Napier travel guide

Napier in New Zealand is the most consistently Art Deco city in the world, due to being largely rebuilt in the 1930s following a devastating earthquake in 1931. It is in Hawke's Bay, on the sunny east coast of the North Island.

Understand

The National Tobacco Company building (1933), one of Napier's many Art Deco buildings (Photo: Alan Liefting, Public domain)

At 10:47 AM on 3 February 1931, Napier and the wider Hawke's Bay was struck by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake. The quake and subsequent fire killed 256 people and destroyed much of the central business district. The demolition rubble was dumped along the eastern foreshore and turned into gardens and a recreational reserve.

After the earthquake, the CBD and other areas were rebuilt in the Art Deco styles prevailing at the time. Today, Napier is billed as "the Art Deco capital of the world", with over 100 Art Deco buildings in the CBD alone, most of which have been restored and heritage-listed.

The earthquake raised the land by several metres, draining the Ahuriri Lagoon. The airport, the surrounding farmland, and the modern-day suburbs of Onekawa, Pandora, Pirimai and Tamatea all sit on the reclaimed land. Some streets still have the names they had when they were on the coastline – streets called a "quay" or a "bay" may be inland now.

The suburb of Taradale, a separate town until 1968, has the region's oldest and most famous wineries, which host concerts during summer.

• Napier i-SITE Visitor Centre, 100 Marine Parade, ☏ +64 6 834-1911. Daily 9AM-5PM. Maps, travel guides and directions and you can book tours and transport.
• Napier City Council website

Get in

By car

Napier lies on State Highway 2, which passes through the centre of Napier just outside the downtown area. State Highway 50 crosses the city from the Port to Taradale before continuing south.

From Taupō and most destinations north, take State Highway 5 (Napier-Taupo Road) east from Taupō. The highway terminates onto State Highway 2 at Eskdale, 14 km north of central Napier. There are two EV charging stations on the way from Taupō, but no fuel stations, so be sure you have at least 150 km worth of fuel before leaving Taupō.

Distances and travel times to Napier (times are non-stop in typical traffic, so allow additional time for breaks and delays on longer trips):

• Auckland – 420 km, 5hr
• Hamilton – 295 km, 3hr 30min
• Taupo – 145 km, 1hr 45min
• Hastings – 21 km; 25min
• Palmerston North – 180 km, 2hr 15min
• Wellington – 320 km, 4hr

By bus

National bus operator InterCity provides daily services in and out with connections throughout the North Island. Fares start from $1 and can be purchased online or via numerous local ticketing agents including the i-SITE information network. Services arrive and depart from 12 Carlyle St, beside Clive Sq.

The Hawke's Bay Regional Council runs a public bus service between Hastings and Napier via Taradale every 20 to 30 minutes on weekdays, hourly on Saturday and two-hourly on Sunday. Catch the number 12 bus from outside the public library in each city; adult single fares cost $5.40.

By plane

Hawke's Bay Airport is located 6 km north-west of the city centre, off State Highway 2. Air New Zealand Link operates daily flights to Hawke's Bay from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Air Napier flies from Gisborne. Sunair flies from Wairoa, Gisborne and Tauranga. There are two cafes in the terminal – they close at 6PM, so don't cater to evening flyers.

Get around

• Taxi. Taxis are relatively inexpensive and can take you anywhere, anytime.
• Bus. The public buses cover Napier and run to Hastings and Havelock North as well. Services are not very frequent and do not run in the evenings, so it pays to check the timetable in advance. Information regarding fares, zones and timetables can be found on the goBay website.

See

Pania of the Reef (Photo: Alexander Klink, CC BY 3.0)

• Art Deco tour. Take a guided walking tour ($33–35:50, 1½–2½ hr) or buy a booklet at the Information Centre and give yourself a self-guided tour. Even a few blocks will take you past many of the most significant buildings that exemplify the style. One-hour tours in vintage cars available from $270 for up to 4 people.
• Faraday Museum of Technology, 2a Faraday Street. Mon Wed Fri Sat (also Tue Thu during school holidays) 9:30AM–3:30PM. Technology museum housed in a former powerhouse. Exhibits range from household appliances through commercial equipment to the massive engine that was used to generate electricity. Adult $12, under 15 years $5.50.
• Kahukura Hawke's Bay Museum (formerly MTG Hawke's Bay), 1 Tennyson St (cnr Marine Parade). Daily 9:30AM–5PM. Permanent exhibition on the 1931 quake with changing art and social history displays. Free.
• National Aquarium of New Zealand, 546 Marine Parade, ☏ +64 6 834 1404. Daily 9AM–5PM. Has a reef tank, a travelator which spirals its way beneath the enormous Oceanarium, creating the impression of a true underwater experience, and a typical New Zealand rocky shore environment. There are sharks, stingray and hundreds of fish species, many of them representative of the catches from along the East Coast. There are eels, sea horse, turtles, octopus, tropical marine fish, kiwi, tuatara, water dragons, frogs and penguins on display. There is also an exhibition that opened in 2016 about the Hikurangi plate boundary and associated hazards like earthquakes and tsunami. Adults $31:50, children (3-14) $17, family (2 adults+2 children) $90.
• Pania of the Reef, Marine Parade (just north of the Soundshell). One of the most photographed landmarks in New Zealand, Pania is a figure of Māori mythology, and a symbol of Napier. She is a short stroll from the city centre.
• Soundshell, 70 Marine Parade. An Art Deco outdoor stage, built in 1935 with a shell-like roof.
• Waiapu Cathedral. Art Deco Anglican cathedral consecrated in 1960. The original cathedral was destroyed in the 1931 earthquake with the loss of two lives. By donation.

