East Cape (Ngati Porou), Aotearoa New Zealand
Tolaga Bay Holiday Park
About this stay
Tolaga Bay Holiday Park is a beachfront holiday park at the foot of Mount Titirangi, overlooking the long Tolaga Bay wharf on the East Coast north of Gisborne. It has self-contained ocean-view studios and two-bedroom units as well as tent and campervan sites, so prices start very low. The wharf walk and the Cook's Cove walkway, which climbs over the headland to the cove James Cook visited in 1769, both start nearby. It suits families, campers and road-trippers looking for an affordable base on the coast.
Good for
About East Cape (Ngati Porou)
The East Cape, or Tairāwhiti, is the rugged bulge of land between Ōpōtiki and Gisborne, traced by State Highway 35 for roughly 330 kilometres. It suits self-sufficient travellers who want long empty beaches, small settlements and real distance from crowds. Compared with the Bay of Islands or Rotorua there are few organised attractions, limited services and long stretches between towns, which is much of its appeal.
Getting there
Gisborne Airport (GIS) has Air New Zealand flights from Auckland and Wellington. From there the coast road heads north. Coming from the Bay of Plenty side, Ōpōtiki is about two hours' drive from Rotorua, and the full loop around the cape takes at least two unhurried days.