The Budget & Backpacking Guide to Gisborne

Last Updated: 23 September, 2025

How to Visit Tairāwhiti Gisborne on a Budget

Gisborne, or “Gizzy” or “Tairāwhiti” as the locals call it, is a city of firsts. With its close proximity to the international dateline, it is the first city in the world to see the sunrise. It is also the first place where Europeans first set foot in New Zealand, providing a unique mix of cultures.

With that, the city on the east coast of the North Island is certainly an interesting place to visit, more so on a budget when there are so many walks, historical attractions, and foodie experiences to be had on the cheap.

Admittedly, budget and backpacking accommodation are scarce but not completely out of existence, so just follow the recommendations we list in this budget and backpacking guide to Gisborne, and you’ll be right!

5 Tips for Visiting Gisborne on a Budget

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, here are some quick tips to help you save money in Gisborne:

Gisborne’s cheap accommodation is very limited, so book early to avoid disappointment and having to pay more elsewhere.
Stay in self-catering accommodation to save money on food by making your own meals.
Visit during the low season (June to September) to see the best rates for accommodation and activities.
While there are lots of attractions to walk to in the city, you’ll need your own vehicle to visit highlights like the Rere Rockslide and Eastwoodhill Arboretum.
Gisborne has a public bus network worth looking into if you don’t have a car.

For more general money-saving tips, check out the 20 Ways to Save Money When Backpacking in New Zealand.

The Top Free Activities in Gisborne

Between wine and beer tasting and walks incorporating scenery and history, there are plenty of things to do in Gisborne that are absolutely free!

Town Beach Walkway

A good place to start when arriving in the city is taking the Town Beach Walkway.

Not only will you soak in the views of the sandy Waikanae Beach and the white cliffs of Young Nicks Head, but you’ll also see important memorials to the early Māori and European settlers of New Zealand, such as the Captain Cook memorial to commemorate where Captain Cook first arrived in New Zealand.

Learn more about the walk in the 10 Gisborne Walks You Can’t Miss.

Kaiti Hill

Who doesn’t love a good view? Either drive or walk up to Gisborne’s best viewpoint, Kaiti Hill. The lookout can be found along Kaiti Beach Road.

Continue to the Titirangi Domain to find a number of short walks.

Watch the First Sunrise

Thanks to our world’s time zones, Gisborne is the first city in the world to see the new day. Mark this momentous occasion by heading to one of Gisborne’s easterly-facing beaches, either Wainui, Makorori or Okitu) to watch the sunrise.

We recommend walking to the vantage point on the Okitu Bush Scenic Reserve Walk at Makorori, not only for the attractive native bush setting but for the best view of the sunrise.

For more ideas, simply head to the 10 Free & Cheap Things to Do in Gisborne.

The Top Cheap Activities in Gisborne

For just a few dollars, there are more attractions to enjoy in Gisborne.

Tairāwhiti Museum

A must-do is the Tairāwhiti Museum, which only costs around NZ$5 per adult and is free for children.

Learn about the engrossing history of the local Māori through various exhibitions, see the story of the first Europeans to land in Poverty Bay through displays, and enjoy a few interesting extras like a wheelhouse of a salvaged ship and the oldest-surviving European house in Gisborne.

Find this museum at 10 Stout Street, a short walk from the town centre.

Gisborne Mini-Golf

One of the strangely hilarious things to do in Gisborne is play mini golf. The Gisborne i-SITE mini golf is a hoot, with 18 holes of “Gizzy” fun with themes from freedom camping to putting into the famous East Cape Lighthouse.

Costing less than NZ$10, you can’t complain! Find it as 209 Grey Street.

Dome Cinema

And if you have a spare evening in Gisborne, make sure you spend it at the Dome Cinema.

One of the most unique boutique arthouse cinemas in the country, the experience begins with being tucked into your oversized beanbag with a blanket and delivered pizza and wine during the movie.

Again, more suggestions can be found in the 10 Free & Cheap Things to Do in Gisborne.

Cheap Eats in Gisborne

One thing Gisborne certainly doesn’t lack is cheap food! From cafes pouring New Zealand-roasted coffee to international favourites, the choice in Gisborne is vast and varied.

Let’s get started with Raglan Roast Gizzy (116 Wainui Road), which is a must for NZ-made coffee.

That Hangi Place (420 Gladstone Road) is where you can give Māori food, and especially fried bread, a try.

