Taranaki is the place for families with a passion for surfing the waves and climbing mountains to visit while on holiday. There are many surf spots around New Plymouth for those in the know. However, these west-coast beaches are better for surfing than swimming and care must be taken. Local advice should be sought before swimming or surfing and make sure lifeguards are on hand.

The most striking feature of the region is Mount Taranaki (Mount Egmont) which is ideal for hiking, with plenty of tracks around the mountain.

New Plymouth

New Plymouth is a city somewhat out on its own, midway down the North Island and located on the west coast between Auckland and Wellington, with small coastal and rural towns around it.

Sugar Loaf Islands (Nga Motu)