Beaches -- Castlecliff Beach, 9km (5 1/2 miles) from the city center, is a typical West Coast beach with black-iron sand and lots of driftwood. It's good for swimming and surfing and is patrolled by professional lifeguards in summer. Wild South Beach, obviously to the south of the city, is great for long beachcombing walks, while Mowhanau is a pretty swimming beach surrounded by papa cliffs (a soft and slippery cross between a mudstone and sandstone formation). It has a playground and good picnicking areas. Head north on the highway to New Plymouth and turn left onto Rapanui Road; continue another 9km (5 1/2 miles).

Biking -- City Cycle Tours (tel. 06/343-7130) offers cycle packages that include bikes and helmets.

Flightseeing -- Get yourself into the bright-yellow Wanganui Aero Work Tiger Moth (tel. 06/345-3994) for a 20-minute flight over the city, river, and Tasman Sea.

Golf -- The Wanganui Golf Club, Belmont Links, Clarkson Avenue (tel. 06/344-4481), is an 18-hole championship course.

Mountain Biking -- Lismore Forest, just minutes from central Wanganui, has some of the best mountain-bike tracks in the region. You can rent bikes from Wanganui Pro-Cycle Centre, 199 Victoria Ave. (tel. 06/345-3715; fax 06/345-3331). Rentals are around NZ$50 (US$36/£18) per day.