THE EVENING BEFORE
To wake up rested for your busy day ahead, the Waikanae TOP 10 Holiday Park is a great option for family accommodation – whether you’re after a campsite, cabin or beachfront bach. It’s 10 minutes’ walk from the city centre, right on the beautiful Waikanae Beach which is great for swims and walks, and the kids will also enjoy the playground, indoor heated pool, jumping pillow (the adults will love this too!) and recreational gear for hire.
MORNING
Friendly stingrays
First up, you’ll drive 15 minutes up the coast from Gisborne to Dive Tatapouri, for an interactive experience with wild stingrays and other sea life. Pulling on waterproof fisherman’s waders, people of all ages and stages can head out to the reef with a guide to get up close and personal with short-tail stingrays, eagle rays and other reef dwellers at low tide. Your guide will teach you loads about these species and where they fit into the ecosystem. Look out for the short tail stingrays Waffle and Pancake, who will sit on your feet and wait for a gentle pat. If your children are very small, there’s a banana boat available for you to pull them out onto the reef with you. The tours are done at low tide, so you may have to slot this one into your day accordingly – but a sunrise experience is magical if you can get it!