A great local cafe and eatery serving Otumoetai and open for dinner Wednesday to Sunday. They have absolutely to die for cakes. I was able to resist the pistachio chocolate brownie, instead I had the healthier Pad Thai raw salad. It's so good to have a restaurant of this calibre serving this area and just a few blocks from the Waikareao Estuary walkway.

A refreshing cafe in the 'burbs' with big-portioned cakes just like at home. My passion fruit and coconut one was a super-sized treat. They have a good range of salads, pastas and breakfasts. The coffee is rich and creamy.

A beautiful cake specialist country café set in a villa with wide verandas. Pick up a Devonshire tea or choose from the delicious selection of stunning cakes and savoury treats.

This city cafe has the New York look of a cool and funky tiled interior, wooden floors and counter nosh perfectly fitted to the Tauranga business market. Along with big portioned yummy cakes are some good looking savoury and sandwich options. Its a cool place to hang Monday to Friday in the CBD.

Stylish and sophisticated restaurant/café which heads up the new business block in Golden Sands, Papamoa East. Not only does this funky place do some amazingly healthy and awesome food Henry & Ted conveniently stay open for dinner and have a liquor licence. Definitely recommend its relaxed friendly vibe.

Whether you take a self-guided walk and follow the picture placards through Napier showing the devastation caused through the 1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake, or a tour organised through the Art Deco Trust, viewing the reconstruction of the twin towns of Napier and Hastings in Spanish Mission and Art Deco style is a remarkable experience. The journey through the colourful streetscape takes you back to an era of unique architectural style.

This award-winning, heart-felt tour takes you on a spiritual journey with the Waimarama tribe on their land at Hakikino and Te Mata Peak where you can hear their stories and experience the life of the tangata whenua the indigenous people of the land.

Visit the Gisborne Wine Centre, or nearby wineries, to get expert advice and taste local wines and craft beers. The area is known for its aromatic, spicy and perfumed Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris.

A network of mainly off-road cycling and walking pathways connect the settlements of Hawke’s Bay across the Heretaunga Plains. You can take the coastal Water Ride, Wineries Ride or the Landscapes Ride. Getting on your bike is a fun and easy way to visit the iconic wineries, orchards and experience some of the amazing eateries the area is known for.

Hawke’s Bay is internationally recognised as the fruit bowl of New Zealand with some of the best fresh local produce. Some of the finest producers are come together to be showcased at the market. There’s everything you can imagine at the Hastings market on Sunday. It is one of the largest and longest running in the country as well as a tourist attraction. The Saturday Napier Urban Market is smaller but just as good.

New Zealand is known for its clean, green environment and if you aren’t a serious hiker and want to take on one of the tracks in the beautiful wilderness of native bush in the Kaimai Ranges, McLaren Falls Park offers a beautiful and easily accessible family-friendly alternative. The camp ground is great in peaceful lake surroundings with a waterfall and nature walks and there’s lots of wildlife in a country setting. Pure New Zealand.

This country is relatively new in geological terms and is known for its geothermal activity and volcanic activity. Whakaari or White Island is only 48km of the Whakatane coast and reknowned for its sulphuric moonscape and old mine workings as well as boiling mud and fumaroles. It’s easily accessible by boat tour, or the island can viewed from above by a plane or helicopter flight. A visit to this eerie active volcano is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

This iconic mountain, is known by its Māori name Mauao and is the most loved landmark in the Bay. The extinct volcano cone rises up at the end of a built-up peninsula and is flanked with a safe sandy harbour beach on one side and the spectacular ocean-side surf main beach on the other. The views from the top are breathtaking, although it takes a bit of effort to get there. Alternately there is a more sedate and just as spectacular 45-minute walk around the base.

Maori are recognised as the indigenous people of New Zealand so it’s only fitting to experience the district through their eyes. Mataatua can connect you on an ancestral walking journey to explore the tribal history of Ngati Awa through the footsteps of Toi and witness life of the tangata whenua, the people of the land.

Papamoa Beach is the centre of a spectacular 20km stretch of white sand stretching from Mount Maunganui to Kaituna River. It’s a surfing mecca when the easterly swell comes in and can be a mind blowing wild sea or a peaceful, calm and blissful place. The views down the beach and out to the islands are awesome. Look out for cruising sharks and orcas and sometimes a pod of dolphins or whales can be spotted blowing out at sea.

A beautiful place to camp and fish, kayak, picnics, and take bush walks. The park has an amazing collection of trees which turn into a pallet of autumn brilliance at this time of year. The lake is stunning with an easy walk to a beautiful waterfall with glow worms lighting the track at night. Marshalls Animal Park is also adjacent to the park.

