What are the top things to do and see in New Plymouth?
Pukekura Park
Located just a short distance from New Plymouth’s city centre, Pukekura Park offers plenty of great ways to spend an afternoon. Throughout the park’s 52 hectare grounds, you’ll find several landscaped gardens and ponds, playgrounds perfect for active kids, and an assortment of activities, including motorised buggy tours, rowboating and more. Within the park’s grounds, you’ll also find Brooklands Zoo, a zoo with free admission that’s home to a variety of animals, from meerkats and exotic birds to pigs, chickens and alpacas. If your cheap flights from Napier to New Plymouth arrive between December and February, be sure to also pencil in a visit to the Festival of Lights, an annual event held within the park.
New Plymouth Coastal Walkway
Stretching from Hickford Park to Bell Block Beach and covering a total of 12.7 kilometres, the New Plymouth Coastal Walkway offers the perfect opportunity to stretch your legs following your Napier to New Plymouth flights. The walkway passes under the Te Rewa Rewa Bridge, alongside the Pacific Ocean and by the intriguing Wind Wand sculpture. Enjoy a leisurely stroll, set out on a run or enjoy a bike ride on a sunny day. Spend a day exploring the length of the walkway or choose to complete a section at a time.
Paritutu Rock
The area surrounding New Plymouth is particularly scenic, making the journey to the top of Paritutu Rock well worth the effort involved. The walk to the summit takes about 15 minutes to complete and can become quite physically demanding in its final stages, with a steep climb leading to the top. Once the last few challenging metres have been conquered, hikers are rewarded with panoramic views across New Plymouth, the Sugar Loaf Islands, Mount Taranaki, local beaches and beyond.
Surfing
Situated on New Zealand’s west coast, New Plymouth is home to several popular surfing spots. While there are plenty of beaches to explore along the city’s edge, you’ll find some of the best surfing conditions at Fitzroy Beach, Back Beach and Ahu Ahu. To discover more of the west coast’s swells, a drive along Surf Highway 45 is well worth adding to your holiday itinerary. If you aren’t planning to travel on your flights from Napier to New Plymouth with your own surfing gear, surfboards, wetsuits and other accessories are available to hire from surf shops across the city.
What should you pack when visiting New Plymouth?
Much like the rest of New Zealand, summer sees New Plymouth experience its highest temperatures. The mercury averages 22℃ during the day, so if you plan to visit the city at this time of year, a few t-shirts and some pairs of shorts should be enough to get you by. Although the days are typically quite warm, it’s good to keep in mind that the evenings may be cooler, meaning that a jacket may also be worth packing.
With average daytime temperatures sitting between 15℃ and 21℃, the weather is generally quite cool in New Plymouth during autumn and spring. If you’re considering booking cheap flights from Napier to New Plymouth in either season, think about packing clothes that are easy to layer. A few t-shirts and jumpers, along with a warm jacket and some pairs of long pants, should be sufficient.
If your Napier to New Plymouth flights are due to arrive during the winter months, prepare for average daily temperatures of about 13℃. From June to August, you should consider packing a warm coat, long pants and other pieces of clothing that are comfortable to layer. Thanks to the city’s coastal location, you may experience cooler sea breezes at this time, making a scarf, a beanie and pair of gloves a must if you are thinking about spending time outdoors during your stay.
During a stay in New Plymouth, you’ll find that there’s so much to discover on foot across the city, from its parks to its scenic coastal walks, making a pair of comfortable walking shoes a great addition to your packing list.
What’s the best way to get around New Plymouth?
If you’re wanting to explore New Plymouth at your leisure or are thinking about discovering the region surrounding the city, it might be a good idea to hire a car. Book a hire car online with Webjet when securing your Napier to New Plymouth flights, or rent a car once you touch down at New Plymouth Airport (NPL).
New Plymouth’s local bus services make it easy to navigate the city if you’d rather rely on public transport. The network services most of the city and its suburbs, with fares varying based on your age and chosen payment method.
For short journeys between your accommodation and the city’s top attractions, New Plymouth’s taxi services are another option.
FAQs
How long is the flight time from Napier to New Plymouth?
As there are no direct flights from Napier to New Plymouth, the total flight time does vary depending on the route flown and the length of each stopover. On average, the journey to New Plymouth from Napier takes more than three hours.
Are there direct flights from Napier to New Plymouth?
There are currently no direct Napier to New Plymouth flights. Most flights travel via Christchurch, Wellington or Auckland.