What to do there

Hawke's Bay produces some of New Zealand's finest wines and once a year Harvest Hawke's Bay celebrates the fact by offering a three-day wine and food festival. This event attracts many thousands. The Hawke's Bay vineyards are all within a short distance of Napier and Hastings, and more than 30 vineyards are open to the public for wine tasting. Many also operate cafes and restaurants in both indoor and outdoor settings. The region is especially known for its fine chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon varieties but now also has the largest plantings of red grape varieties in New Zealand. Another unique attraction is the gannet colony on the very tip of Cape Kidnappers—believed to be one of only two mainland gannet colonies in the world. Gannets are large sea birds with long, pointed wings and golden-yellow heads. Most spectacular is their method of fishing, when whole flocks suddenly dive straight into the sea from a great height, at speeds of up to 145 kilometres per hour.

You can also find plenty of adventure in Hawke's Bay—rafting on the Mohaka River, horse trekking, hunting and trout fishing.

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