GETTING THERE

International visitors should enter the country through one of the north island international airports. The main ones are Auckland and Wellington though Hamilton has a couple of flights a day also.

From any of these locations rental cars can be obtained, then its time to hit the road and head for the 'Naki'. Most rentals come with road maps and all the highways are well sign posted.

Remember we drive on left and watch out for stray sheep, they tend to make a mess if you hit them.

Driving to Taranaki

From Auckland
4.5 hr drive.
You'll get on the motorway and head south on State Highway 1, switch to State Highway 3 at Hamilton and take it all the way to New Plymouth. From there its a short 10-15min drive on Surf Highway 45 to Oakura.

From Hamilton
3.5 hr drive.
Take State Highway 3 from Hamilton all the way to New Plymouth. From there its a short 10-15min drive on Surf Highway 45 to Oakura.

From Wellington
4 hr drive.
Take the motorway and head North on State Highway 1. At a small town called Bulls you'll switch to State Highway 3, after a few hrs you'll reach a town called Hawera where you'll take Surf Highway 45 and end up in Oakura.

Flying to Taranaki

If you don't have the time but do have the money, then you can always catch a connecting flight directly to New Plymouth.

Air New Zeland.

Flies to and from Auckland and Wellington (to New Plymouth) regularly.

Virgin Blue.

Virgin Blue provides daily trans-Tasman flights to Auckland and Wellington.

Jet Star.

Jet Star provides daily trans-Tasman flights to Auckland and Wellington.