16 Years as Travel and Leisure Magazine Top Travel Expert for New Zealand and Australia

Travel and Leisure says: "Donna Thomas has explored many corners of North and South Islands in search of hidden gems. She can help birdwatchers see the endangered yellow-eyed penguin or send avid trekkers on guided hikes to secret waterfalls in Paparoa National Park."

Taranaki

Taranaki is situated on a peninsula on the west coast of the North Island, surrounding the volcanic peak of Mount Taranaki. The two large bays on either side of the peninsula's westernmost point, Cape Egmont, are prosaically named the North Taranaki Bight and the South Taranaki Bight. Mount Taranaki, also known as Mount Egmont, is the dominant feature of the province, being the second tallest mountain in the North Island. The mountain is a near perfect cone and dominates the landscape. It last erupted in the mid-eighteenth century. The mountain and its immediate surrounds form Egmont National Park. New Plymouth is the main township and other notable areas are Waitara, Inglewood, Stratford, Opunake, Eltham, Hawera and Patea. The province is exceptionally fertile, thanks to generous rainfall and the rich volcanic soil. Dairy farming predominates, with the milk factory just outside Hawera being the second largest in the Southern Hemisphere. The manner in which the land mass projects into the Tasman Sea with northerly, westerly and southerly exposures results in many excellent surfing and windsurfing locations, some of them considered world-class.

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Bulls

Bulls is a small town near the South Taranaki Bight of the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is situated in a thriving farming area in the Rangitikei District at the junction about 160 kilometres north of Wellington.

Hawera

Hawera is the second largest town in the Taranaki region of New Zealand's North Island. It is located on the coast of the South Taranaki Bight, 75 kilometres south of New Plymouth. The town's name of Hawera (Maori for burnt place) is apt, as the town suffered extensive blazes in 1884, 1888, and 1912. For this reason a large water tank was built close to the town, and it is now one of Taranaki's best-known landmarks.

New Plymouth

New Plymouth is the port and main city in the Taranaki region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. The area where New Plymouth was founded had been the historic home for several Maori iwi (tribes) for centuries. Early European whalers operated in the area for some time before the ship William Bryant arrived in 1840 to disembark the first of the European settlers. Today, the city is a service centre for the region's principle economic activities including intensive pastoral activities (mainly dairy farming) as well as oil, gas and petrochemical exploration and production. Notable features are the excellent botanic gardens, the controversial 45m high artwork called the wind wand crafted by noted New Zealand artist Len Lye, and the picturesque views of Mount Taranaki, also known as Mount Egmont. Being a coastal city with a mountain within one hour's drive away, the more adventurous residents of New Plymouth can snowboard, ski, water ski and surf all in the same day.

Island:

North Island

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Donna Thomas and her team created a fabulous two week vacation for our family in Australia. Traveling with two small children across the world can be no easy feat, but Donna's planning made it a breeze. She planned fabulous, fun and interesting activities for us and covered every detail - including making sure the vehicles we were traveling in had the appropriate car seats. Everything was incredibly organized and top-notch. Donna listened to our needs and went above and beyond in meeting them. The hotels were beautiful, spacious and well-situated. The tours and day-trips were fantastic. Our Australian relatives even joined us on some to reap the benefit of Donna's inside knowledge! We wouldn't dream of returning to Australia (or going to New Zealand) without her help. Thanks Donna!

Watts

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16 Years as Travel and Leisure Magazine Top Travel Expert for New Zealand and Australia

Taranaki

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