Napier, New Zealand

It is March 3, 2019 and we arrived in Napier, New Zealand. It has a seaport located in Hawke's Bay on the eastern coast of the North Island. The population of Napier is about 63,900. About 11 miles south of Napier is the inland city of Hastings. These two neighboring cities are often called "The Bay Cities" or "The Twin Cities" of New Zealand. The total population of the Napier-Hastings Area is 134,500 people. Napier is about 200 miles northeast of the capital city of Wellington.

On February 3, 1931, most of Napier and nearby Hastings were levelled by an earthquake. The collapses of buildings and the ensuing fires killed 256 people. It was rebuilt in the Art Deco style popular at that time.

Average summertime temperatures are 74 degrees F, average wintertime temperatures are 42 degrees F and the average annual rainfall is 31 inches.

Lanee and I took a motor coach tour with 10 other people and enjoyed finding out more about Napier and Hastings, New Zealand. We visited the Art Deco City Center, the Celestial Star Compass, and Te Mata Peak. We enjoyed the friendly people of Napier and the Hawke's Bay region.

Downtown Napier

Napier and Hasting Region