We often get coupons for various things on the backs of our grocery receipts. One time we got a coupon for two nights at the Angus Inn Hotel in Hastings, situated in the sunny Hawkes Bay region on the east coast of the North Island. Never having been out that way, we decided to check it out over the weekend of 2-4 April, 2004. Early in the morning on Friday, we hopped in the car and headed out. Skirting Hamilton, we headed down through Tokoroa to Taupo, then east across a vast plateau before descending through fertile valleys into Hawkes Bay. There are two main towns in the region: Hastings, the region's industrial center, and Napier, the cultural and tourist center, also known as the "Art Deco Capital of the World."
Te Mata Peak: The first thing we did after checking into the hotel was head up Te Mata Peak, which gives the weary traveler a commanding view of the entire Hawkes Bay region. In the photo on the left, you can see Hastings and its satellite, Havelock North, spreading out across flat land below the mountain. In the photo on the right, you can see the gently arcing coastline as it heads north to where Napier's bluffs jut out into the bay and east (out of view) to Cape Kidnappers. It takes about 20 minutes to drive between Napier and Hastings. Most of the surrounding flat land is taken up by vineyards and orchards.
Hastings: The town's main drag, Heretaunga Street, is reportedly one of NZ's longest shopping strips with over 200 shops. Although the shops themselves are mostly nationwide chains, what makes them more unique is their Art Deco and Spanish Mission architecture. The view above is looking south down Heretaunga St towards Te Mata Peak. Notice anything strange about the fountain in the foreground?
Napier: The Art Deco Capital of the World is called such because of its buildings. Basically, the story is that in 1931, Hawkes Bay was subject to a nasty earthquake. Most of Napier and Hastings were destroyed. Since Art Deco was the height of architectural fashion at that time, both towns were almost entirely rebuilt in that style. Napier's buildings are lovingly kept in good condition--a little too lovingly if you ask me. They look more like modern Art Deco facades than actual Art Deco buildings from the 1930s. Anyway, they're all way over-photographed, so I didn't bother to take any of my own. Instead, I took the wonderful shot to the right, looking south from the Bluff Hill Lookout down Napier's Marine Parade. The topography of the town is actually quite interesting. There are the hills and bluffs which were once an island, and then there is the flat land that was either reclaimed from tidal mudflats, swamps, and the Ahuriri Lagoon or was thrust up by the 1931 earthquake.
Although the tourist sites might tell you differently, there's really not much to do in Hawkes Bay if you're not into wine, art deco, or being outdoors. If you are into those things, though, there's heaps to do. It undoubtedly would have been better if we'd spent more than a weekend there, but as it was, we had a pretty good time. I'll leave you now with a few snapshots from our trip. Cheers!
If you need proof that I was also in Hawkes Bay, see my page. The first photo is of me on the beach in Napier.
