Wairoa is a town of 4,000 people in northern Hawke's Bay, New Zealand.

Understand

The town lies on both sides of the big Wairoa River, with the main part on the south bank. The bridge crossing the river is the third to be here – the last one was swept away by Cyclone Bola in 1988.

A panorama of Wairoa showing the Wairoa River to the left

• 1 Wairoa i-SITE Visitor Information Centre, cnr SH2 & Queen St. M–F 8:30am–5pm, Sa–Su & public holidays 10am–4pm, closed 25 Dec. (updated Jan 2018)

Get in

By car

From Napier, follow State Highway 2 north for two hours.

See

Old Portland Island lighthouse

• 1 Old Portland Island Lighthouse, Marine Parade (beside the bridge). The lighthouse was shifted to Wairoa from Portland Island at the tip of Mahia Peninsula. (updated May 2016)
• 2 Wairoa Museum, 142 Marine Parade. M–F 10am–4pm, 1st Sa of the month 10am–noon, closed on public holidays. Well presented museum of local history, from early European–Maori contact to recent times. Free entry, donations welcome. (updated Feb 2018)

Do

• 1 Gaiety Theatre, 252 Marine Parade. Go to the fantastic restored theatre and watch a movie with one of the best sound systems in New Zealand. (updated Jan 2018)
• Chase the wild birds on the Marine Parade. The marine parade isn't actually beside the sea, but it is where the river widens before forming a lagoon. All sorts of interesting stuff (100-year-old trees and the like) are washed down the river.
• Riverside walkway and cycleway. Runs 7.7 km from the lighthouse in the CBD along the south bank of the river to Whakamahia beach. The full walk takes an hour and a half, and biking takes 30 min. (updated Jan 2018)
• Sir James Carroll walkway. A 30-min walk along the north bank of the river opposite the CBD, starting from the bridge. (updated Jan 2018)
• Tramp Waikaremoana. Inland from Wairoa is Te Urewera (formerly a national park) and Lake Waikaremoana. If you like hiking/tramping this is a stunning walk that can be done in three to four days (or one if you run the whole way). Take all your supplies for the three or four days, including food, fuel, medical kits and toilet paper. 

Buy

The town has four ATM machines but it's probably not a good idea to carry too much cash with you. Many merchants in the surrounding region do not have EFTPOS meaning you need to pay in cash. The town has a few boutique shops that are owner-operated and the town is virtually untouched by large chain stores.

Eat

Food in Wairoa is mostly good, as it reaps the quality benefits of being near the East Cape.

• 1 Cafe 287 (2ate7 Cafe & Motel), 287 State Highway 2 (on the road to/from Napier, 2.5 km from the built-up area). Daily (except 25, 26 Dec) 7.30am–4pm. Indoor and outdoor seating. Looks across the highway to the Wairoa River. (updated Jan 2018)
• 2 EastEnd Cafe and Bar, 250 Marine Parade. (updated May 2016)
• 3 Osler's Bakery and Cafe, 116 Marine Parade. M–F 4:30am–4:30pm, Sa–Su 6am–3pm. Consistently exceptional. On average it has the best pies (a meat filling packed inside pastry) available anywhere in New Zealand. A must stop. Last count they had about 56 pie awards. Many diverse flavours such as 'Boil up' (reflecting the local culture), 'Ostrich' and 'Cock' (trust them, they are the experts). (updated May 2016)

Sleep

• Riverside Motor Camp, 19 Marine Parade. (updated May 2016)
• Wairoa Motel, 49 Clyde Rd, ☏ +64 6 838 8204, info@wairoamotel.co.nz. As you enter Wairoa there is a sign for it. Bookings generally not necessary. From $105. (updated May 2016)
• Vista Motor Lodge, 2 Bridge St (north side of the river). Has on-site licensed restaurant. From $110. (updated May 2016)
• The River Houses, 150 Marine Parade. Check-in: 1500, check-out: 1100. Locally owned and run accommodation provider with holiday homes of varying sizes available for short term rent, in the town centre and along the river. Bookings can be made via their website or on airbnb. (updated Dec 2018)

Go next

• Morere – hot pools and bush walks on the way to Gisborne
• The beaches of the Mahia area
• Napier