Taranaki: One of the best places to travel in the world

Clueless people, like me, may have been slightly taken aback when Lonely Planet deemed Taranaki the second best region in the world to visit in its Best in Travel 2017.

Sure, the new Len Lye Centre is a spectacular building, but surely not enough to elevate the region to international status? Just how wrong can a person be — I found out on a recent trip.

There are endless fascinating and inspiring things for families to do in Taranaki and this “round the mountain” itinerary works really well if you have a few days.

Forgotten World Highway

We travelled to Stratford via the Forgotten World Highway. The road is windy with several saddles but the scenery is blow-your-socks-off gorgeous. Untouched, primal and lush green — you almost feel there must be moa running around in that bush somewhere. Stop in Whangamomona to see New Zealand’s only republic town and take a break from the twists and turns.

Stratford

Stratford is the perfect gateway for adventure activities. Jason Kowalewski and his wife, who run the lovely Amity Court Motel, also have a business called Back 2 The Wild Tours and will drop you at Wilkie Pools and Dawson Falls on the south-eastern slopes of Mt Taranaki to explore. They leave bikes at the charming Dawson Falls Lodge so you can cycle down through the pretty tree-lined glade to the well-kept Hollard Gardens for a run around and play on the playground.

The pools are spectacular, with crystal-clear water tumbling down rocks into pools and cascading out the other side, and the walk through the Goblin Forest to get there is nothing short of magical. Dawson Falls is also a sight worth seeing. Standing at the bottom, surrounded by emerald bush and the pounding of the falls was a moment in my life I’ll never forget. It’s one of those places that makes you feel 200 per cent alive.

Tawhiti Museum, Hawera

Tawhiti Museum

is regularly rated in Tripadvisor’s top 10 travellers’ choice museums in New Zealand and for good reason. Owner Nigel Ogle is passionate about using art to re-create our history and spends inordinate amounts of time making intricate models of past life in New Zealand. The sprawling 4000sq m museum contains almost 100 of these scenes (some with up to 800 figures) plus many life-sized mannequins in settings from a bygone era. Shops, sitting rooms, blacksmiths’ workshops, butchers’ shops all transport you back in time with their lifelike detail and expressions. Any young tractor or farm equipment fans will be in heaven when they see the enormous collection of machinery, and there’s a Bush Railway train ride too.

The other part of the museum is a canal boat ride which takes you through the times of the traders and whalers in the Taranaki region. The caves were constructed by Weta Workshop and our whole family enjoyed the dark, moody journey, which so vividly portrayed the sights and sounds of inter-tribal and settler conflict. Our 10-year-old nearly jumped out of his skin as a life size model of a wild boar shot through the “bushes” towards us. If you have Wind in the Willows fans, they will love Mrs Badger’s Cafe and all its display windows containing Ogle’s adorable depictions of scenes from the book.

Surf Highway 45

We took the scenic route from Hawera to New Plymouth via Surf Highway 45. It’s a great drive which, at times, veers very close to the coast. There are several surf towns along the way with stunning black-sand beaches and wild waves. Make sure you stop at Opunake for some of the best fish and chips you’ll ever have. Really, the best.