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South
Taranaki Travel Guide
On
a clear day the volcanic cone of Mount Taranaki is visible throughout
South Taranaki. Whether you are climbing, walking or exploring the mountain
itself, fishing for trout in the mountain streams or surfing or swimming
at a black sand beach, you will have the mountain as your guide. South
Taranaki is full of widely varying landscapes from the mist filled Waitotara
Valley in the South to the distinctive conical mounds scattered around
the coastal area of Opunake. These mounds are made up of ash and tephra
deposits and were formed hundreds of years ago by giant landslides (or
lahars) which started high on the mountain.
The
rugged coastline of South Taranaki offers some of the best surfing and
wind surfing in New Zealand. Surf Highway 45 is the coastal route from
Hawera to New Plymouth.
Professionals and enthusiasts from all over the country and overseas come
to surf at the many surf spots along this coast.
The
fertile soils of the ring plain radiating from the base of Mount Taranaki's
towards the coast make South Taranaki one of New Zealand's prime dairying
regions. Fonterra, one of New Zealand's largest companies has a large
site just south of Hawera where thousands of litres of milk from the surrounding
farms are delivered each day. The rich volcanic soil has also created
a gardeners paradise and every year South Taranaki gardeners take part
in the internationally acclaimed Taranaki Rhododendron Festival.
South
Taranaki is easily accessible by road - you can enjoy breakfast in Auckland
or Wellington and be in South Taranaki in time to enjoy lunch on the beach!
New Plymouth is less than
an hour's drive from Hawera, the main town of South Taranaki and to the
south, Wanganui is about
an hour's drive from Hawera.
South
Taranaki has a wide array of cafes and restaurants which offer something
to tempt everyone's tastebuds. For a simple meal, grab takeaways and eat
out on the beach or pack a picnic and head to one of the many parks. For
full details on the eating options available contact Information South
Taranaki or call into any of the Library Plus facilities throughout the
district.
South
Taranaki is an area where everything is at your doorstep - where the mountain
and sea are only a stones throw apart, where the great adventurer and
the more laid back explorer can both enjoy a wide variety of experiences
and where visitors are made welcome by the real people who love to live
in this special place.
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