If you love tramping the hills ,Te Rae O Papamoa is a good place to be, with views to Papamoa below and out to the Pacific Ocean, and along the coast from Mount Manganui to Whakatane. There is 135ha of walking land and standing at the top you’ll be 224m above sea level. There are seven Maori Pa sites and pine forests, native bush and open farmland to explore. In addition to this main track, there are several other trails throughout the park where you can enjoy different views and explore the archeological treasures which lie here. Seven pa sites (where Papamoa’s original Maori inhabitants lived) can be found in these hills, and the terracing they create

The region’s favourite landmark and best walk, views and vantage point to survey the Bay with extensive views from the Coromandel to the East cape on a clear day and smoking volcano Mayor Island. Don’t worry if you aren’t fit the bast track takes in some stunning coastal scenery and remains of old Maori Pa middens and is an easy 40 minute stroll.

An adventure park of fun and games in 1,650 hectares of pine forest and native bush in the Western Bay of Plenty region. This playground services both the Rotorua and Tauranga regions. It’s all free for user groups to run, walk, horse-ride, motorcycle, target shoot, do motorsport and 4x4 driving. For the adrenaline seekers there’s a high wire adventure course popular with families and schools.

This reserve is a very cool place to hear the New Zealand flightless bird, the kiwi, calling two hours after sunset. Among the 325 hectares of regenerating native bush is the Whakatāne Birdwalk. Seventeen years ago the first kiwi were released back here and thanks to pest and predator controls many other native birds have now joined them to make up an bush and bird paradise. Whakatane call themselves the ‘kiwi capital of the world’.

Also known as Titirangi this is the place to be for awesome views of Gisborne city right across the bay to Mahia Peninsula. The place is significant to local Maori and the ancestral site of Ngati Oneone. It’s great for biking, walking, bush walks and reflection, with a historic monument to the great European explorer Captain Cook, being the first place he came ashore . It even has a fitness trail and is so close to town.

With a few years of tree planting this beautiful spot and lake is a picturesque camp-site and day park for travellers. Every year one-year-old trout are released into the waters and it yields good fishing. It’s not always safe for swimming as inviting as it may be on a hot day, but the walks are beautiful and the views from the top of the hill and out to the coast worthwhile.

If you are travelling with your dog Pakowhai is the perfect place for you both. Wagging dog tails are warmly welcomed here at this country park, accessible to both cities of Hastings and Napier. They even put the poochie pooper bags out.

Standing 399 metres high Te Mata Peak is known as the Giant Among Us and is an iconic landmark in Hawke’s Bay. It has grand stand views across the Heretaunga Plains and is probably Hawke’s Bay most walked and loved mountain with many trails to choose from and one incredibly awesome mountain bike downhill trail. When the winds are blowing right it’s also a favourite with hang gliders.

Known as the ‘Cycling Capital of New Zealand’ the network of cycling and walking trails takes you across the Heretaunga Plains and beyond. Getting on your bike is the fastest and most popular way to see Hawke’s Bay. The trails connect the twin cities, coast and country taking in historic landmarks, wineries and the best of the bay’s eateries,

A mountain bikers playground, Oropi Grove is Tauranga’s oldest mountain bike park. The trails are on Tauranga City Council land and includes cross-country, downhill and freeride terrain featuring a variety of purpose-built jumps and drops. The trails are graded two and above. The best way is to get acquainted is to start with the 8.5km Park Loop Ride.

Mountain bike heaven and a track for every skill abound on The Motu Trails, from the easy 9.5km coastal Dunes Trail in Opotiki to the backcountry 78km Motu Road Trail run and the more challenging technical Pakihi Track for experts. Everything from picturesque surf, sand dunes and seascapes to bush and farm, uphills and downhills and the exhilarating 44km mostly downhill run which starts along the Motu Road. Or combine the lots for a great day out.

Thanks to David and Cloie Blakely and a small gold coin donation you are welcome to ride and walk the mountain bike trails on their working sheep, cattle and forestry farm in the Papamoa Hills. Open every day, and some nights with the right equipment, there’s 20km of playground for beginners to intermediate grade three trails. Lots of forest, dirt and views galore.

This 1,650 hectares of adventure playground has great trails, although not all of this space is for mountain biking but there are enough options to satisfy pump-track crazy kids to speedy dirt downhills. The huge park was once a pine forest and is shared with lots of off-road activities. There’s easy access from Te Puke, Tauranga and Rotorua and it’s about 27km from each town.

It may not have the adrenaline-racing challenge of some mountain bike parks but Tauranga has a huge network of both on-road and off-road cycle paths connecting Tauranga, Mount Maunganui and Papamoa towns and covering the outer suburbs of Bethlehem, Welcome Bay and Otumoetai. Boardwalks, paved and shingle paths across harbours, parks, wetlands make up this scenic ride.