Maartje and Cat's Wedding
10 January 2026
Arriving into NZ Aotearoa!
Kia Ora and welcome to you, our friends and family! You're going to love your stay in NZ (if you're coming from abroad) and make lots of magical memories - we can't wait to experience this amazing time with you! If you're a lovely kiwi friend you know how great it is here and for our travelling friends and family we've made this website to hopefully assist you have the best time in Gisborne/NZ.
Here is some information you may find useful, and of course please ask us if you have more questions and we can maybe help with something.
VISA - First up! If you're travelling on a Dutch passport you'll need a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) from the NZ Immigration Dept before you arrive :)
FLIGHTS
If you're coming from the Netherlands or Australia, most flights arrive into the major city of Auckland in the North Island.
From Auckland you can fly directly to Gisborne using Air New Zealand.
If you're planning on travelling in the South Island before the wedding you can also fly directly into Christchurch and go from there.
HIRE CARS
If you're not flying to Gisborne once you land in NZ, you may like to hire a car and drive. This will take around 6.5-7 hours with some rests if you go non-stop from Auckland. It's a big day so take it easy.
We recommend hiring cars with RAD who will pick you up from Auckland Airport and take you to your car. We've used them before and have had good experiences with them. There are many many other rental companies so you can take your time to pick your favourite.
CAMPERVANS
Maui campervans have a good reputation in NZ although there are many other campervan hire companies to choose from. Some probably more economical but I'm not sure of the best ones so you may need to do some research.
Where is the wedding?? Wedding Venue - Knapdale Eco Lodge
ADDRESS
Knapdale Eco Lodge
114 Snowsill Road
GISBORNE
GETTING THERE
On the wedding day you can drive directly following Google Maps to Knapdale Eco Lodge, or hop aboard a bus that we will be organising to take people from Gisborne to the venue on the day.
We will have more details about this closer to the date once we have arranged it, and will let you know.
The Eco Lodge is around 15 minutes from Gisborne City out in the countryside.
What time is the wedding?
The ceremony starts at 4pm
The bus will start picking guests up at 3pm.
Staying in Gisborne
Gisborne is a small city with lots of beaches. It's also the first city in the world to see the sun each day so if the weather is good try and go to Wainui Beach one morning to see it rise and take a dip. It'll be a very memorable experience!
Accommodation-wise there are many options depending how you are travelling and if you have your own transport.
Waikanae Beach TOP 10 Gisborne Holiday Park -is a handy choice as it has cabins, motel units, apartments and tent sites/camper van and is right on the main town beach not far from shops and supermarkets.
Portside Hotel -is a lovely choice, also close to the main town and in the harbour area.
Whispering Sands - is on the main city beach front and a great spot to see the sunset over the bay as well as being close to town.
Cedar House - is a beautiful old boutique house which has been made into lovely place to stay and relax.
AirBnb could be a good option and Wainui Beach is a lovely suburb to stay in. Gisborne itself is very small so everywhere is close though.
Lots more accommodation options are here via the Tairawhiti Gisborne Information Centre I-site page.
EATING
There are two main supermarkets in Gisborne, Pak n Save and Countdown, both on Gladstone Road the main road going through the city to get any groceries you need.
For BREAKFAST/BRUNCH/LUNCH we recommend:
The Poverty Bay Club - 57 Customhouse Street. Yummy food with generous servings
Verve Cafe - 121 Gladstone Road Very good coffee and nice food
Flagship Eatery - 14 Childers Road
The Wharf Bar and Grill - 60 The Esplanade, a nice view and grilled food
The Vines - out of town a few minutes but worth the visit!
PIES and BAKERY TREATS
The best Kiwi meat pie and other bakery treats are at Morells Bakery - 437 Gladstone Road
BEST COFFEE HIT
Mr Cliftons - 126 Grey Street - open to 1pm
Raglon Coffee Roast - 116 Wainui Rd - open till 4pm which is late for a cafe in Gisborne! This may come in useful if you need an afternoon coffee hit!
DINNER
Sofra - Easy Turkish kebabs and such. A fresh takeaway
Neighborhood Pizzeria- 57 Ballance Street
Tahu- Quality food and drinks at Midway Beach near the city
FISH n CHIPS - The Aberdeen Fish Shop is the best in town - 683 Aberdeen Road.
Captain Morgans is at Waikane beach so very handy if you're staying at the Waikanae Top Ten Holiday Park - 285 Grey Street
Things to do in Gisborne and surrounds
Gisborne is an extremely slow-paced, chilled out place to visit. If the weather is good it’s very easy just to hang out at the beaches for the day. If you do want to explore a bit though here are some suggestions for local fun things to do.
Feeding the wild Stingrays -this is a super fun activity! You wear a cute little suit and go out into the reef with your guide and wild stingrays come to be fed and petted!
Surf lessons - Gisborne is a surf town and there are usually good waves for learning to surf. Here are a few people who are good to learn with:
Rere Waterfall and rockslide - about a 45 minute drive from Gisborne is the beautiful Rere waterfall and a little bit further along the road the Rere rockslide.
Sunrise Brewery- Gisborne's own local brewery is always nice for a few pints and a pizza
Dome Cinema - A quirky cinema where you sit on comfy bean bags in a historic building.
Eastwood Hill Arboretum- 40 minutes into the countryside and you'll find the Eastwood Hill Arboretrum, 135 hectares of exotic and native trees and a lovely place to walk and have a picnic.
Wineries- Gisborne is the Chardonnay capital of NZ and also grows a number of other wines.
Eat a Village Berry Ice Cream - the best berry ice cream you'll ever have. 126 Ormond Road.
Morere Thermal Hot Springs - run by the NZ Department of Conservation and currently closed for repairs. This is a really cool little spot with small private and public hot springs, a cold pool and bush walks - it should be open again by 2026!
Railway bike ride - a fun activity riding specially constructed railway bikes into nature along an abandoned railway line.
Saturday Morning Farmers' Market- local food, wine, coffee and music. A really nice morning stop off. Between 9.30 - 12.30 corner of Stout and Fitzherbert Streets.
Or just get some fish and chips from the Aberdeen Fish Shop (look it up on Google maps it's worth it) and go to the beach and enjoy the view with your chipplies and fish.
If you're in Gisborne for New Years it has New Zealand's best music festival -Rhythm and Vines - on over 29,30,31 Dec!
Getting around Gizzy! TAXIS IN GISBORNE
Gisborne Taxi's call 0800 469 294
Or 8672222
Ecokabs call 021 892 147
TRAVELLING IN NEW ZEALAND
You drive on the left in New Zealand!
Most of you lovelies will be from NZ or living in NZ, and will be familiar with the country, but if you're coming from the Netherlands or Australia and need tips about travelling in NZ just call on Cat and she'll help you out!
Still reading?
Fabulous! We have a plan for the day before the wedding and the day after!
Many of you will have travelled a long way and we want to spend the maximum time with you so we have a plan for:
A : the night before the wedding!!
Meet up at the Dome Bar, Gisborne
Jan 9. 7pm for pizzas and cocktails
It's inside the Poverty Bay Club beside the Dome Cinema on the corner of Childrers Rd and Customhouse St.
B : the day after the wedding!!
Meet up at the Poverty Bay Club cafe for brunch from 11am to debrief the awesome dancing and shenanigans!
To be followed will a beach session (weather permitting) from 2pm at Makorori Beach in front of the main car park. Look out for the balloons!
Let's swim those hangovers away ;)