Fifteen years ago, fresh off the plane from the UK, I first set foot in Taranaki, New Zealand.

And I was gutted.

Grey, cloudy and miserable.

Not at all what I signed up for on the immigration website and not a bloody hobbit in sight.

My husband had been offered a plumbing job in New Plymouth Taranaki, and to fulfil our visa requirements, Taranaki was to be our home for the foreseeable future.

I told myself we’d give it six months, and then we’d be out of there. Off to find greener pastures where milk flowed from rivers and the sheep pooed honey.

Fifteen years later, we’re still here. We never left Taranaki.

Here’s why…

 

 

 

Where’s the best place in New Zealand to visit?

 

New Zealand. Taranaki

The ever-present Mt Taranaki flanked by New Zealand hills. Is it any wonder the locals call this region Taradise?

 

 

New Plymouth, Taranaki.

 

There are many reasons why Taranaki gets my vote.

You can read the full post and look at the beautiful photos of Taranaki here. But for now, know this:

 

The Location

 

If you want to visit Taranaki, you must detour from New Zealand’s well-trodden tourist route.

Think of the North Island of New Zealand as a slender leg.

Auckland is the knee; Wellington is the foot; Rotorua is somewhere in the middle, and Taranaki is that sticky our bone in the middle of the ankle.

 

 

The People

 

One of the first things you will notice about New Zealand is how friendly the people are. 

New Zealand people are warm, open and welcoming, and these qualities are accentuated in Taranaki. If you look hard enough, you’ll even find a few wizards.

The only antisocial person you’ll find in Taranaki is that woman who lives in the house up on the hill.

Don’t talk to her; she’s a nutter.

 

 

travel will change your perspective for the better!

 

 

The Mountain in Taranaki

 

Taranaki – is named after Mt Taranaki, the 2,518m stratovolcano that dominates the region. Mt Taranaki is the North Island’s second highest mountain and stands enormous and proud.

And quite rightly so.

Not many mountains can say they have body doubled for Mt Fujis in a Hollywood blockbuster. Watch the movie The Last Samurai, and Mt Taranaki fills your screen.

You might also spot Tom Cruise, but ignore him. He’s rubbish.

 

 

New Zealand Mt Taranaki

 

 

The Peace & Quiet

 

Don’t tell anyone I told you this, but because not many people know how gorgeous Taranaki is, they tend not to come.

Meaning you will never be in a traffic jam or wait for more than five minutes in any line.

You can walk on secret beaches and never meet another soul.

You can stretch your eyes over rolling lush farmland and see lots of animals but only two buildings.

 

Alpacas in New Zealand.

So what do you think? Visit me in New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand?

 

Hiring a car in New Zealand

 

I need to tell you something.

New Plymouth, Taranaki, is of the “tourist trail”. Like I said, it’s the nobbly bit that sticks out.

As such, the public transport isn’t terrific. You can get a bus to New Plymouth from the major cities, but if you are anything like me, I think you’d prefer your independence. 

If you plan on seeing a lot of New Zealand (and why on earth wouldn’t you??), then car hire is a MUST.

New Zealand roads are easy to navigate, the scenery is stunning and car hire is super easy. Plus, it is relatively cheap (especially if there are more than four of you on your trip).

When it comes to getting around in New Zealand, my advice to you is to hire a car. It is easy, it will give you a TON of freedom. The best car hire company in New Zealand (that we use, love, and trust) are Discover Cars. They were (and always have been) fabulous to deal with.

After too many years of scrolling through car hire deals only to get to the checkout page and be hit with a ton of up-sells, we now go straight to Discover Cars.

They are consistently trustworthy and find us the best deals. 

Take a quick look at what car hire in New Zealand will cost you.

 

 

Finally, I’ll let you into a secret…

Taranaki has two local nicknames. The Naki and Taradise.

Need I say more?

If you’re planning a visit to New Zealand, make a detour to the bony part of the ankle. I live with a wizard in the house on top of the hill.

I’ll wait for you.

Liz x

 

Husband and wife Liz and Brian Deacle. Hosts of the very popular It's a Drama Podcast!

 

Enjoyed this post? Save it to Pinterest! ⇓

 

 

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This