Napier - the South Beach of New Zealand

 Hello from the sunny side of  NZ!

Napier is a fun beach holiday resort town filled with plenty of nostalgia.  The city was totally destroyed due to an earthquake in 1931 and rebuilt itself in Art Deco architecture.  These "still used" buildings have been wonderfully preserved providing a feast for the eyes with their pastel colors and signature patterns.  We enjoyed sunny days and the warmest temperatures we've experienced in the past 6 months.  It was certainly a flip-flop kinda town which made us feel like we were back in Florida. 


 




Napier is located in the famous Hawke's Bay wine producing region.    This area produces 90% of New Zealand's Syrah, Merlot and Cabernets while also producing some fabulous Chardonnays.  Here the vineyards are large enough to produce wines for export so NZ wines you find in a US wine store may be produced here.  We visited the Mission Estate, the first vineyard established in the area by french missionaries in 1851.  It is considered the place where wine making began in New Zealand.  We definitely found a few new white and red favorites for sipping. 

Mission Estate provides a beautiful place for weddings.  


Our stay in Napier was too short as we really enjoyed the area.  But we had miles to go to finish our grand tour of the North Island.  Our next stop was a total contrast to the holiday spot of Napier.  Mahia Peninsula was another one of those surprises we stumbled upon.  Black sand beaches and dramatic white bluffs punctuate this remote area.   We stopped by a local pub for dinner one night and its was very clear that the area is rarely frequented by "folks from out of town".









A three hour drive through the Waioeka River Gorge provided spectacular vistas and a glimpse of one of the wildest NZ rivers we've seen to date.  This area is so rugged that farmers who tried to tame this land in 1906 ultimately gave up by 1927 and abandoned the land.  Thankfully it is now a National preserve for all to enjoy. 



 

Check back soon to see the fun things we've been up to in Taupo and Turangi.  Things are about to get wild!!!

Stay Curious.

Cheryl & Dan

Comments

  1. Lauren L StantonOctober 31, 2020 at 4:33 AM

    Love these posts!! Miss you!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. C and D UntetheredNovember 6, 2020 at 5:53 PM

      Miss you bunches. Hope your life is going well. Will connect with you live when we return stateside!

      Delete

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