Whakatane
Sitting on the East Coast, Whakatane often boasts the highest number of sunshine hours of any other location in New Zealand, and combined with its golden sand beaches (around 56km of them!) it's a haven for beachgoers and surfers. It also claims to have one of the oldest Pa Sites (Maori fortification) in the country with dates estimated as far back as 1150 making this area a significant landmark in New Zealand's history.
Activities in the region range from deep sea fishing, kayaking, dolphin and whale viewing, and mountain biking plus within the town are some great museums. Art also features local creative trails available for visitors to follow.
Moutohora Island Sanctuary Tour - lunch included
Moutohorā/Whale Island is a pest-free oasis that is home to a number of New Zealand’s rare and endangered plants, birds and reptiles. The fully guided tour of the island allows visitors to learn about the flora and fauna and the conservation effort focused on Moutohorā for the past 50 years. The island is a bird lover's paradise, with the opportunity to see saddleback/tieke, kakariki/ red crowned parakeet, little brown kiwi, bellbirds, tui, grey warbler and many species of sea birds.
This is your opportunity to see New Zealand’s wildlife as nature intended it and shows what can be achieved when a concentrated effort on conservation is made, managed and protected.