NZ · Hawke's Bay · 39.49°S 176.92°E

napier

Art Deco streets, seaside walks and orchard produce around Hawke's Bay.

Best time
October–April is warm and sunny, with stone fruit in summer and apples in autumn. In February the Art Deco Festival fills the streets with vintage cars and costumes. June–August is cooler, with shorter days.
How long
2 days
Getting there
Fly with one stop, usually via Auckland, about 13–15 hours all in. Hawke's Bay Airport is about 10 minutes from town. New Zealand is 4 hours ahead of KL, 5 during daylight saving (late September to early April).
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NZ · Hawke's Baynapier39.49°S 176.92°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Art Deco streets, seaside walks and orchard produce around Hawke's Bay.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingNapierNZ, Hawke's Bay
KLnapier
≈ 8,973 km from KL, as the crow flies
T & G building and Masonic Hotel, Napier, September 2026

Photo: Jakob (TheLoyalOrder) · CC BY 4.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

An earthquake flattened Napier in 1931, and the town was rebuilt almost entirely in the Art Deco style of the day. Today it's one of the best-preserved Art Deco towns anywhere, with a long seafront and the orchards of Hawke's Bay all around.

Makan

  1. Hawke's Bay fruitPeaches, nectarines and apples from roadside stalls around the bay.Map ↗
  2. SeafoodFish, mussels and oysters along the Ahuriri waterfront.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Art Deco centreStreets of pastel facades, zigzags and sunbursts, almost all built in the early 1930s.Map ↗
  2. Marine ParadeA long seafront of gardens, Norfolk pines and promenades.Map ↗
  3. MTG Hawke's BayThe regional museum, with the story of the 1931 earthquake.Map ↗
  4. Te Mata PeakA winding road up to a lookout over the plains, vineyards and coast, about 30 minutes away.Map ↗
  5. AhuririThe old port, now cafés and waterfront paths.Map ↗

Good to know

  • A guided Art Deco walk early in your stay helps you spot details you'd otherwise miss.
  • Marine Parade's beach is steep shingle with strong currents, better for walking than swimming.
  • Halal options in Napier are few, so seafood is the easy fallback.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.