Gisborne The main city of the isolated Eastland region, Gisborne is a pleasant resort town situated on a broad bay. The surf beaches and sunny, warm climate here have long attracted New Zealanders on vacation. The area boasts some of the country's best surviving carved Maori meeting houses and churches. West of Gisborne, the vast, remote, forested wilderness of the Te Urewera National Park is the largest untouched expanse of native forest in the North Island, beautifully endowed with lakes, rivers and waterfalls. The scenic highlight is the sparkling gem of Lake Waikaremoana, and there are excellent hiking trails and short walks here, including the 30-mile Lake Waikaremoana Track.
Bird watching, hunting, fishing, canoeing and boating are all spectacular.
Napier - Hawke's Bay Napier is the port for the Hawke's Bay region. It is best known for its man made treasure - its glorious Art Deco buildings. Built following a disastrous earthquake and fire which destroyed the city in 1931, Napier now claims to have the largest concentration of Art Deco buildings in the world. Interesting and informative guided Art Deco walks are provided by the local Art Deco Trust. A sightseeing must is the beautifillly landscaped, oceanfront Marine Parade, with its gardens and many attractions.