Taranaki & East Coast

Nestled on the west coast of New Zealand’s North Island, Taranaki punches above its weight. You’ve got a near-perfect volcanic cone—known by locals as “the mountain,” Mount Taranaki—which presides over lush rainforests and reflective alpine tarns. Then there’s a dramatic coastline peppered with black-sand beaches, epic surf breaks and a world-class coastal walkway that hugs the ocean’s edge. Add a thriving arts scene, a warm community vibe and excellent cafés in New Plymouth, and you’ve got a region that feels both wild and wonderfully welcoming.

Surf Highway 45 isn’t your average coastal drive – it’s a love letter to surf culture, dramatic volcanic scenery and laid-back Kiwi towns. Stretching roughly 105 kilometres from New Plymouth through Ōakura, Ōpunake and on to Hāwera, this ribbon of black-sand beaches and cliff-top headlands offers something for everyone: world-class waves, hidden forest hikes, art-filled cafés and historic lighthouses. I’ve driven it in sunshine and storms, and here’s why it’s one of Aotearoa’s most rewarding road trips.

Rere Rock Slide is pure Kiwi ingenuity—Mother Nature’s own water slide nestled in the bushy backroads of Tairāwhiti (Gisborne) region. Imagine a smooth, 60-metre ribbon of greywacke rock, slick with cool spring water, winding through a fern-lined gorge. On any warm day you’ll find locals and travellers alike lining up for adrenalin-packed runs, hollering as they soar down on boogie boards or stand-up paddleboards. It might look tame at first glance, but once you feel that velocity and hear the basalt hum beneath you, you’ll be grinning from ear to ear.