Gisborne Travel Guide

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About Gisborne

Gisborne is the only city in the Gisborne region. Both the city and region is renown for its warm climate, beaches, and relaxed way of life.

Gisborne is about a day's drive from either of the two big North Island cities, Auckland and Wellington. Both the city and region are a popular destination for Kiwis during the Christmas break given the warm climate and abundant beaches. Beautiful swimming and surf beaches here include Midway Beach, Waikanae Beach, Wainui Beach and Makorori Beach. Further afield, you can make a day trip to the coastal attractions of Tolaga Bay, Tokomaru Bay, and Mahia Peninsula.

Gisborne city is the first city in the world to see the the light of each new day. New Zealand sits close the International Date Line, and for much of the year is 12 hours ahead of Greenwhich Mean Time in the UK. More often than not, it is the next day compared to countries in Europe, Africa, and the Americas. In the year 2000 for example, the city promoted itself as the first city in the world to see daylight in the 21st century.

Gisborne has an interesting history as early British explorer Captain James Cook made his first landing in New Zealand here at Kaiti Beach. Previous to that, Māori have lived here for over five hundred years and the city is home to a large Māori population to this day, with nearly half of Gisborne's residents identifying as indigenous.

Gisborne's location to the east means it is relatively distant from the main state highway that runs through the middle of the North Island. Consequently it is considered off the beaten track for most travellers who take the shorter and more convenient route between Auckland and Wellington. However, on the return journey from Wellington back to Auckland, taking the Pacific Highway (as it is known) to Gisborne and beyond makes for a great return trip and a nice way to wind down your holiday relaxing on some fine beaches.

Attractions

Gisborne is located within a days travel by car from either Auckland or Wellington. The city and region are popular with Kiwis during the summer holidays because of it warmer climate and abundant beaches. There are also non-coastal attractions in the region including Rere Waterfall and Rere Rockslide, Morere Hot Springs, Lake Waikaremoana, and many local vineyards and wineries.

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