Things to do in Whakatane
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Whakatane
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Summer beach season, warm sea and patrols, but Ohope fills from Christmas to Waitangi Day and prices peak.
Autumn is the local secret: swimmable into March or April, empty beaches, and kiwi night walks start in May.
Quiet, mild and cheap winter, hot springs at their best and kiwi calling at its peak in June, with short days.
Spring is changeable, with slip risk on coastal tracks after heavy rain, so check closures before walking.
What's on
- Ohope Beach Festival Waitangi Weekend, early February
A free family festival at Ohope with kite flying, sandcastle competitions, sand art, food trucks and entertainment.
- Local Wild Food Festival February
An Eastern Bay signature food event celebrating wild and local food, listed among Whakatane's February events.
- Ohiwa Flavours Festival Usually late October, with the wharf banquet on the Friday
A harbour food festival at Ohope with a ticketed five course wharf banquet as its headline dinner.
Best things to do in Whakatane
White Island Flights
A one hour scenic flight from Whakatane Airport that circles Whakaari and Moutohora without landing on either.
Mataatua Wharenui
New Zealand's most travelled meeting house, rebuilt at home in 2011, with Ngati Awa hosting and a light show inside.
Whakatane Museum Collections and Research Centre
The small town museum and archive on Boon Street, local history and taonga in a weekday daytime visit.
Warren Cole Walkway
A flat river walk from town to the Heads, past the wharf and Wairaka statue, with both islands on the horizon.
Kiwi Wandering
Ten bronze kiwi sculptures through the town centre, a free trail showing how close wild kiwi live to Whakatane.
Where to stay in Whakatane
Ohope
beach stays and families
The beach suburb 10 minutes from town, with the top apartment stay and the big holiday park.
Whakatane town centre
tours, eating and short stays
The Strand puts the wharf, tour offices, Mataatua and dinner within walking distance.
Best restaurants in Whakatane
Roquette Restaurant and Bar
The town's formal dinner on Quay Street, salmon and eye fillet, degustation, closed Sundays.
The Comm
Good George brewpub on The Strand, craft beer, burgers and brunch in the town's biggest social room.
Global Thai Restaurant and Bar
A long running Thai restaurant on Commerce Street, curries and pad thai, licensed and BYO, closed Mondays.
Gibbo's Fresh Fish
The locals' fish and chip shop on King Street, fresh local fish to eat at the wharf or the beach.
Outdoor things to do in Whakatane
Moutohora Island Sanctuary
A restricted sanctuary island tour with a saddle walk, seals, rare birds and a hot water beach swim.
Nga Tapuwae o Toi Walkway
A 16 km coastal loop past an ancient pa and Otarawairere Bay, with one slip closed section to check first.
Ohope Beach
An 11 km sand spit beach by Ohiwa Harbour, West End surf at one end and patrolled summer swimming.
Awakeri Hot Springs
A big warm thermal pool in bush at Awakeri, plus hotter and private pools, a cheap family soak near town.
KG Kayaks
Guided harbour kayaking on Ohiwa, with a 2.5 hour explorer trip and a sunset or moonlight paddle.
Whakatane Kiwi Trust Night Walks
Volunteer led night walks in Ohope Scenic Reserve in May and June, listening for wild kiwi calling.
Best hotels in Whakatane
Ohope Beach Resort
Spacious holiday apartments at Ohope, the local top tier for couples and families who want a kitchen.
Tuscany Villas Whakatane
A 28 room central motel on The Strand, the practical town base for tours, the wharf and Mataatua.
Ohope Beach TOP 10 Holiday Park
A big beachfront holiday park at Ohope with sites, cabins and units, a pool and the beach across the road.
Is Whakatane expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | NZ$100 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | NZ$180 a person |
| Splurge | NZ$380 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- White Island Flights: a few days ahead
- Mataatua Wharenui: a few days ahead
- Moutohora Island Sanctuary: a few days ahead
- KG Kayaks: a few days ahead
- Whakatane Kiwi Trust Night Walks: a few days ahead
- Ohope Beach Resort: weeks ahead
- Ohope Beach TOP 10 Holiday Park: weeks ahead
- Roquette Restaurant and Bar: a few days ahead
- Book Moutohora days ahead in summer, the scenic flight for the first flyable day, and Mataatua by confirming the day and time.
- Book kiwi walks early in season, Roquette on weekends, and any Ohope bed between Christmas and Waitangi Day.
Is Whakatane safe?
- Whakaari is an active volcano in unrest and no one lands there; see it only from a scenic flight, and check the current alert level (GeoNet) before you go.
- Sun burns fast here, swim between the flags at patrolled Ohope, and check council and DOC track closures after heavy rain.
- Lock cars and leave no valuables visible at beach and track car parks; emergency number is 111.
Whakatane travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Any operator still selling Whakaari landings or crater walks is out of date, there are none.
- Small town hours on listings disagree between sources, so check the business's own page before driving.
- January apartment and bach prices at Ohope are a different market from the rest of the year.
Getting around Whakatane: public transport and more
- You need a car beyond The Strand: Ohope is 10 minutes, Awakeri 15 minutes and the kayak base 25 minutes by road.
- Tauranga is about 1 hour 15 minutes by road and Rotorua about 1 hour, with no useful public transport between the picks.
Who Whakatane suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Good |
| Bachelor parties | Not ideal |
| Families | Great |
| Bachelorette parties | Not ideal |
Make Whakatane your trip
Swearby drafts the days from places people swear by. Swap any stop, then invite the crew by text, even friends without the app. Vote on dates, track costs as you go, and everyone gets one number at the end.
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