There’s nothing quite like that feeling of packing the car and embarking on a road trip, especially when it takes you through some of the most scenic landscapes and hidden treasures of New Zealand. 

State Highway 35, part of the Pacific Coast Highway, stretches along the stunning East Coast and offers a blend of stunning natural beauty, fun experiences and unforgettable adventures. This route also has the infrastructure in place to explore in an electric vehicle with multiple ChargeNet charging stations to stop off for a charge along the way.

Lottin Point

In this 5-day road trip itinerary we’ll share the incredible experiences we enjoyed and the beautiful locations we visited on the East Coast, to provide inspiration on how to structure your road trip in Tairāwhiti Gisborne. From charming towns, to indulging in delicious treats and taking in all the unreal scenery, we had a blast and know you will love this East Coast Road Trip too!

So pack up that rig and come see why Tairāwhiti Gisborne is like no other place in the world.

Makarori Viewpoint

Day 1: Opōtiki, Tirohanga, Motu River Jet Boats & Te Kaha Beach Hotel.

Our journey begins in Opōtiki, a quaint town known for its welcoming atmosphere and stunning coastal views. Make sure to go for a wee drive to visit Tirohanga Beach Store, where you can treat yourself to probably the biggest ice cream scoops in all of New Zealand. Take a leisurely stroll along the beach and soak in the serene ambiance before continuing on the adventure. 

If you’re keen on a bit of an adrenaline rush, we’d highly recommend booking a tour and hopping on a thrilling Motu River Jet Boat adventure. This epic experience takes you deep into the mountains through the North Island’s last remaining area of untracked native bush. You’ll carve through narrow rivers, stop off at a secret waterfall all while learning about the history of the area.

Motu River Jets

Slowly cruise around the coast, taking in all the beautiful scenes along the way to Te Kaha Beach Hotel. Located right next to the beach, park up on your hotel balcony to relax, watching the sun go down.

Day 2: Ruakokore Church, Waihau Bay, Lottin Point, Waihirere Falls, Te Araroa, Saint Mary’s Church, Te Puka Tavern & Tatapouri Bay. 

Today’s adventure has you cruising along State Highway 35 with plenty of stop offs along the way. 

The Ruakokore Church is a must-stop and is one of the most picturesque locations in all of New Zealand. The Anglican Church is a historic category 1 building and is located right on the coast with views out to sea. You can also enter inside the church building and if you’re lucky you may even get to pet some of the resident horses while you are there.

Ruakokore Church

Continuing along, Waihau Bay is another must-stop. This little town is where they filmed the movie “Boy” and you may recognise the post office as one of the locations from the movie. This is also where the famous New Zealand actor Taika Waititi grew up.

Just beyond the northern tip of Cape Runaway is a beautiful hideaway bay called Lottin Point. This coastal area is popular for land-based fishing and the rocky coastline provides a stunning view, making this place well worth a visit.

If the EV is needing a bit of juice by this point, you’re not far from Te Araroa where you can charge up at the ChargeNet station - even in some of New Zealand's most remote locations, you can still get a full charge!

Te Araroa ChargeNet Station

As you start making your way to Te Araroa, it’s worth stopping off at a little secret waterfall spot just outside Hicks Bay. Waihirere Falls is a beautiful place and is a popular (yet hidden) destination for the locals, offering stunning views of the waterfall and the surrounding forest.

To get to Waihirere Waterfall, you can park up roadside just a little bit before or past (depending which way you’re coming from) Hicks Bay. It's a short walk through paddocks to reach the falls. The falls give way to the perfect little swimming hole surrounded by mossy rock walls.

Waihirere Falls

Stop in at Saint Mary's Church - one of the most beautiful Māori churches in New Zealand. St Mary's church in Tikitiki serves as a memorial to the Māori men from the East Coast between Paritū (south of Gisborne) and Tarakeha/Torere (east of Ōpōtiki) who fought and died in the First World War.

St Mary's was built in the 1920's and has a Māori architectural design and stunning carvings and tukutuku (woven panels) inside.

As you continue making your way south towards Gisborne, pop into the Te Puka Tavern in for a feed. Te Puka Tavern is an East Coast icon sitting on the water’s edge of the Pacific Ocean, looking over beautiful Tokomaru Bay, it is the ideal place to stop, rest and enjoy a meal.

