Waipatiki beach about 40mins north of Napier…read more Easy day trip. Awesome family beach. A must visit when visiting Hawkes Bay Campground avaliable if you want to stay overnight Simply stunning.

One of my favorite things to do in life is to walk along the beach, and this is the perfect beach…read morefor walking. On recommendation of a local guide we made the 30-minute drive from Napier over to the beach-it is easy to find-follow the signs and when the road ends you are there. The beach runs for more than 5 miles and is big and wide, perhaps 50-85 yards, with soft golden sand. We went early to avoid the January heat and spent about 2 hours just strolling at the edge of the surf. Best part? There were very few people-apparently going to the beach isn't too popular with Kiwis, even during summer s hook holiday periods. During our 2-hour walk along the sand and surf we saw a total of 3 people on horse, 2 people exercising their 3 chocolate labs (half the beach is off leash for dogs), 2 surfers and one mom with two little kids-that's it. Note, there are no bathrooms or concessions so plan accordingly. A must do spot if you like the beach.

A section for young children and one more challenging for older children. Can be very crowded,…read moreespecially on weekends, due to close by ice cream shop and chicken grill. Right at the water front and beach. Free WiFi from local Internet provider.

Sooo you're in Gisborne…read more Know what means? It means you have to grab a surfboard, greet the morning sun and/or partake in an epic beach dance party. Luckily for you, all three of these enthralling activities can be accomplished in one, simple locale: helllllo, Wanui Beach. A 5:37AM bike journey brought me to the sparkling sea of Wanui's coastline - the ideal spot to observe the orange & pink tints of dawn transition to beaming rays of daylight. This was followed by a nap, which was followed by a thick wetsuit, a longboard and then some barefoot salsa. You get the gist.

This place by the Taupo lake is a must visit. It's literally by the lake, you can choose to sit out…read moreby the sand which has a major beach vibe or you can sit inside, which feels like you are on a cruise/boat out on the lake. Parking deck is outside, it's a self service place. They give you buzzers as you order food and drinks and it lights up once your order is ready. It's casual in a classy way. The pizzas were really good. Thin crust, wood-fire and perfect. The drinks also were really good. Mine was a lychee cocktail not for you if you don't like it sweet. I will recommend this place and hopefully revisit.

Don't come here expecting service. No water, napkins etc…read morePizza was good, the buzzer malfunctioned and we waited forever for our food

Very pleased with location and amenities of Village Resort…read more 2 BR/br with direct views of Lake Taupo and snow capped mountains to the south. While not of Marriott vacation club quality, we were very comfortable and recommend. Like fireplace and central location.

My husband and I stayed a few days at the Ika Nui Taupō in room 14, which is directly across from…read morethe check in office. Our living room view was of the lake and it was gorgeous. There is a full kitchen, as well as living room, dining table, bathroom with a shower and a queen sized bed in a separate bedroom. The kitchen was well stocked with pretty much everything you could possibly need on a trip to cook. Walls were thick and we didn't hear anyone except for people in the parking lot one night. PROBLEMS: Parking is a nightmare and much too snug for comfort. One night we came home and every slot was filled so we had to park at a different hotel and pray we didn't get towed. The major downside is the internet doesn't work here. That's a problem if you're a foreigner and you're on data roaming. You won't be able to upload photos to the cloud, post on social media or make WiFi calls because unless we stood at the front door, holding our phone out to get the initial signal, the WiFi wouldn't stay connected anywhere in the entire unit. Overall I was happy with our stay, except for the WiFi issue. Visited February 2023