Bluff Hill Domain Lookout Tours and Activities

Bluff Hill Domain Lookout which includes a coastal town and general coastal views
Choose two or more items and save on your trip:
As one of the best vantage points in Napier, this rocky viewpoint has commanding views of the turquoise waters of Hawke’s Bay and the Port of Napier.

Drive up to the Bluff Hill Domain Lookout to see the Port of Napier from above and take in the stunning colors and features of Hawke’s Bay.

When the British explorer Captain Cook sailed by on October 15, 1769, he marked this spot as "Bluff Head" in his logbook, a perfect marker along the Hawke’s Bay coast.

On a clear day, try to spot the Mahia Peninsula and the hills beyond Wairoa to the north and the reflective white cliffs of Cape Kidnappers to the south. Turn around and you will be able to see the towering Ruahine Range to the west.

The peaceful birdsong of fantails, bellbirds and tuis in the little park on the top conceal the fact that the Bluff Hill Domain was once where gunners for the 77 Battery 10 Coast Regiment NZA were stationed. During World War II, this strategically perfect clifftop was chosen as the spot to defend the city from possible attacks. The lookout’s enclosures were built on the concrete remnants of the battery’s two 6-inch gun emplacements. The gunners' barracks were located behind the battery.

The Port of Napier is one of New Zealand’s largest working ports by volume. The docks are always a hive of activity and it’s fascinating to watch the heavy trucks drop off full containers and one of New Zealand’s main export items: forestry harvests. A real highlight in summer is watching cruise ships enter the harbor. From this high point, the massive cruise liners resemble toy ships.

If you plan on visiting the lookout on foot, note that it’s a half-hour walk from Napier city center. Find the path up through Sturm's Gully via its Lighthouse Road entrance to make the most of the shade its tall trees offer. Sturm was a botanist from Austria who started a plant nursery here around 1865. Be prepared to climb up lots of steps before you get to the lookout.

If you are driving, you’re in for some steep roads with hair-pin bends, but it's a short drive and the views are worth the trip. At the top there is ample parking, public toilets and rain shelters.

Reviews of Bluff Hill Domain Lookout

4.4
Top destination
5 - Excellent
68
" "5 - Excellent 50.370370370370374%
4 - Good
56
" "4 - Good 41.48148148148148%
3 - Okay
10
" "3 - Okay 7.407407407407407%
2 - Disappointing
1
" "2 - Disappointing 0.7407407407407407%
1 - Terrible
0
" "1 - Terrible 0%

3/5 - Okay

Verified traveller
11 Dec 2019

Closed to traffic. Walked half way

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller
10 Oct 2019

Can be very windy .. but views worth it

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller
11 Jan 2019

Great view of the surrounding country and the port.

Popular places to visit


Top Bluff Hill Domain Lookout Hotel & Accommodation Deals

The Nautilus Napier
The Nautilus Napier
4 out of 5
387 Marine Parade, Napier
The Nautilus Napier
Shoreline Motel
Shoreline Motel
4.5 out of 5
377 Marine Parade, Napier
Shoreline Motel
Expressotel
Expressotel
3 out of 5
Corner Clive Square and Tennyson Streets, Napier
Expressotel
Art Deco Masonic Hotel
Art Deco Masonic Hotel
4.5 out of 5
2 Tennyson Street, Napier
Art Deco Masonic Hotel
Edgewater Motor Lodge
Edgewater Motor Lodge
4 out of 5
359 Marine Parade, Napier
Edgewater Motor Lodge
Quality Inn Napier
Quality Inn Napier
3 out of 5
311 Marine Parade, Napier
Quality Inn Napier
Swiss-Belboutique Napier
Swiss-Belboutique Napier
5 out of 5
36 Munroe Street, Napier
Swiss-Belboutique Napier
Quest Napier Serviced Apartment
Quest Napier Serviced Apartment
4.5 out of 5
176 Dickens Street, Napier
Quest Napier Serviced Apartment
Scenic Hotel Te Pania
Scenic Hotel Te Pania
4 out of 5
45 Marine Parade, Napier South, Napier
Scenic Hotel Te Pania
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.