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Mid-way between Wellington and Auckland on the beautiful west coast is the Taranaki region.

Dominated by Mount Taranaki (also known as Mount Egmont), a ‘perfect’ symmetrical volcano with ice and snow permanently covering its conelike summit, this region is both agricultural heartland and rural backwater, offering superb day treks and wild windswept beaches.

The mountain is the source of over 50 rivers and streams, feeding a host of unique plant species, and is also the subject of many legends. First settled by the M膩ori people, eight iwi (tribes) found their homes here and to this day remain firmly tied to the land.

New Plymouth

The principal centre in the region is New Plymouth, the only deep-water port on New Zealand’s west coast. A city of parks and gardens, it blossoms in the rhododendron season and sparkles in the summer during the annual Festival of Lights.

More than six kilometres of historic coastal walkways line the shoreline, which is also known for its world-class surf breaks and its annual hosting of the World Triathlon Festival. New Plymouth houses an excellent heritage centre, Puke Ariki, an interactive museum displaying over 6,000 M膩ori treasures as well as wildlife and colonial exhibits.

For those with an artistic flair, the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery has a reputation for adventurous, contemporary pieces, epitomised by the work of the pioneering animator Len Lye whose fantastic ‘Wind Wand’ graces the New Plymouth foreshore.