Welcome to Opotiki, the gateway to the East Cape.
Waioeka Views is located in Opotiki and only a 5 minute drive away from the local shops, cafes and beaches. The climate is amongst the sunniest in New Zealand. Opotiki district is surrounded by wonderful beaches and rivers and beautiful bush landscapes. Opotiki offers easy access to a number of outdoor activities and is centrally located for day trips further afield with Rotorua, Tauranga, Gisborne, and East Cape all within approximately 2 hours drive. Whakatane and airport are only a 40 minute drive away.
Here are some links to local visitor guides and information on local activities available:
Beautiful Local Beaches and Rivers
There are many lovely beaches and rivers within easy driving distance for enjoying fishing, boating, surfing, swimming, kayaking and other water sports, or for simply relaxing. Waiotahe Beach at Opotiki may well be one of the best beaches in NZ. It has safe swimming, surf club, interesting driftwood, good fishing, and beautiful shady pohutukawa trees which bloom red in December, great views of Whale Island and White Island, mountainous ranges and the East Coast.
Motu Trails Cycleway
This caters for novice or experienced mountain bikers, or cycle or walk the fantastic beach trails. Motu Trails is one of 22 Great Rides on the New Zealand Cycle Trail. For more information Click Here
Walking, Biking and Running
The Opotiki district has over 10,000 square kms of native forest, and there are many excellent trails of varying lengths available for walking, biking and running. Click Here for information regarding local walks (see pg 34-45):
The Hukutaia Domain (a few minutes from Waioeka Views) is a special place to visit when in Opotiki as it contains many native trees and shrubs with pathways that are well maintained and signposted for short, medium or long walks. Click Here for more information.
Murals, Pou, Carving, Arts & Crafts
There are many murals adorning walls around Opotiki that were created by local children and youth, and a number of carvings also can be visited. Opotiki and surrounds also have many creative offering and studios to visit. For more information see: www.opotikinz.co.nz/visit-opotiki/what-do/murals-pou-carving-arts-crafts
Horse Trekking
There are a variety of options available for horse trekking in the area. For more information see:
https://www.opotikinz.co.nz/visit/what-do/hunting-fishing-kayaking/horse-trekking
Golf
Opotiki Golf Club offers an 18-hole 70-par layout course which contains changing aspects with some wide, tree-lined fairways mixed with interestingly positioned tee-offs that make for fun risk-or-reward opportunities. The course is suitable for players of all levels and overlooks the Eastern Bay of Plenty coast line providing an outstanding sea view. For more information and green fees check out their website: http://www.opotikigolf.co.nz/
Fishing and Boating
Charter boats and fishing trips are provided by local services. For fishing charters contact Brian Willson via his website: www.laketaupofishing.co.nz
For the more adventurous, the Motu River Jet Boat Tour offers adventure and fun with the added bonus of being witness to some wilderness which is totally remote, unaltered by humans and is rarely viewed. The commentary concentrates on the ecological and historical values of the river. For more information see: www.moturiverjet.com
There is the opportunity to hire kayaks if you are interested in paddling on the Waioeka River which twists down bush-clad valleys into the harbour enabling you to explore the native wildlife up close. The difficulty level is Grade 2. See: www.kgkayaks.co.nz for more information.
The East Cape and Waioeka Journeys
There are two routes that can be enjoyed to reach the east coast:
Pacific Coast Highway (SH35) - this is a beautiful scenic route that will take you to East Cape, it meanders through coastal hills and bays. Te Araroa is 160km from Opotiki and has the largest pohutukawa n the world, Te Waha o Rerekohu. From Te Araroa a 40km return trip enables you to journey to the East Cape lighthouse.
Waioeka Gorge (SH2) - this is the inland route that takes you through the bush surrounds of the Waioeka river valley. Gisborne is 144km from Opotiki when travelling via Waioeka Gorge.
For more information see the Opotiki i-site :
https://www.opotikinz.co.nz/visit-opotiki/what-do/east-cape-waioeka-journeys
Local Markets
There are a variety of local markets to visit Saturday and Sunday. On the first (and third - during summer) Saturday of the month, there is a lovely market at Ohope which is 30 minutes drive from Opotiki, which offers local produce and crafts. Sunday Markets are every week in Whakatane.
Second Hand Shops
Opotiki is becoming well known for its numerous second hand shops offering great bargains and all sorts of finds. Additionally Opotiki has some unique local craft shops where you can find a variety of beautiful crafts and gifts.