Wellington

North of the capital, Wellington accommodation reaches up the coast to Paraparaumu, Ōtaki and Porirua, with baches and holiday homes near the sea. Past the city limits the pace drops fast, and the coast keeps a rhythm of its own.

Paraparaumu looks straight out at Kāpiti Island, with boat crossings to the sanctuary on calm days, while Ōtaki pairs riverside walking tracks with strong Māori heritage. Porirua adds two harbour arms and the surf at Titahi Bay.

Over the Remutaka Hill, Featherston keeps second-hand bookshops and the Fell Locomotive Museum, a slow back-road drive from the cellar doors further east. Most of the region sits within an hour of the harbour, so one base covers a surprising amount of it.