Best rivers & swimming holes HB/Gisborne in New Zealand

"It’s a great place to bomb off the wharf for a dare when the fishing boats are out. Take notice of when the locals do it and you should be okay – not for the faint-hearted."

"About 1 km upriver from Rere Rock Slide on the Wharekopae River are three deep naturally formed cold bubbling spa pools carved by nature. Full of fun and bliss on a hot day. They take a bit of getting to but well worth it."

"Accessed by a shingle road the diverse walk takes you across farmland, under beautiful sandstone bluffs and through lowland forest to the Boundary Stream Scenic Reserve and onto a breath-taking 58-metre waterfall cascading down to a swimmable pool below. It’s well-worth the one and half return journey and while you’re in this idyllic bush-clad spot take advantage of the picnic table to rest and listen to the birdsong. It’s a refreshing change from the Hawke’s Bay barren landscape of brown hills and one of the few places you can truly appreciate what the area once looked like."