Fernweh: Home
    ExploreTravel GuidesPlan a tripMy tripLast visited
    de|en
    All Places & RegionsAll highlightsAbout FernwehFAQPrivacy PolicyImprint
    ExploreTravel GuidesPlan a tripMy tripLast visited
    Havelock North
    Jayden MacRae / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

    New Zealand

    Havelock North

    Village

    Havelock North lies southeast of Hastings at the foot of Te Mata Peak. Locals simply call the village centre “the village”: a few streets with cafés, restaurants, and shops, surrounded by orchards and vineyards.

    by Felix Gillen

    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. New Zealand
    7. Hawke's Bay
    9. Havelock North
    Havelock North lies southeast of Hastings at the foot of Te Mata Peak. Locals simply call the village centre “the village”: a few streets with cafés, restaurants, and shops, surrounded by orchards and vineyards. From here, drive or hike up Te Mata Peak and visit local wineries.

    Sehenswürdigkeiten

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Te Mata Peak
    Attraction

    1Te Mata Peak

    The 399-meter-high Te Mata Peak rises southeast of Havelock North. Its Māori name Te Mata-o-Rongokako means 'the face of Rongokako': According to tradition, this ancestor of the Ngāti Kahungunu rests here; viewed from the north, the ridge resembles a reclining figure. The descendants of the Chambers farming family donated the land to the public in 1927; today, it is Te Mata Park. An asphalted road leads to the summit, while hiking and mountain bike trails wind through the park.
    Open in Google Maps
    Askerne Estate Winery

    2Askerne Estate Winery

    Winery on Te Mata Mangateretere Road northeast of the town. At the Cellar Door, you can taste white wines like Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, plus Merlot and Syrah-based reds. For a picnic among the vines, you can order a basket.
    Open in Google Maps
    Keirunga Park Railway

    3Keirunga Park Railway

    Miniature railway on an approximately 850-meter long track in the park next to the Keirunga Gardens. It is operated by an association of volunteer model steam enthusiasts. You can ride on the first and third Sunday of the month, weather permitting.
    Open in Google Maps
    Duart House
    Museum

    4Duart House

    Historic home of the settler family McLean on Duart Road. The house is now owned by the Hastings District Council and managed by the Duart House Society. Inside, you can only visit it on a few dates, usually on the first Sunday of the month.
    Open in Google Maps

    Essen & Trinken

    1

    Mijita

    Latin American restaurant on Joll Road in Havelock North town centre.
    Show on Google Maps
    2

    Pattie & Brioche

    Burger restaurant on Joll Road in Havelock North town center.
    Show on Google Maps
    3

    Alessandro's Pizzeria e Pasta Napoletana

    Italian restaurant with Neapolitan pizza and pasta on Joll Road in the town center.
    Show on Google Maps
    4

    Deliciosa Restaurant

    Tapas restaurant and wine bar with Spanish cuisine on Napier Road in Havelock North.
    Show on Google Maps
    5

    Off The Track Restaurant and Licenced Cafe

    Restaurant and café with a liquor license on Havelock Road, between Havelock North and Hastings.
    Show on Google Maps
    6

    Malo

    Restaurant with wine and cocktail bar on Te Aute Road in Havelock North town center.
    Show on Google Maps
    7

    Piku Izakaya

    Japanese Izakaya restaurant with cocktail bar on Joll Road in the town center.
    Show on Google Maps

    Food and Drink in Havelock North

    Wine from Hawke's Bay

    Around Havelock North, you'll find wineries with cellar doors. This region, New Zealand's oldest wine region, is renowned for its Chardonnay, Syrah, and Merlot-based red wines.

    Fruit from the Region

    On the plains between Havelock North and Hastings, apples, pears, and stone fruit grow. In summer, farm shops sell fresh fruit.

    Village Café Culture

    In the small town center, cafes and restaurants line up, serving diverse cuisines, from Japanese to Latin American.

