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Highway 35: The Slow Road to Something Special

Road runs alongside the coastline, the waves on the beach meet the sand.
Story Gisborne
The route north from Gisborne is more than just a road, it’s an experience, unfolding through landscapes as striking as they are diverse. State Highway 35 is a ribbon of tarmac draped along the Pacific Coast, curving past surf breaks, sleepy bays, and tiny townships where the welcome is as warm as the sun. Rich in Māori culture and framed by pristine natural beauty, this is not a drive to hurry. If possible, it’s a journey to linger over, one stop at a time.

Fresh and Local in Gisborne: Tairāwhiti's Food Producers on Show

Store with a table in the middle with plenty of fresh produce and other products.
Story Gisborne

In sunny Tairāwhiti Gisborne, food is more than just what’s on the plate. It’s also about the hands that sow, tend, harvest, bake, press, pour and shape it. A tumultuous few years (featuring both a global pandemic and multiple severe weather events!) have seen an already closely knit region band even more tightly together to survive and thrive.

A Taste of Tairāwhiti’s Food Trucks: Your Guide to Gisborne's Best

Food truck in a carpark with the road in the background.
Story Gisborne

Gisborne’s food truck scene is bursting with flavour, creativity, and community spirit, offering everything from authentic Greek souvlaki to indulgent desserts, handcrafted pizzas, and real fruit ice creams. Whether it’s at a private or public event, parked up by the beach in summer, or simply going with the flow, Gisborne’s food trucks sure know how to serve up delicious dishes that reflect both the diversity of global cuisine and the abundance of local Tairāwhiti ingredients.

12 Hours Gisborne

A group of women cheers their drinks over a table of food.
Story Gisborne

Your guide to the best things to do in Gisborne

One of the Locals: Your Insider's Guide To Gisborne

People sitting around in a dimly lit room drinking.
Story Gisborne

Most Kiwis are familiar with one type of Gisborne experience – you know, the one that involves jumping up and down in a vineyard to ring in the new year with 20,000 other people. And okay, that does seem like a pretty good time, but we’re here to tell you there’s a lot more to uncover along Aotearoa’s sunny East Coast. We spent a good many days hanging out with the friendly residents of Gisborne Tairāwhiti, following them to well-loved local haunts and finding out what makes this such a special place to call home. Next time you’re in the region, here’s everything you’ll want to include on your itinerary.

One-of-a-Kind Finds in Tairāwhiti Gisborne

The interior of a brightly decorated store.
Story Gisborne
Gisborne is a town that likes to be a bit different. And let’s be honest, when you’re heading towards one of the country’s most remote regions, why would you want to be met with the same old? From the wild untouched beaches to the world-class Chardonnay, everything here has that distinct East Coast flair.

The Food & Drink Heroes of Tairāwhiti Gisborne

A person holding a shopping basket picks an orange pumpkin out of a plastic crate.
Story Gisborne

There’s a lot of goodness popping out of the East Coast soil, boosted by a healthy dose of sunshine and a community of foodies looking to shake up at-home pantries and restaurants around town. These individuals and businesses are responsible for keeping Gisborne’s plate full, creating joyful destinations to wine and dine, crafting artisan products unique to the region, and building spaces for residents to shop and celebrate local produce every day. Without people like this, the town just wouldn’t be the same.