WELLINGTON REGION ing countrydotted withcute townsandfamedwineries,awild,windsweptcoastline. liestheWairarapa. Range, still onlyanhourawayover Here you’llfindfarm- theRimutaka Islandnature reserve ahighlight.Ondifferentbeachy vibe,withtheKapiti tangent,but city surprises,andsomeofthefreshest cityairontheplanet. shoreline, hillsides cladinprettyharbour andwalkable weatherboardhouses,ampleinner- tracks, andeven acoupleofdays’pausewillreveal –abeautiful itsmyriadotherattractions Tepassing throughtheseparts. Papa andZealandia nowhave visitorsstoppingintheir tight-knit town,where thecitizenry are convincedthey’re livingin theworld’sbest-kept secret. tion ofcreative scene. typeswhofoster anadmirablyactiveIt’saproud, andaccessiblearts surely theirs. there asignificantpopula- Suited-up are, civilservants butthecityalsosupports venueship bars,live-music andlashingsofrestaurants –it’sallin‘Windy Welly’. cinemas,funkyboutiques, towns, thisisthecitythat’llblowcobwebsaway.Art-house If yourNewZealand travels thusfarhave beenallaboutthegreat outdoorsandsleepyrural Region 378 CoastoffersLess theKapiti more settledweatheranda thananhourawaytothenorth, andSouthIslands,travellersAs have thecrossingpointbetweenNorth longbeen Wellingtonians laypassionate claimtothecrownof‘culturalcapital’,andmantleis HIGHLIGHTS         Telephone code:04 (p385 ) Botanic Gardens Lambton Quaytotheleafy from (p386) theratchetycablecar Riding wineries as youtourthepicturesque Maintaining a straight lineonyourbicycle oneofNZ’srarest birds to thetakahe, Exploring slick that Wellingtoniansdemandatthecity’s Sampling thegreat coffee andqualitybeer remote Scaling thelighthousesteps onwildand Wellington’s Getting interactive atNZ’sfinestmuseum, (p388 ) Mountain BikePark upthetrailsat Ripping bars (p 396 (p395) ) andbohemiancafes (p410) Cape Palliser (p 408) Kapiti Island(p Kapiti 405 ) andsayinghi (p387) Te Papa Makara PeakMakara Wellington Martinborough  www.wellingtonnz.com

Wellington Island Kapiti  www.wairarapanz.com Cape Palliser Martinborough 379 Akitio (www.

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A small city with a relatively big reputation, big reputation, A small city with a relatively city, as those who spend any more than a than a city, as those any more who spend For a starter will attest. days there couple of around bushy at, scattered to look it’s lovely hillsides encircling a magnificent harbour. super lookouts on hilltops, golden are There sand and spectacular on the prom, craggy along the South Coast. Downtown, shores ; long-distance tranzscenic.co.nz) for 399 North. See p Auckland via Palmerston to/from Wellington. details on getting WELLINGTON (region) pop 164,000 (city), 424,000 Wellington is most famous for being NZ’s capital. It is winds wont to barrel ticularly the gale-force and obliterating umbrellas through, wrecking And fault line. hairdos. It also lies on a major is one-way system negotiating the inner-city on acid. Factor the Krypton like about everywhere. Commuter trains run trains run Commuter about everywhere. Coast and the from Wellington to the Kapiti Carterton Manurewa Point Hinakura ᝲ 2 Greytown Martinborough Mt Holdsworth (1470m) To Palmerston North (30km) Mitre Pukaha Mt Bruce National Wildlife (1571m) Tora Waiohine Gorge White Rock Te Kaukau Point Dyerville Tauherenikau Tararua Forest Park

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Waiohine Mt Ross (981m)

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Levin Tararua Range Tararua Aorangi Range Aorangi Cape Palliser Lighthouse Ohau Tuhitarata Pigeon Bush Ihakara Otaki Forks Aorangi Manakau 1 (Haurangi) Forest Park Otaki Gorge (1529m) Pirinoa Mt Hector Lake Onoke Lake Featherston Otaki Kaitoke Regional Park Alpha Forest Park Rimutaka Wairarapa Te is the main is the main Lake Ferry (1362m)

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Ngawi Range Putangirua Pinnacles

Nga Manu Cape Palliser

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Beach Wainuiomata Otaki Beach Days Bay Lower Hutt 2 Waikawa Beach Peka Peka Raumati Eastbourne Te Horo Beach

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Petone Tawa

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Easy train and bus connections make com- Easy train and bus connections make InterCity November to April are the warmer months the warmer months to April are November

Point Ohau WELLINGTON REGION WELLINGTON Matiu-Somes Cape Terawhiti

WELLINGTON Climate the north, you’ll pass through either the Kapiti Coast to the west via State Highway 1 (SH1), Hutt populated or the Wairarapa and heavily to the east via State Highway 2 (SH2). Valley people travel to work (or to party) in Wellingtonpeople travel the city from Approaching from the hinterland. muting into Wellington a viable option – many Wellington Airport is serviced by interna- tional and domestic airlines. Wellington is a major transport hub, being the transport hub, being Wellington is a major ferries. port for the interisland Getting There & Around May to August it’s colder and wetter – daily – daily to August it’s colder and wetter May lurk around 12°C. temperatures and the best months to visit, with average to visit, with average and the best months around 20°C. From maximums hovering When Wellington’s weather turns bad, it When Wellington’s weather turns bad, it can be of freezing rain coming in sideways. It ain’t freezing of called ‘Windy Wellington’ for nothing… lonelyplanet.com North Island bus company, travelling just just North Island bus company, travelling