Other popular cheap restaurants in Gisborne include Sofra Turkish Cafe (206 Gladstone Road) for super tasty Mediterranean cuisine.

Neighbourhood Pizzeria (9 Ballance Street) does freshly cooked pizza that you can enjoy along the riverside.

For more food recommendations, take a look at The Food Guide to Gisborne.

More About the Māori Heritage of Tairāwhiti Gisborne

Gisborne and the surrounding coastal area is known in te reo (Māori language) as Tairāwhiti, meaning “the coast where the sun shines across the water”. Gisborne is a very significant area as a site of early Māori settlers since the 1300s.

Kaiti Beach was the landing site for the Horouta and Te Ikaroa-a-Rauru waka (canoes), and some New Zealanders today can trace their heritage to these early settlers.

However, you won’t find the same cultural shows here as you find in Rotorua. Tairāwhiti Gisborne presents a much more down-to-earth vibe, giving visitors an authentic insight into modern-day customs; you’re more likely to hear some utterances in te reo or see marae.

To learn more about the early Māori history in Gisborne, visit the Tairawhiti Museum (1 Stout Street) for a small fee. In the setting of Kelvin Park alongside the river, see intriguing exhibitions of Māori artefacts and art. The maritime section allows you to see a waka, learn about Captain Cook’s encounter and Gisborne’s whaling days, and view a vintage surfboard collection.

The first of many monuments of Gisborne is the giant tauihu (canoe prow), Te Tauihu Turanga Whakamana, which is used to celebrate the early Māori explorers. This is situated in Heipipi/Endeavour Park on the corner of Gladstone Road and Customhouse Street.

More About the Captain Cook Historical Sites

As the first landing site of Captain James Cook and the Māori encounter with the British, Gisborne commemorates this with countless statues and sites named after the British explorer.

Kaiti Beach

This is it: the landing site of Captain Cook. The obelisk Cook Monument marks the point where his crew first stepped ashore in 1769.

Kaiti Hill and Titirangi Domain

Kaiti Hill provides a lookout over Gisborne, Poverty Bay and Waikanae Beach. This hill was once a pā (fortified) site.

Drive up the hill on Queens Drive or take the walking track by the Cook Monument. The Kaiti Hill Lookout has a Cook statue, which has become a bit of a joke among those in the know. Not only does the statue not look like Captain Cook, but he is also wearing an Italian uniform rather than a British one…

Poverty Bay

Ironically, Poverty Bay has rich fertile land that makes Gisborne the famous wine-growing region it is today. However, it was dubbed Poverty Bay by none other than Captain Cook after he left the bay with none of the refreshments that he wanted.

Captain Cook and Nicholas Young Statues

At the mouth of the Turanganui River near Waikanae Beach lies yet another commemoration of the man himself, Captain Cook.

Cook’s thunder is shared ever so slightly with the nearby statue of Nicholas Young, a cabin boy said to be the first of Cook’s crew to spot New Zealand. More specifically, the white cliffs, which are now named Young Nick’s Head.

More About Gisborne’s Beaches

Due to the sunny climate, Gisborne is the perfect place for a beach getaway during the summer months.

Gisborne’s Best Surf Beaches

Surfers will find the best waves at Midway Beach, Waikanae Beach, Wainui Beach and Makorori Beach.

If you are looking to learn surfing, there are a few surf schools in Gisborne that cater to your needs.

Tatapouri Bay

A unique experience lies at Tatapouri Bay, which is a 15-minute drive from the city.

At low tide, the reef at Tatapouri can be explored with Dive Tatapouri. Feed wild stingrays on a reef tour or even snorkel with the fascinating creatures.

Learn more about surfing and Gisborne’s best beaches in the 20 Best Things to Do in Gisborne.

More About Rere Adventures

Nature is a wonderful thing, especially when it makes something as fun as the Rere Rockslide! This is a natural 60-metre water slide situated along Wharekapae Road, a 40-minute drive from Gisborne. Take a bodyboard or some inflatable device to absorb some of the rocky bumps during your slide into the pool below.

Nearby is the Rere Falls. In front of the 10-metre high waterfall is a pretty good setting for a picnic.

Hidden upstream away from the main road is the Champagne Pools. These are natural swimming holes with water flowing into them, creating a bubbling “champagne” effect.

