The East Cape Overview

The East Cape’s stunning craggy coastline, North Island’s final frontier, draws travelers in search of the purest New Zealand. From Gisborne to Opotiki, the Pacific Coast Highway (SH35) passes dozens of small towns on its way around the Raukumara Mountains. The majority of residents are Maori, and signs of Maori culture abound in the traditional carvings adorning the churches and marae.

• Buses: Bottom Bus (☎03 437 0753) is the only bus that navigates the region, running a weekly 3-night, 4-day circuit ($340), letting passengers on and off as they like. Buses depart Taupo M, W, F; go through Rotorua; spend 2 nights on the East Cape in Te Kaha and Rangitukia, 1 in Napier; then return to Taupo the following day.
• Courier Transport: These minivans deliver parcels from Opotiki and Gisborne to the settlements and farms around the Cape, allowing passengers to see much that would be missed from the main highway. Polly’s Passenger Courier Service (☎06 864 4728) runs between Gisborne and Hicks Bay (3hr.; M-F departs Gisborne 6:30am; $40). Eastland Couriers (☎315 6350) leaves Whakatane M-F at 8am and returns from Cape Runaway at 2:30pm ($30). Cooks Passenger Courier Services (☎06 864 4711 or 021 371 364; cook.teararoa@xtra.co.nz) travels between Hicks Bay and Gisborne (4hr.; M-Sa departs Hicks Bay 7:30am, Gisborne 12:30pm; $35).
• Hitchhiking: Hitchhikers find friendly rides around the cape in summertime; late afternoon is peak traffic time as people return from Gisborne or Opotiki. In winter, increased rain and reduced traffic make hitching a more dubious prospect, particularly on the less-populated northern coast. Let’s Go does not recommend hitchhiking.

Orientation And Practical Information

Well-maintained and fully paved, SH35 runs the Cape’s 334km perimeter except along the very tip. Most towns along the way have at least one store, takeaway, and postal pickup. Gas pumps are few and far between and charge the equivalent of highway robbery—upwards of $2 per liter.

• Visitors Center: The visitors centers in Opotiki, Gisborne, and the Te Puia Springs Service Centre (☎06 864 6853) are the best bet for answers regarding the southern coast. Open M-F 8am-4:30pm. The comprehensive, free Opotiki and East Cape, available at all of the above, lists most travelers’ resources and sights of interest, kilometer by craggy kilometer.
• Banks: Westpac (☎06 864 8443), in Ruatoria, is the only bank in the East Cape. Open M-Tu and Th-F 9am-4:30pm, W 9:30am-4:30pm. There are no ATMs.
• Telephone Codes: ☎07 from Opotiki to Hicks Bay; ☎06 from Hicks Bay to Gisborne.

Accommodations And Food

The coastline between Gisborne and Hicks Bay contains several designated spots for free camping (Labour Day-Easter), usually recognizable by a plethora of caravans. Try Pouawa Beach (17km north of Gisborne), Loisel’s Beach at Waihau Bay (50km), Tokomaru Bay (90km), Waipiro Bay (106km), or Hicks Bay (180km); the East Cape’s northern shore tends to restrict camping. As for food, the East Cape lacks restaurants and supermarkets—take advantage of the occasional takeaway or StarMart for travel grub. The Te Kaha Cafe 1 and Te Kaha General Store, next to the Te Kaha Holiday Park and Motel, are also good bets for basic food and supplies (cafe open daily 8am-4pm; store open daily 8am-8pm). Departing from ordinary Let’s Go format, the following accommodations are listed in geographical order (following SH35 from Opotiki to Gisborne), rather than in order of quality.

