and most visited city, as it’s right on the coast. Hastings and Havelock North are a bit inland and receive far fewer tourists than Napier.
Is it better to stay in Napier or Hastings?
It is absolutely better and more beautiful to stay in Napier, though accommodations will be cheaper in Hastings. Hastings also has quicker access to the Hawke’s Bay wineries. It’s just hard to beat staying on the coast in Napier.
Why is it called Hawke’s Bay?
Hawke’s bay is not named after a bird, but rather it is named after Sir Edward Hawke. Hawke was the First Lord of the Admiralty in the British Royal Navy. He never saw New Zealand, but he was so influential in granting James Cook the right to explore the South Pacific that Cook named the massive bay after him and the rest is history.
Hawke’s Bay – Final Word
While not atop most peoples New Zealand destination guide, Hawke’s Bay is a force to be reckoned with and deserves your consideration. There are so many lovely things to do in Hawke’s Bay that you’ll never get bored. You’ll be able to avoid the crowds at the more popular tourist destinations and be rewarded with some amazing views and delicious wine in return!
