Eastland — officially the Gisborne region, but still widely known by its older name — occupies the eastern tip of New Zealand's North Island. It is one of the most remote and least visited parts of the country, which is precisely its appeal. The region is the first place in the world to see the sunrise each day, and the East Cape lighthouse is a popular spot to watch it.
Gisborne, the main town, is a laid-back surf city with excellent breaks at Wainui Beach and Makorori. The surrounding coast is stunning — the Pacific Coast Highway (SH35) around the East Cape is one of New Zealand's great drives, passing through small Maori communities, pohutukawa-lined bays, and empty beaches.
The region has deep Maori cultural significance. It was the landing point of the Horouta waka and one of the first places where Captain Cook made landfall in 1769. The interior is rugged hill country covered in native bush, with the Te Urewera ranges to the south offering serious tramping in near-wilderness conditions.
