State Highway 43 — New Zealand's most remote sealed road, passing through ghost towns, tunnels carved by hand, and landscapes untouched since the bush settlers left. A journey through the "Forgotten World" of Taranaki. Note: driving is on the left.

本导览的站点（10）

1. 1
   Stratford — Broadway The eastern gateway, named by an early settler for Shakespeare's birthplace. Streets bear names like Romeo, Juliet, and Hamlet. Mount Taranaki's symmetrical volcanic cone dominates the skyline.
2. 2
   Whangamomona Saddle The road climbs over the first of several saddles through dense native bush. The King Country forest is so thick that European surveyors struggled to map this region until the early 1900s.
3. 3
   Tahora Saddle A narrow section of road clinging to the hillside above deep bush-filled valleys. In fog, the road feels like it leads into nothingness — the Forgotten World earning its name.
4. 4
   Whangamomona — Republic A tiny settlement that declared independence from New Zealand as a joke in 1989 — and never rescinded it. The Republic holds biennial elections. A goat was once elected president.
5. 5
   Whangamomona Hotel The century-old hotel serves as the heart of the Republic. Passports are stamped at Republic Day celebrations. The pub pours cold beer and warm hospitality in equal measure.
6. 6
   Moki Tunnel A single-lane tunnel carved through solid rock by hand in the 1930s. Approaching vehicles are invisible until you enter. Honk before proceeding — and hope no one is already inside.
7. 7
   Hobbit's Hole Tunnel Another hand-hewn tunnel — barely wide enough for one vehicle. The raw rock walls show chisel marks from the Depression-era workers who carved passage through the mountain.
8. 8
   Tangarakau Gorge A deep, narrow gorge where the bush closes overhead. The Tangarakau River carved this passage through the hills. Rata and rimu trees tower above the road in old-growth forest.
9. 9
   Kohi Saddle Lookout Views across the Whanganui River country — layers of bush-clad ridges receding into blue distance. The Bridge to Nowhere, accessible only by jet boat, lies deep in the valley below.
10. 10
    Taumarunui — Cherry Grove The western terminus sits at the confluence of the Ongarue and Whanganui Rivers. The town was once a thriving railway junction — now it's the launch point for the Whanganui River Journey.

导览内容仅供娱乐和一般信息参考。请独立核实实际细节。不能替代官方指导。