    Te Mata and the history of the village

    The Māori name of the local hill is Te Mata-o-Rongokako, “the face of Rongokako”. Rongokako is regarded as an ancestor of Ngāti Kahungunu, and according to tradition he rests here: seen from the north, the ridge resembles a reclining figure. European settlers therefore called it the “Sleeping Giant”.John Chambers bought the land around the summit as a farm in the 1850s. His descendants gifted it to the public in 1927, and it has been freely accessible as Te Mata Park ever since. In the village itself, the McLean family's Duart House recalls the settler era.

    Traveling in Havelock North

    The town centre is small and easy to explore on foot. Hastings is directly northwest, and Napier can be reached by car in about half an hour.goBay buses, the Hawke's Bay Regional Council network, also serve Havelock North, connecting the town with Hastings and Napier. Payment is by cash or more cheaply with the rechargeable Bee Card. Timetables can be found at gobay.co.nz.An asphalt road leads to the summit of Te Mata Peak; alternatively, you can hike up the trails of Te Mata Park. For winery tours, a rental car or a guided tour is practical, and the Hawke's Bay Trails cycle paths also lead through the plains.

    Accommodations in Havelock North

    Find perfect stay in Havelock North

    Booking.com* (Affiliate link)
    Search Hotels
    Agoda* (Affiliate link)
    Search Hotels
    Airbnb
    Vacation Rentals

    * Affiliate link: if you book through it, we earn a small commission. The price stays the same for you.

    Nearby

    Hastings

    Hastings is the heart of the Heretaunga fruit and wine plains in Hawke's Bay. After the 1931 earthquake, which claimed 93 lives here, the city centre was rebuilt in Art Deco and Spanish Mission styles. Today, you can stroll from the Clock Tower through Heretaunga Street, visit the Farmers' Market on Sundays, and head from here to the Gimblett Gravels wineries or up Te Mata Peak near Havelock North.
    Hawke's Bay

    Hawke's Bay

    Hawke's Bay on the East Coast of the North Island is both orchard and wine country. Around Napier, Hastings and Havelock North, apple orchards, vineyards, and gravel soils alternate; the coast features long beaches and the gannet colony at Cape Kidnappers. The 1931 earthquake still shapes the cityscape: Napier and Hastings were rebuilt in Art Deco and Spanish Mission styles afterwards.
    Napier

    Napier

    Napier is located on Hawke Bay on the east coast of the North Island and is primarily known for its Art Deco centre. The earthquake of February 3, 1931, destroyed large parts of the city, after which the centre was rebuilt in the style of the era. Today, you can stroll among pastel-coloured facades, walk along the Marine Parade by the sea, and view the harbour from Bluff Hill. The Hawke's Bay wineries are just a short drive away.
    Tongariro Nationalpark Gebiet

    Tongariro Nationalpark Gebiet

    Three active volcanoes dominate the Tongariro National Park: Tongariro, Ngāuruhoe, and Ruapehu. The park was established in 1894 as New Zealand's first national park, and in 1993 it became the first site listed under the new criteria for cultural landscapes on the World Heritage List, making it both a natural and cultural heritage site. The most famous trail is the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, which climbs from 1120 meters at the Mangatepopo car park to 1886 meters at Red Crater and descends to 760 meters at Ketetahi Road. Additionally, shorter trails from Whakapapa Village to Taranaki Falls, to the Tama Lakes, and through the beech forest along Whakapapanui Stream are also rewarding.The volcanoes are active. Before every tour, check the current status with DOC and GeoNet and read the travel and safety advice from the Auswärtiges Amt, which is linked on our country page.
    Taupō

    Taupō

    Taupō is located on the northeastern shore of Lake Taupō, New Zealand's largest lake. The lake fills a caldera formed by massive volcanic eruptions; the last major eruption occurred around 232 AD.The town is a base for water sports, trout fishing, skydiving, and excursions to Huka Falls, Craters of the Moon, and Tongariro National Park, whose volcanoes you can see from the shore on clear days.

    Sources & method

    • Photos: Wikimedia Commons, Google Maps. Each photo carries its credit.
    • Place data such as addresses and ratings comes from Google Maps.
    • The content is based on web research from public, traceable sources. How the content is made · The role of AI