• Te Kaha Lodge (☎07 325 2194), in Te Kaha, sits on a majestic plot of bayfront land. Time your stay with or against the Kiwi Experience bus which rolls in M, W, F. You may have to fight for a spot in the sunset-positioned spa. Internet $3 unlimited use. In-house bar. Dorms $25-30; doubles $50. Tent sites $10. Cash only.
• Te Kaha Holiday Park and Motel (☎07 325 2894; www.tekahaholidaypark.co.nz), at the eastern end of Te Kaha. A luxury backpackers with reading lamps, TV, and in-room kitchens, but sadly no view. Reception 8am-8pm. Dorms $20. Cabins $78 for 2; $12 per extra person. Tent sites $11.50, powered $12. MC/V.
• SunRise Lodge and Beachcamp (☎06 864 4854), in Te Araroa. This windswept patch of land and its homey rooms are as peaceful as it gets. Continental breakfast $10-15. Dorms $25; doubles and twins $60. Tent sites $10. Cash only.
• Eastender Farmstay (BBH) (☎06 864 3820; eastendersfarmstay@xtra.co.nz), near Tikitiki, 8km from SH35 on Rangitukia Rd. Play ping pong next to sheep shearing and bone carving. Kiwi Experience stops here Tu, Th, Sa. 2hr. horse treks $60. Possum and pig hunting available. Dorms $23. Tent sites $10. Cash only.

Sights And Outdoor Activities

From Opotiki to Hicks Bay, the highway skirts the lush green coast and reveals the Cape’s spectacular views, especially in December when the pohutukawa trees explode with red flowers. In Whanarua Bay, the road across from the macadamia nut farm leads down to a DOC-protected section of rocky beach full of tidal pools. After Hicks Bay, the road moves inland. The beachfront schoolyard in Te Araroa holds the world’s largest pohutukawa tree, named Te Waha o Rerekohu. Te Araroa is also the gateway to the lonely East Cape Lighthouse, 21km away at the easternmost point in mainland New Zealand.

Tikitiki lies 24km south of Te Araroa. St. Mary’s Memorial Church perches on a hill in town, overlooking SH35. One of the most impressive Maori buildings in the region, the church’s exterior hides an ornately carved inner sanctuary. Another 36km toward Gisborne, Tolaga Bay harbors the longest former wharf in the Southern Hemisphere, a deteriorating 600m testament to the days before highways, at the end of Wharf Rd., 1.5km off SH35. The jetty also marks the beginning of the Cook’s Cove Walkway, an easy trip to the site of one of Captain Cook’s first landings in Aotearoa. (5.8km; 2hr. round-trip. Closed Aug.-Oct. for lambing.)

Mt. Hikurangi

The highest non-volcanic mountain on North Island, Mt. Hikurangi (1754m) lords over surrounding peaks and enjoys the first offerings of sunlight to the world. Located 137km from Gisborne and 205km from Opotiki, Hikurangi has great spiritual significance for the Ngati Porou people. Adorning the mountain 1000m above sea level are nine carved whakairo (sculptures) representing Maui-Tikitiki-a-Taranga, a famed Maori patriarch, and his whanau (FAH-noh; family). At the summit, you can see the northernmost alpine vegetation in the country.

To reach the trailhead for the summit track, find the signposted turn-off from SH35, Taupuaeroa Valley Rd., north of Ruatoria, which leads 3km to Pakihiroa Station, 20km from Ruatoria. Yellow markers designate the route from the parking lot to the hut (10km; 4-5hr.) and orange markers denote the rest of the track from the hut to the summit (2.5km; 2-3hr.). All closures will be publicly announced, so inquire about the status of the track with Te Runanga O Ngati Porou, 1 Barry Ave. (☎06 864 8660 or 06 864 3012), in Ruatoria, custodians of the hut, track, and Pakihiroa Station. Book ahead to stay overnight in the hut ($15), which has a stove, long-drop toilet, communal bunks, and a limited water supply.

The following are prohibited from the mountain: fires, camping, drugs, alcohol, mountain bikes, motor vehicles, dogs, and guns. The Ngati Porou also ask visitors not to reproduce images of the mountain or of the Maui whakairo for commercial use without prior written consent of the CEO of Te Runanga O Ngati Porou. Te Runanga O Ngati Porou also offers 4WD tours of the mountain and the whakairo which last about 4hr. ($200 for a group of 4.)