Kapiti Coast

Nearby

Wellington Taranaki Tongariro National Park

Kapiti: Understand

Population ~ 50,000

I (Alex) grew up here! A coastline lined with small towns, and sheltered by Kapiti Island which frames every sunset. There are mostly wide sandy beaches very safe for swimming (Pekapeka, Waikanae, Paraparaumu) and the coastline starts to get rockier at the south end (Raumati, Paekakariki). Famous for Kapiti Ice Cream and Kapiti Cheeses!

Kapiti Coast: Getting In & Out

By car:

State Highway 1 runs North-South along the Kapiti Coast with roads running down to the beach. Exits for all main centres are clearly marked.

By bus:

Buses connect the towns along Kapiti Coast to each other, based out of the main station in Paraparaumu. If you’re headed on a longer trip North past Waikanae, use the InterCity website to plan your bus journey.

Plan your trip or check the timetable using the Metlink website.

By train:

The main railway line runs from Waikanae along the coast, stopping at Paraparaumu (main shopping centre) and Paekakariki before continuing along to Wellington.
You can buy tickets with cash onboard from the ticket officer who walks through the carriages, or with card at Waikanae/Paraparaumu stations during business hours.
Plan your trip or check the timetable using the Metlink website.

You can also phone to book a Taxi (Paraparaumu Taxis or Kapiti Coast Taxis) or use the Uber app to get around.

Kapiti: See & Do

Enjoy sun, sand, and sunsets at Waikanae Beach, Paraparaumu Beach, or Paekakariki Beach. Grab an ice-cream afterwards from a beach-side dairy (corner store).

Swim or picnic at the Waikanae River.

Visit Southwards Car Museum to see a grand collection of antique vehicles.

Hike Hemi Matenga Track up behind Waikanae, a steep 30-45min climb through dense New Zealand bush, with panoramic views of Kapiti Coast & Kapiti Island at the top.

Kapiti: Eat & Drink

In Waikanae down near the beach you’ll find Long Beach Café and Olde Beach Bakery which are veeeery popular with the locals! Or up near the town centre pop into Salt & Wood Collective for brunching, burgers, chips and beer.

Just down the way in Paraparaumu you’ll find Marine Parade Eatery and Ambience Cafe, or nearby in Raumati there’s also No. 6 Licensed Café.

Further south in Paekakariki be sure to check out into Finn’s Café for any meal of the day, also with strong veggie/kids options.

Kapiti: Sleep

Without many options on Hostelworld or Booking.com, jump on AirBnb to find a cute bed’n’breakfast at a good price!

In terms of campground options, there are a few:

El Rancho ($) has a long list of activities (including waterslide, tennis courts, mini put … and around Christmas time are instructed activities, such as horse-treks, archery and so on). El Rancho is set on the Waikanae River, and is a 20-minute walk to the beach. Sleeping options include cabins and campsites.

Otaki Forks ($) is an awesome DOC campsite, which is inland and set on a river. The campsite is also one of the main entrances to Tararua Forest Park!

Kapiti Holiday Resort ($) and Paekakariki Holiday Park ($) are both decent campground options steps away from the beach.

1-Day Trips Near Kapiti

Visit Kapiti Island Nature Sanctuary, a boat ride over to the protected bird sanctuary.

Hike the Paekakariki Escarpment Track along the coast between Paekakariki and Pukerua Bay, and use the train to return. It’s about 10km and has several very steep sections without fencing, so not suitable for young children.

Explore Queen Elizabeth Park full of walking tracks and sand dunes.