North Island
Manawatū-Whanganui
A river through the interior, and high country either side of it.
North Island · Active travellers · Culture & history · Nature lovers
Manawatū-Whanganui is the North Island's least-visited region by international travellers, and for exactly that reason, it offers something increasingly rare: genuine, unperformed New Zealand. Palmerston North is a university city with an excellent food and arts scene and Te Manawa, a museum, gallery and science centre in one, with its collection of Māori taonga (treasures).
The Manawatū Gorge was one of the most dramatic road corridors in the country before the road was permanently closed by slips, now it's accessible only on foot or mountain bike, which makes it more beautiful. The Rangitīkei River is outstanding for white-water rafting. And the Whanganui River, whose canoe journey is counted among New Zealand's Great Walks, has legal personhood, recognised in 2017 as an ancestor by the Māori people who have lived on its banks for centuries. A jet boat journey up the river to the Bridge to Nowhere is among the country's most unusual and affecting experiences.
Among its moments
- Whanganui River, jet boat to the Bridge to Nowhere
- Whanganui River Road, one of New Zealand's great scenic drives
- Te Manawa Museum, Māori taonga collection
- Rangitīkei River white-water rafting
- Manawatū Gorge, hiking and mountain biking
Whanganui & Manawatū in photographs
Near here
All thirty regions, on the map