This region on the North Island's east coast is the source of much of the country's fresh fruit and veggies and for many travellers the region's major attraction is the abundance of casual fruit picking work, particularly around Hastings.

Architecture buffs come here for the region's other big attraction – Art Deco architecture. The twin cities of Hastings and Napier both suffered extensive damage from the earthquake that crippled Hawkes Bay in 1931. After the earthquake, the two cities were rebuilt in the latest architectural style of the time – Art Deco – giving Hastings and especially Napier among the world's best examples of this distinctive architectural style.

The gannet colony at Cape Kidnappers, southeast of Hastings, is a big hit with bird watchers. Although the Cape Kidnappers Gannet Reserve is closed to visitors between July and October, at other times you're welcome to observe the 15,000 birds that call Cape Kidnappers home.

The Hawkes Bay area is also a top wine producing area, having around 30 wineries. Touring the vineyards, and sampling the various wines, is a great way to spend the day – especially if someone else is driving.

Wairoa

This small town in northern Hawkes Bay is the halfway point on the drive between Napier and Gisborne although some travellers use Wairoa as a gateway to Te Urewera National Park.

Practical Information

Visitor Information Centre

Corner State Highway 2 & Queen Street, Wairoa

Tel (06) 838 7440

Website www.hawkesbaynz.com

Accommodation

Bushdale Farm Backpackers

438 Cricklewood Road, Wairoa

Tel (06) 838 6453

Haere Mai Cottage

49 Mitchell Road, Wairoa

Tel (06) 838 6817

Napier

Cosmopolitan Napier is best known for its stunning Art Deco architecture, most of which was erected in the 1930s after the devastating 1931 earthquake. Many architecture buffs rate Napier alongside Miami as one of the world's top Art Deco cities.

Napier is a pretty city with many of its Art Deco buildings lining Emerson Street while Marine Parade, with shady Norfolk Island Pines, is home to some more recent tourist attractions. There's a Kiwi House at the northern end of Marine Parade, which may be the only chance you'll ever get to see a real kiwi. Further south along Marine Parade is the Hawkes Bay Museum, then there's the ever-popular Marineland and the Hawkes Bay Aquarium.

Practical Information

Visitor Information Centre

100 Marine Parade, Napier

Tel (06) 834 1911

Website www.hawkesbaynz.com

Open Mon-Fri 8.30am-5pm, Sat-Sun 9am-5pm

INTERNET ACCESS

And Computers

Ocean Boulevard Mall, Dickens Street, Napier

Tel (06) 834 0963

Open 8am-10.30pm daily

Cybers Internet Café

98 Dickens Street, Napier

Tel (06) 835 0125

Website www.cybers.co.nz

Open Mon-Fri 8.30am-midnight, Sat-Sun 9am-midnight

Coming & Going

Both InterCity and Newmans coaches depart from the old train station on Munroe Street. InterCity coaches go to most major North Island destinations including Auckland, Gisborne, Hastings, Palmerston North, Rotorua and Wellington.

The BayXpress coach (tel 0800 422 997; website www.bayxpress.co.nz) is a good alternative to InterCity if you're going to Palmerston North or Wellington. BayXpress departs from the Visitor Information Centre on Marine Parade.

Accommodation

Aqua Lodge

53 Nelson Crescent, Napier

Tel (06) 835 4523

Archies Bunker

14 Hershell Street, Napier

Tel (06) 833 7990

Criterion Art Deco Backpackers

48 Emerson Street, Napier

Tel (06) 835 2059

Glen-View Farm Hostel

170 Aropaoanui Road (off SH2), 32km north of Napier

Tel (06) 836 6232

Napier Prison

55 Coote Road, Napier

Tel (06) 835 9933

Napier YHA

277 Marine Parade, Napier

Tel (06) 835 7039

Portside Inn

52 Bridge Street, Ahuriri

Tel (06) 833 7292

Stables Lodge

370 Hastings Street, Napier

Tel (06) 835 6242

Toad Hall

11 Shakespeare Road, Napier

Tel (06) 835 5555

TWAF Training & Hostel Centre

17 Percyspiller Avenue, Maraenui

Wally's Backpackers

7 Cathedral Lane, Napier

Tel (06) 833 7930

Waterfront Lodge

217 Marine Parade, Napier

Tel (06) 835 3429

Sights

Art Deco Walking Tours

Napier's architecture is the city's main attraction. Just walking around town will give you a good idea of the Art Deco craze that swept through Napier in the 1930s. The Art Deco Trust conducts walking tours of the city that departs from the Art Deco Shop in Tennyson Street. Alternatively you can buy a self-guided walk brochure for $2.50 and do the walk yourself. The tour is 1½km long and takes up to two hours to complete.

