Taranaki

New Plymouth is Taranaki's largest city and lies between the Tasman Sea and Taranaki Maunga. The centre is compact: The Govett-Brewster Art Gallery with the **Len Lye Centre**, opened in 2015, the museum Puke Ariki and the Wind Wand are only a few minutes' walk apart. On the edge of the city centre, **Pukekura Park** begins with lakes and gardens.Along the coast, the 13.2-kilometre-long Coastal Walkway leads from the harbour to Bell Block, crossing the Waiwhakaiho River via the **Te Rewa Rewa Bridge**. From here, you can reach Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki National Park and Surf Highway 45 with a short drive.

The national park around the volcanic cone of Taranaki Maunga (2,518 m) is officially named Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki. Until 2025, it was called Egmont National Park; you'll still find this name on many maps and signs. In 2025, with the Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua Act, New Zealand recognised the mountain, its adjacent peaks, and surrounding lands as the legal entity Te Kāhui Tupua. For the Iwi of Taranaki, the Maunga is an ancestor.Three access points lead into the park: North Egmont from New Plymouth and Inglewood, Stratford Plateau with the small Manganui ski area, and Dawson Falls on the southeast side. Short trails lead to waterfalls and through mossy mountain forest; longer ones like the Mangorei Track or the Pouakai Circuit reach the alpine zone. The weather on the mountain changes rapidly. Before any trip, consult the Department of Conservation and read the travel and safety advisories from the Auswärtiges Amt, linked on our country page.

The Surf Highway 45 is the approximately 105-kilometre coastal road from New Plymouth to Hāwera. It winds west around Taranaki Maunga, passing Oākura, Ōkato, Pungarehu, and Ōpunake. Many narrow paths branch off the road to surf breaks like Stent Road, and there are also the Cape Egmont Lighthouse and sheltered swimming beaches such as Oākura Beach and Ōpunake Beach, which are patrolled by lifeguards in summer.On the west coast, the surf can be powerful. Only swim at patrolled beaches and observe the travel and safety advice from the Federal Foreign Office, which is linked on our country page.

Waitomo is a small village in the hilly karst country of the King Country, and beneath the pastures lies a network of limestone caves. The name combines wai (water) and tomo (hole, shaft) and describes a stream that disappears into the ground. In the Waitomo Glowworm Cave you glide by boat beneath thousands of glowworm lights, you reach the Ruakuri Cave through a spiral entrance, and the dry Aranui Cave shows stalactites and stalagmites. During the day, the Ruakuri Walk is worthwhile, as is a detour along Te Anga Road to the Mangapohue Natural Bridge and the 35-metre-high Marokopa Falls.

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.