About Taranaki

Taranaki lies on the North Island’s west coast. Its only city is New Plymouth, population 74,000, which is about a 5 hour drive or 40 minute flight from either Auckland or Wellington. The region is dominated by Mount Taranaki, an almost perfect volcanic cone from which the region takes its name.

In Maori legend, Taranaki was a mountain god who lived alongside the North Island’s three other main mountains (Ruapehu, Tongariro and Ngaruhoe) on the Central Plateau. Taranaki quarrelled with Tongariro for the heart of pretty Mount Pihanga, and after losing the ensuing battle strode off to its current location, creating the Whanganui River in its wake. These days the 2,518m/8,261ft peak is the central icon for the region, dominating views and delivering a wide range of visitor and lifestyle experiences.

Taranaki offers a wide variety of affordable housing options ranging from apartment living to traditional bungalows on private sections or farms and lifestyle blocks in the countryside. New Plymouth, in the north of the region, delivers an urban experience, and towns dotted around the mountain offer more laid-back rural and smaller-community living, though all options rate well in terms of affordability.

The region combines great outdoor adventure opportunities with an active arts and cultural scene and a number of fine gardens and parks. The Lonely Planet has judged Taranaki the world's #2 region to visit in its Best in Travel 2017 yearbook.

Within the Region:

• Egmont National Park. The most prominent amenity, offering tramping, skiing and outdoor pursuits.
• The Taranaki Coast. Rugged cliffs and beautiful sandy beaches, ideal for swimming, boating, diving, fishing and other water sports.
• Surfing. With dozens of renowned surf breaks around Surf Highway 45. The prevailing south-westerly winds can mean cool water temperatures, they also power some of the most reliable and powerful waves.
• The Govett-Brewster Art Gallery. One of New Zealand’s best contemporary art museums.
•  WOMAD festival (World of Music Arts and Dance). An annual family-friendly Festival of Lights and numerous international performance events hosted at the central Pukekura Park.
• The Pouakai Crossing walk. Traverses the slopes of Mount Taranaki and the adjoining Pouakai Ranges. Building up to be one of New Zealand’s great one-day walks, requiring similar effort to the Tongariro Crossing, but with fewer visitor numbers.
• Yarrow Stadium. Initially developed in 1931 and the first stadium completed in 1947. Crowned the third best place on earth to watch a rugby match by New Zealand Rugby World magazine, which praised the venue's “distinctly Kiwi” atmosphere, and iconic shape of picture-perfect Mount Taranaki visible in the background.