We parked up at Tatapouri Bay Oceanside Accommodation for a couple of nights and we’d highly recommend staying at this stunning location. They offer multiple different accommodation options including glamping tents, zen cabins, self-contained villas and campsites. Situated right next to the ocean, this might just be the sweetest spot to stay in Gisborne.

Tatapori Bay Oceanside Accommodation

Day 3: Tolaga Bay, and Cook’s Cove Lookout, Gisborne & Wrights Winery, Wainui Beach.

Start the day off with a walk along Tolaga Bay. The bay is surrounded by stunning white cliffs and is home to the second-longest wharf in New Zealand at 660m. The historical Tolaga Bay Wharf first opened in 1929 to enable trade in the region. The wharf is now a well-known fishing spot for locals. 

While you’re in Tolaga Bay and if keen to stretch the legs, head out on the Cook’s Cove Walkway. The 5.8km track starts across an open paddock, climbing through light bush and fields. There are lookouts along the track that give you views of Cook’s Cove. The track then follows the top of the cliffs before descending down to the coastal flats of the cove. The incredible Te Kotere o te Whenua (Hole in the Wall) is a natural archway you can check out near the cove.

Cook's Cove Walkway

Continue south to Gisborne and head into town to stock up on any supplies for the rest of your trip. This would also be a great time to stop off at the ChargeNet station to charge the EV if need be.  

Visiting Wrights Winery was the perfect way to enjoy a relaxing afternoon. Park amongst the vines and sample their beautiful drops. The Wrights range are old world styles, sourcing grapes from some of the oldest vines in Gisborne from Syrah, Zinfandel and Chardonnay.

Finish the day off with some takeaways at the stunning Wainui Beach, one of Gisborne’s many surfing & swimming beaches.

Wainui Bay

Day 4: Tatapouri Bay, Zephyr Wainui, Gisborne Railbike Adventures, Rere Rockslide & Dome Cinema.

Enjoy the sunrise from your Tatapouri Bay Accommodation before heading into Zephyr Cafe in Wainui for your morning fix. These guys take their coffee seriously so you’re guaranteed a great brew!

If you’re looking for quite the unique experience, head out on a rail bike adventure. You’ll get to experience an amazing cycling adventure on the very scenic coastal railway between Gisborne and Wairoa. A totally unique tandem cycle that allows you to pedal side-by-side along the actual rails. No balancing or steering is required, you’ll be able to just relax and take in the stunning coastal scenery.

Gisborne Railbike Adventures

For a bit of a rush, visit Rere Rockslide, a giant 60m natural rock slide which is any adrenaline junkie's paradise. Slide down on your bum or on a boogie board and splash into the pool at the bottom. It's great fun! If you’re visiting in the cooler months, remember to bring a wet suit along as the water can be quite chilly.

Rere Rockslide

End the night at Dome Cinema, a super unique movie experience. The host personally seats you in massive snuggly bean bags and gives you blankets, woodfired pizza (you can get them to bring it out at halftime) & cocktails. It’s the perfect way to end the day!

Day 5: Makorori Headland Walkway,  Dive Tatapouri & Matawhero Winery

Start the day with a little sunrise mission up at the Makorori Headland Walkway - one of the best places to watch the sunrise in all of Gisborne. It’s a nice and easy 15 minute stroll to get to the top & then you sit back and take in the stunning sunrise. 

We’d then highly recommend heading to Dive Tatapouri to do one of our favourite experiences in the region. It’s pretty special being able to get up close and personal with sting-rays. You’ll learn all about the sea life on their reef ecology tour, which is a must-do!

Dive Tatapouri

End your visit to this stunning region at the Matawhero Winery for a final wine tasting and road trip debrief. They offer delicious wines and their lush garden setting is the perfect place to relax and enjoy a nice chill afternoon.

A journey along New Zealand's East Coast offers an unparalleled opportunity to experience the beauty and diversity of theTairāwhiti  region From stunning landscapes to unique activities, EV-friendly infrastructure, and epic adventures, this road trip provides something for everyone. So, pack your bags, charge up your EV, and come and see why Tairāwhiti Gisborne should be high on your next road trip bucket list.