Just off the coast of New Plymouth, you'll find the Sugar Loaf Islands—the volcanic remnants of an ancient volcano, active nearly two million years ago. Captain Cook named the islands, taking inspiration from the lumps of sugar loaf he added to his tea. To tour the Sugar Loaf Islands, jump onboard Chaddy's Charters for a colourful commentary from local character Happy Chaddy. Or if you're up for a bit of a hill climb, there's a track leading up Paritutu Rock (another volcanic remnant) offering impressive views of the Sugar Loaf Islands, plus the New Plymouth coastline and Port Taranaki.