The rich farming and agricultural heartland of the Hamilton & Waikato region provides the ideal base for award-winning local fare, and delicious foodie finds.
The Hamilton & Waikato region is home to a thriving community of artists and performers. Local creative pieces are on show in shops and galleries through the region, while some also make a name further afield. Meanwhile, several venues offer live theatre, concerts and performance art.
With its rolling hills and tranquil waterways, the Hamilton & Waikato region offers the perfect setting for indulgence and luxury. The number of establishments in the region operating at the top end of the market is growing to meet demand, making the most of being easy to access but far from the madding crowd.
If one thing characterises the Hamilton & Waikato when it comes to food, it’s variety. The fertile region produces everything from award-winning cheese and organic berries to flavour-packed gourmet sausages and premium oolong tea.
The Hamilton & Waikato region offers plenty of opportunities to appreciate the natural world, with several remarkable conservation ventures at the forefront.
Justifiably famous, the Waitomo Caves in the Hamilton & Waikato region offer not only natural marvels but also adrenalin pumping adventure. The labyrinth of underground caves that have formed over millions of years feature dramatic formations of stalactites and stalagmites, twinkling constellations of glowworms and eerie underwater streams.
Artists and surfers rub shoulders in the west coast settlement of Raglan, giving it a bohemian vibe unlike any other – and drawing from Lonely Planet website the accolade that it “may also be New Zealand’s best looking town”.
Over the past two decades, expert coffee roasters and baristas have sprung up across the Hamilton and Waikato region, creating a major draw for locals and visitors alike.