THINGS TO SEE & DO IN HAWKES BAY
TAKE A WALK ALONG MARINE PARADE
The seafront walkway of Marine Parade is the perfect place to take or stroll or cycle. This 3 km walk runs alongside Napier Beach and is a hot spot for locals and visitors. Here, you can enjoy the scenic view of the Pacific Ocean, Cape Kidnappers, and Mahia Peninsula.
VISIT THE MANY AMAZING WINERIES!
Wine tasting is an absolute must when visiting Napier! Whether you go on your own, with your partner or with some of your mates also attending the S+SNZ conference, you’ll have the opportunity to savor some of the best wines in the region – and this is one of the top wine regions in the country!
A couple of our personal favourites:
Brookfields Vineyards, 378 Brookfields Road, Napier - https://www.brookfieldsvineyards.co.nz/
Mission Estate, 198 Church Road, Poraiti, Napier
- https://missionestate.co.nz/
TE MATA PEAK (About 30 mins drive from Napier)
https://www.tematapark.co.nz/
Te Mata Peak is at the western boundary of the wine-producing Heretaunga Plains and stands nearly 400 metres above sea level. From the summit of the peak you can enjoy panoramic views of the Ruahine, Kaweka and Maungaharuru Ranges and Cape Kidnappers. The volcano Ruapehu, in the centre of Tongariro National Park, is also visible on a clear day.
If you’re reasonably fit and want some exercise, you can hike around this area! Park your car at the Main Gate Car Park, where you’ll find a few trailheads. The Rongokako Trail is considered a hard trail and the Giant Circuit is of moderate difficulty. Both take around 2 hours to walk.
If you prefer to head straight to the summit, try the Te Mata Peak Hike. It goes from the Main Gate car park to the peak. It’s considered moderately challenging and takes about 1 and a half hours there and back.
VISIT PANIA OF THE REEF - 56 Marine Parade, Bluff Hill, Napier
The Statue of Pania (also known as Pania of the Reef) is located on Marine Parade in Napier, New Zealand, and honours the life of Pania, a figure of Māori mythology.
The statue was commissioned by members of the Thirty Thousand Club after the Anglican Bishop of Aotearoa, Frederick Bennett, related the legend of Pania to them. Several students from Hukarere Girls College were photographed as models for the statue, and eventually, Mei Irihapiti Robin (now Mei Whaitiri, the mother of local MP Meka Whaitiri), was selected. The statue was unveiled on 10 June 1954 by then Prime Minister Sidney Holland.
The statue has often been compared to The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen; there is a resemblance between the two figures, as both statues are small, bronze, and near the ocean, and both are based on similar stories.