Art Deco Shop, Desco Centre, 163 Tennyson Street, Napier

Tel (06) 835 0022

Website www.artdeconapier.com

Tours cost $12

Tours depart Jan-Jun 2pm daily; Jul-Sep Wed, Sat, Sun 2pm; Oct-Dec 2pm daily

Hawke's Bay Museum

This museum has a wide variety of exhibits including dinosaurs, Māori culture and local history. The exhibits relating to the 1931 earthquakes are particularly interesting.

65 Marine Parade, Napier

Tel (06) 835 7781

Website www.hawkesbaymuseum.co.nz

Admission $7.50

Open Jan-Apr 9am-6pm daily; May-Sep 9am-5pm daily; Oct-Dec 9am-6pm daily

Marineland

New Zealand's only marine zoo is home to marine animals that include little blue penguins, seals, sea lions and dolphins. It also features dolphin shows and you have the option of getting in the pool and swimming with the dolphins.

Marine Parade, Napier

Tel (06) 834 4027

Website www.marineland.co.nz

Admission $10; swim with dolphins $40

Open summer Mon 10am-4.30pm, Tue-Wed 10am-5.30pm, Thu 10am-4.30pm, Fri-Sun 10am-5.30pm; winter 10am-4.30pm daily

National Aquarium

New Zealand's National Aquarium features a wide variety of marine life. It includes a walk-through tunnel through one of the tanks plus enclosures with kiwis, glowworms, tuatara and New Zealand Geckos.

Marine Parade, Napier

Tel (06) 834 1404

Website www.nationalaquarium.co.nz

Admission $13

Open Jan 9am-9pm daily; Feb-Easter 9am-7pm daily; Easter-24 Dec 9am-5pm daily; 26-31 Dec 9am-9pm daily

Hastings

Although most people bypass Hastings in favour of more cosmopolitan Napier, this city also has attractive Art Deco architecture and is particularly bright and colourful during summer when the city's flowers are in full bloom.

Many people come to Hastings to explore the wineries that surround the city but the biggest attraction is Splash Planet. Most people come to this fun park for the waterslides although it is mainly aimed at kids.

Most backpackers come to Hastings for fruit picking work. The fruit-picking season is between November and May and it pays to arrive in town just before the season starts if you're really serious about getting work.

Practical Information

Visitor Information Centre

Russell Street, Hastings

Tel (06) 873 5526

Website www.hastings.co.nz

Open Mon-Fri 8.30am-5pm, Sat 9am-4pm, Sun 9am-3pm

Coming & Going

InterCity and BayXpress coaches stop at the Hastings Travel Centre on Russell Street.

Hitchhikers can try their luck on Railway Road (State Highway 2) near the racecourse for rides south to Wellington. If you're heading to Napier or Taupo, try Karamu Road near Nelson Park.

Accommodation

AJ's Backpackers Lodge

405 Southland Road, Hastings

Tel (06) 878 2302

Hastings Backpackers Hostel

505 Lyndon Road East, Hastings

Tel (06) 876 5888

Siesta Backpackers

911 Heretaunga Street East, Hastings

Tel (06) 870 8112

Sleeping Giant Backpackers

109 Davis Street, Hastings

Tel (06) 877 4445

The Rotten Apple

114 Heretaunga Street, Hastings

Tel (06) 878 4363

Travellers Lodge

606 St Aubyn Street West, Hastings

Tel (06) 878 7108

Sights

Splash Planet

This 6.5 hectare aqua theme park is Hastings' top attraction although it is targeted mostly towards families. It features plenty of waterslides and some land-based attractions such as mini-golf and mini jeeps.

Grove Road, Hastings

Tel (06) 876 9856

Website www.splashplanet.co.nz

Admission $25

Open 10am-6pm daily

Cape Kidnappers

Located near Clive, about midway between Napier and Hastings, Cape Kidnappers is known as the world's largest and most accessible gannet colony.

It is a popular spot with bird watchers, who come here in droves between September and March, when 15,000 of the birds nest here.