The volcanic hills of the Coromandel Peninsula retain much of their original rainforest and the Coromandel Forest Park Reserve contains large numbers of giant kauri trees which are famous for their tall straight trunks.
A popular holiday destination in the Bay of Plenty is Tauranga, with all the amenities of a major tourist city including all levels of accommodation and some wonderful restaurants.

The climate here is essentially benign and the sandy beaches attract many visitors while inland there is an abundance of orchards, particularly citrus and kiwi fruit. In Poverty Bay lies the city of Gisborne, which sits adjacent to Hawke’s Bay, a wine growing region of international renown. Around 70 wineries (ranging from large commercial estates to small boutiques) are open for free wine tasting. This area is best known for its red wines, particularly Pinot Noir. The reason for the wonderful wine is the high annual sunshine hours which benefit the grapes and visiting tourists to both Hastings and Napier.

Napier was razed by an earthquake in 1931 and subsequently rebuilt in the art deco style of the time. Today it boasts one of the world’s finest collections of lovingly preserved art deco buildings. Inland, between Hawke’s Bay and the Bay of Plenty, is the UNESCO-listed Te Urewera National Park, the largest native forest on the North Island and home of the lovely Lake Waikaremoana, 585m (1919ft) above sea level, with its strenuous but rewarding (three to four day) circular trail.