Taranaki Region

Introduction

Taranaki, named after 2,518-metre tall Mount Taranaki, is located in southwest North Island, New Zealand. The main population hub in the region is New Plymouth.

Geography

The Taranaki Region is bounded by a beautiful coast and there are mountains, bush, and farm land. There is only one major city, New Plymouth, and many small towns. The region is home of the Forgotten Highway and is Lord of the Rings country. Most of the region is hilly with dramatic scenery like grand rivers, majestic lakes and more.

Sights and Activities

• Surfing - there is an abundance of high quality surf beaches - surfing, kayaking, kite-surfing, body-boarding, wave ski's, body-surfing, swimming or just floating!
• Park - there is a large park in the centre of New Plymouth with beautiful walks and you can go rowing the boats on the lake, eat yummy food at the tea shop there and much more.
• Mountain - in summer there are open climbs that most people can achieve and in winter you can go skiing and snowboarding. There are also many lovely bush walks, good for tramping as well. Finally there is good fishing, both in the sea and river and fish includes trout and wait-bait.

Events and Festivals

There are have many events and festivals, all throughout the year, including art, music, garden, food and other cultural activities. Check out the Visit Plymouth website for more information (see below under external links).

Weather

The Taraniki Region has warm summers, so use sun screen, hats and general sun safe guidelines apply. In winter it can be cold, wet and windy at times. But also usually most days are fine and you will be able to do lots of things.

Getting There

By Plane

New Plymouth Airport (NPL) offers flights to/from Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Nelson.

Getting Around

By Car

Some of the other options to rent cars include the following companies:

• Avis
• Hertz
• Budget
• New Zealand Rent A Car
• Thrifty
• Ace Rental Cars
• Go Rentals
• Europcar

Before you rent, ask the rental company if they have any relocation deals. Even in high season there can be a bottle neck of cars and campers at certain locations that the hire company is willing to offer discounted sometimes free rental to move the vehicle, possibly right to where you want to go. The only down side is the vehicle often has a time restriction, but even this is negotiable, depending on how much the rental company needs the vehicle moved.

By Foot

There is a long-distance coastal walkway, that enables you to get around pleasantly.

Drink

There is a great night life in central New Plymouth, which covers all aspects of the spectrum, from fine dining to karaoke, live bands, rollicking DJ's, pool, yummy cheap food, theater, dance and art.

Sleep

Try couchsurfing - stay at the homes of local people for free. It is a fantastic, cheap, friendly way to really experience a place. There are also WOOFING opportunities, where you do a small amount of work for your accommodation and food. There are also many lovely accommodation providers, from quaint bed and breakfasts, hostels, motels and camp grounds. Parts of Taranaki are available also for free camping, see the Rankers Website.

External Links

• Visit New Plymouth