national park
Egmont National Park
Park around the volcanic cone of Mount Taranaki, with three sealed access roads climbing to visitor centres and trailheads.
26 km · about 30 min drive
OceaniaNew ZealandTaranaki Region
New Plymouth
Taranaki Region, New Zealand · Oceania
About New Plymouth
New Plymouth is worth a stop: 5 minutes from Hurdon, 26km from Egmont National Park.
New Plymouth is in Taranaki Region, New Zealand, with about 90,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Hurdon, about 4 km away.
New Plymouth (Māori: Ngāmotu) is the major city of the Taranaki region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after the English city of Plymouth, in Devon, from where the first English settlers to New Plymouth migrated. The New Plymouth District, which includes New Plymouth City and severalRead more
smaller towns, is the 10th largest district (out of 67) in New Zealand, and has a population of 90,100 – about two-thirds of the total population of the Taranaki region and 1.7% of New Zealand's population. This includes New Plymouth City (60,200), Waitara (7,720), Inglewood (3,970), Ōakura (1,780), Ōkato (561) and Urenui (429).
The city itself is a service centre for the region's principal economic activities, including intensive pastoral activities (mainly dairy farming) as well as oil, natural gas and petrochemical exploration and production. It is also the region's financial centre as the home of the TSB Bank (formerly the Taranaki Savings Bank), the largest of the remaining non-government New Zealand-owned banks.
Notable features are the botanic garden (i.e. Pukekura Park), the critically acclaimed Len Lye Centre and Art Gallery, the 13 km (8.1 mi) New Plymouth Coastal Walkway alongside the Tasman Sea, the Len Lye-designed 45-metre-tall (148 ft) artwork known as the Wind Wand, Paritutu Rock, and views of Mount Taranaki.
New Plymouth was awarded the most liveable city (for a population between 75,000–150,000) by the International Awards for Liveable Communities in 2021. In 2023, New Plymouth was awarded New Zealand's most beautiful small city by Keep New Zealand Beautiful. It also won multiple awards in 2008. The city was in 2010 chosen as one of two walking & cycling "Model Communities" by the government. Based on New Plymouth's already positive attitude towards cyclists and pedestrians, the city received $3.71m to invest into infrastructure and community programmes to boost walking and cycling.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near New Plymouth?
Within an hour or so of New Plymouth: Egmont National Park (26 km), Surf Highway 45 (47 km), Forgotten World Highway (57 km).
Are there any good drives near New Plymouth?
The nearest famous roads are Surf Highway 45, Forgotten World Highway and Desert Road.
Where is New Plymouth?
New Plymouth is in Taranaki Region, New Zealand, about 4 km from Hurdon.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 90,100
- Continent
- Oceania
- Country
- New Zealand
- Region
- Taranaki Region
- Timezone
- Pacific/Auckland
- Coordinates
- -39.0667, 174.0833
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in New Zealand
Many rural bridges are single-lane. Give way as signed.
Full driving guide for New ZealandTags
Worth the detour from New Plymouth
3 notable places within an hour's drive.
coastal drive
Surf Highway 45
A 105 km coastal loop around Mount Taranaki linking New Plymouth and Hawera, threading black-sand surf breaks, dairy country and constant views of the perfect volcanic cone.
47 km · about 55 min drive
historic highway
Forgotten World Highway
New Zealand's oldest heritage trail: 150 km of SH43 twisting through four saddles, a one-lane road tunnel and the self-declared 'Republic of Whangamomona' between Stratford and Taumarunui.
57 km · about 65 min drive
Driving roads near New Plymouth
3 named roads, passes and coastal drives within 150km.
- 47 kmSurf Highway 45A 105 km coastal loop around Mount Taranaki linking New Plymouth and Hawera, threading black-sand surf breaks, dairy country and constant views of the perfect volcanic cone.
- 57 kmForgotten World HighwayNew Zealand's oldest heritage trail: 150 km of SH43 twisting through four saddles, a one-lane road tunnel and the self-declared 'Republic of Whangamomona' between Stratford and Taumarunui.
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