Generations of Kiwis have packed up the car and migrated up this picturesque peninsula, seeking a quiet week or two away from the city, a precious break with family and friends filled with sunshine and sandy feet.

And while some of the old baches around the Tairua Harbour have been transformed into contemporary, stylish, and significant homes with modern technology enabling families to live here year-round, the feel of the place hasn’t changed a bit. It’s still a peaceful spot, dominated by boating life, the surf, the native bush and the fishing, a lifestyle like no other in the world.

The region’s reputation as a marine playground is well-deserved. Fishermen, boaties, divers and kayakers will find life in Tairua a dream come true, it’s one of the very best places on the whole peninsula to launch. The harbour provides sheltered waters for sailing, paddling and windsurfing, while the ocean beach is ideal for body boarding, surfing, and casting. The central marina offers berths protected from the swell and there are two boat ramps in the township for easy access at all tide levels.

Adventuring on land is just as rewarding with Tairua home to an array of native forest walking tracks. Climb to the summit of Mount Paku, try the Twin Kauri Walk or the trail along Te Karo Bay. A short drive from town, the Broken Hills Recreation Area is a wonderland of ancient forest, cool waterholes, magical glow worms and plenty of hiking trails that highlight the region’s goldmining and kauri-logging history.