North Island GuideThe North Island of New Zealand is warm, with scenery ranging from sandy beaches, through rolling farmland to active volcanic peaks. Although it is smaller than the South Island, it is much more populous, with half of the New Zealand population living north of Lake Taupo, in the middle of this island. HotelsFind hotels in Auckland, Wellington, Hastings, Taupo, Rotorua and more. AucklandAuckland is the largest city in New Zealand, with a population of over 1.5 million. WellingtonWellington is the capital city of New Zealand and its second largest city. The Windy City is on the foreshore of Wellington Harbour and ringed by hills, providing the scenic home of many of New Zealand's national arts and cultural attractions. HastingsHastings is a city in Hawke's Bay, on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand. Auckland RegionThe Auckland Region is in the North Island of New Zealand. Centred on the Auckland metropolitan area, it also includes a large rural area, stretching as far north as the Wellsford district. Greater WellingtonThe Greater Wellington region of New Zealand is far bigger than just Wellington city. NorthlandNorthland is the northernmost region in New Zealand. Whangarei is the only city in the area; the next biggest towns have a few thousand people. Hawke's BayHawke's Bay is a district on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand. The Hawke's Bay district gets its name from Hawke Bay, a large bay in the North Island's eastern coastline. Bay of PlentyThe Bay of Plenty is a region on the north-east coast of the North Island of New Zealand. WaikatoThe Waikato is a region of the North Island of New Zealand that lies to the south of Auckland and is named for the Waikato River that traverses its length. Central North IslandThe Central North Island of New Zealand features the Lake Taupo area and the mountain volcanoes of Tongariro National Park, all situated on a volcanic plateau. ManawatuThe Manawatu is a broad flat river plain on the south-west side of the North Island of New Zealand. TaranakiTaranaki is a region of the North Island of New Zealand that is dominated by its volcanic mountain, Taranaki, also known as Mount Egmont. WanganuiThe Wanganui region is on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. The Wanganui district is part of the local government region of Manawatu-Wanganui, along with Manawatu. PoriruaPorirua is a city in the Wellington urban area at the south end of the North Island of New Zealand. East CoastThe East Coast, also known as Eastland, lies around and south of the East Cape of the North Island of New Zealand. East CapeNew Zealand's East Cape of the North Island is one of the most isolated areas in the country. WairarapaSheltered from the prevaling westerly winds by the Rimutaka and Tararua ranges in the south-east of the North Island of New Zealand, the Wairarapa region has a warm dry climate. PihaPiha is a beach area on the North Island of New Zealand. If you have your own car. HorowhenuaHorowhenua is a region of the North Island of New Zealand. Located just over an hour from Wellington and half that time to Palmerston North, but feels like a different world to those cities.