Also along Wharekapae Road is Eastwoodhill Arboretum, New Zealand’s national arboretum. You can walk among the largest collection of Northern Hemisphere trees that are south of the equator. Entry is a small fee, but the beautiful walks, coupled with the drive past vineyards that showcase the wino culture of Eastland, make it worth the trip. If you want to stay in the area a little longer, Eastwoodhill Arboretum also offers very affordable backpacker accommodation.

More About Wine and Beer Tasting in Gisborne

If wine is your thing, then Gisborne is your thing. Hot summers and fertile soils are a recipe for award-winning Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris in Gisborne. To taste it all, head to the Gisborne Wine Centre (50 The Esplanade) on the harbour.

Some wineries, such as Bushmere Estate (166 Main Road), offer cafe lunches with your glass. You can take a winery tour or plan your own by picking wineries from the 10 Best Breweries & Wineries in Gisborne.

Remember, with great vineyards comes great seasonal work, so snatch the opportunity to work if you’re here on a Working Holiday Visa.

Gisborne is not only home to winemakers, but the city also hosts its very own brewery, Sunshine Brewery (49 Awapuni Road), which is open for tastings and casual brewery tours.

More About Walks in Gisborne

Of course, this would not be a backpacker and budget guide without a few free walks included! A popular choice is the Te Kuri Farm Walkway. This 2-hour loop through bush and farmland can be accessed from Shelley Road at the north end of the city. Be aware that the track is closed during lambing season (August-October).

Whataupoko Park, also north of the city, is a mountain bike park used by both walkers and bikers. You can access the park from Fox Street and Hauroa Road.

The Gisborne Riverside Walkway is an easy, wheelchair-friendly 1km (0.6-mile) from Waikanae Beach on the Gisborne waterfront by the Captain Cook statue to Taruheru Riverbanks.

Otherwise, there’s Titiranga Domain (see above) and a whole lot of beaches to enjoy walks on!

For more ways to stretch your legs, see the 10 Gisborne Walks You Can’t Miss.

If You Have More Time in Gisborne…

Go see some retro technology at the East Coast Museum of Technology for a tiny fee.
Catch a festival like the New Year’s Rhythm and Vines Festival or the First Light Wine and Food Festival.
Stroll around the Gisborne Botanic Gardens on Aberdeen Road.
If, for some reason, you find yourself at Gisborne’s small regional airport, check out the railway line passing right through it!
Feed the stingrays at Dive Tatapouri.

Get more inspiration in the 20 Best Things to Do in Gisborne.

Budget Accommodation in Gisborne

For more affordable stays, check out the 10 Best Budget Accommodations in Gisborne.

More About Tairāwhiti Gisborne

That’s it from the backpacking and budget guide to Tairāwhiti Gisborne. For more insightful guides, set your eyes on these:

Finally, check out even more money-saving tips in The Travel Guide to New Zealand on a Budget.

Sources:

The information in this guide has been compiled from our extensive research, travel and experiences across New Zealand and the South Pacific, accumulated over more than a decade of numerous visits to each destination. Additional sources for this guide include the following:

Tourism New Zealand (General travel advice - Updated [2025])
Department of Conservation (Tracks, hikes, campsites and more - Updated [2025])
AdventureSmart (Know before you go - Update [2025])
Tiaki Promise (Care for people place and culture - Updated [2025])
NZ Māori Tourism (Official Māori Tourism platform - Updated [2025])
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (Road and transport tips - Updated [2025])
DriveSafe (Road safety - Updated [2025])
Council websites and freedom camping maps (Local travel advice region by region - Updated [2025])
Safe Travel (NZ travel advisories - Updated [2025])
Tourism Export Council New Zealand (Tourism trade association - Updated [2025])
TIA (Independent tourism association - Updated [2025])
Tairāwhiti Gisborne (Regional tourism website)
Gisborne District Council (Local council website)

Our editorial standards: At NZ Pocket Guide, we uphold strict editorial standards to ensure accurate and quality content.

About The Author

Robin C.

This article has been reviewed and approved by Robin, who is the co-founder of NZ Pocket Guide. With more than 15 years of experience in the New Zealand tourism industry, Robin has co-founded three influential tourism businesses and five additional travel guides for South Pacific nations. He is an expert in New Zealand travel and has tested over 600 activities and 300+ accommodations across the country.

About Robin About Our Team