Do

• Mclean Park, Latham St, Napier South, ☏ +64 6 835 7579. With a capacity of 19,700, in summer this hosts Central Stags cricket team in all formats. In winter Hawke's Bay and Hurricanes play rugby union here.
• Art Deco Festival. A five-day festival in February celebrating the Art Deco era of the 1920s and 1930s. Dress up and eat at one of the picnics around the city, watch the soapbox derby, admire the vintage cars or attend some of the other 250 events. Book your accommodation up to a year in advance for the festival.
• Food and wine tours. Meet like-minded people and share an appreciation of Hawke's Bay's wines. Taste great wines and learn of the area's unique growing conditions. Cheese boards are provided on all tours. Take home great tasting wines and memories. Grape Escape. Depart Napier 1PM, return 5PM. Visit 4 or 5 local wineries. Tour includes tasting Syrah, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and other wines. Some of New Zealand's finest cheeses matched with wine. Walk amongst the vines and learn about terroir. Winery tour can be arranged if requested when booking. Tours start half an hour earlier for those who request a winery lunch.
• Spend a day at the beach. The golden sanded beaches of Waimarama and Ocean Beach are approximately 30 min south of Napier by car and are local retreats in the summer months. These long sandy beaches cater for surfing, fishing, and long walks to check out the native habitat.
• Cape Kidnappers. At the southern tip of Hawke Bay, you will find a colony of gannets. These gannets migrate seasonally and are popular with tourists during the season. You can jump on a trailer towed by tractors to reach the Cape, run by a local business out of the small community of Te Awanga. Bookings and information about these tours are available from the information centre.

Buy

The main shopping areas are along Emerson Street, Dickens Street and in the nearby suburb of Taradale. As well as the usual franchise stores seen across most of New Zealand, a handful of independent stores are in the city centre.

• Degas - Women's Clothing & Fashion Boutique, 35 Tennyson St, ☏ +64 6 835-7175.
• Napier i-SITE Visitor Centre Souvenir Shop, 100 Marine Parade, ☏ +64 6 834-1911.

Eat

• Community Burgers, 112 Tennyson St, ☏ +64 6 833 6112. A popular family friendly restaurant in the middle of Napier city. Community Burgers uses the proceeds from their burger sales to help local community causes. From $17.00.
• Poivre & Sel, 189 Marine Parade. Tue–Sat from 6PM. French cuisine from French restaurateurs. Expect fine dining rather than a hearty meal – you'll have room for dessert. From $55 (main & dessert) to $115 for 3 courses & wine pairing per person.
• Raffles Street Cafe, 72 Raffles St, ☏ +64 6 835-8245. Mon-Fri 7AM-3PM.
• Restaurant Indonesia, 409 Marine Parade, ☏ +64 6 835-8303.
• The Tennyson, 28 Tennyson St, ☏ +64 6 835-1490. Daily 7AM–3:30PM, Tue–Wed 4–9:30PM, Thu 4–10PM, Fri-Sat 4–10:30PM. Café and pizzeria

Drink

• The Cabana, 11 Shakespeare Rd. A legendary live music pub since the 1950s (albeit with a break from 1997 to 2008). The Spanish Mission/Art Deco style building was designed by leading architects Finch and Westorholm and was the first Napier hotel to be rebuilt after the 1931 quake.

Atmospheric West Quay, beside the beautiful Ahuriri marina, has a strip of bars and restaurants, including:

• Shed 2, 56 West Quay, Ahuriri, ☏ +64 6 835-2202. The first establishment to emerge on West Quay and an Ahuriri icon. Step inside and you step back 125 years, for the converted storage shed goes right back to the days the square-riggers tied up just metres from its front deck.
• Thirsty Whale, 62 West Quay, Ahuriri, ☏ +64 6 835-8815. A bar with outdoor decking, big screen TVs, private bar, and mezzanine restaurant with sea views. Dinner from $15.

Sleep

Accommodation is abundant in Napier and the surrounding area and ranges from luxury to budget; hotels, self-catering apartments, motels and lodges (some with restaurants), homestay, backpackers hostels, holiday parks and motor camps with self-catering units, budget cabins and campsites. Families and groups are welcome at most establishments; seasonal and group discounts may apply. It pays to book in advance when events like Art Deco weekend are on, as accommodation can fill up at these times.

• Criterion Art Deco Backpackers, 48 Emerson St, ☏ +64 6 835 20 59. BBH hostel in a former hotel built in 1932. Bed from $29, single room $53.
• Masonic Hotel, 2 Tennyson St. Art deco hotel built in 1932 on the site of a hotel first built in 1861. It was designed by Wellington architect W J Prowse. The hotel has 43 rooms and an apartment. From $151.
• McHardy Lodge, 11 Bracken St, Hospital Hill, ☏ +64 6 835 0605. 1890 historic residence. $325-575.
• Scenic Hotel Te Pania, 45 Marine Parade, ☏ +64 6 833 7733. Free WiFi, free parking, room view options, on-site restaurant & bar, gym access, dog friendly rooms available.

Go next

• The suburb of Taradale is a 10-min drive.
• Hastings city is close by.
• Taupo is a two-hour drive inland.
• Wairoa is a two-hour drive north along Hawke Bay

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