East Coast NI advice/tips wanted

[pjpnz]

I am going to do a three day-two night trip from Hamilton, around the East Coast, in late April. I would love to hear about possible stop overs, must sees, cautions, pubs, hotels or motels to stay at or avoid.

Thank you in advance!

[clint640]

You can't go far wrong 'round there. You could go Hamilton - Tolaga Bay - Napier - Hamilton. The Tolaga Inn is a good spot for a meal. If you don't mind a little easy gravel a side trip to the East Cape lighthouse is nice. Watch out for wandering stock.

Cheers
Clint

[BarBender]

A good ride is:
- Hamilton to Whakatane via the Coro Loop - Waihi - Tauranga
- Whakatane to Gisborne via the Cape
- Gisborne to Hamilton via Waioeka-Opotiki-Awakeri and Rotorua.

Heaps of hotels at above overnight locations and things to do + you have enough stopage time during the day.

[robertydog]

http://www.jasons.com/New-Zealand/Hi...ay-Motel-Lodge

Stayed at Hicks Bay Motel lodge. Clean and tidy and also do meals in the evening.

[trustme]

Check out the church at TikiTiki, Maori carvings inside are impressive but what got me was the roll of honour for war dead. They sure lost a lot of people for such a lightly populated area
Take a side trip from Wairoa up to Lake Waikaremoana

[MaxB]

http://www.jasons.com/New-Zealand/Hi...ay-Motel-Lodge

Stayed at Hicks Bay Motel lodge. Clean and tidy and also do meals in the evening.

+1 for recommending that place. On Good Friday they opened up the restaurant for me 'cos I got in late on the bike. Great place. Reminds me of how things used to be. Opened the curtains next day to a fantastic view of the bay.

There are plenty of threads about the Cape. If you use the search function you should get most of what you need.

At the moment the only roadworks are near Potaka west of Hicks Bay.

There's a bike friendly motel in Opotiki (can't remember the name, sorry).

A possible route might be Taupo-Napier-Wairoa (+Waikaremoana diversion?)-Gisborne. Next day do the 'loop' maybe or just take in the Gorge, Opotiki, Hicks Bay and the Cape.

Leave a couple of hours to do the Cape road and climb to the lighthouse because you will need to change in and out of you bike gear. The road out to the Cape is now about 50% sealed and 50% easy gravel. The main hazard is dopey tourists, they stop to take photos anywhere, anytime. Give me wandering stock over tourists every time.

Then the final day can be spent going back to Gisborne and home to the Tron. I would go back up the Gorge again (no hardship) and maybe take the back roads to Rotorua and home that way.