Great food and fantastic golf and fishing in Napier

My wife and I spent 3 days in Napier, Hawkes Bay recently. Hawkes Bay is in the middle of the North Island and famous for its Art Deco Architecture - a result of the 1931 Earthquake. We weren't intererested in that however. What we loved were the sophisticated cafes and wineries and coffee that puts Seattle to shame. I spent a day fishing the Mohaka river with a guide. Got two great trout (4-5 pounds) in a gin clear river. Next day we played a round of golf at the magnificent Cape Kidnappers. A great 3 days made all the more so by the hospitality at the Esk Valley Lodge in a vineyard just north of Napier. Great breakfasts and we enjoyed meeting the hosts, Jes and Eileen, over a glass of their wine at night.

Breakfast at Esk Valley..