Manawatu River is a park on the banks of the river at Whakarongo, on the eastern side of Palmerston North, holding a 4.6 rating from 139 Google reviews. Riverside parks like this are less about playground equipment and more about access: river flats are old floodplain, so the walking is easy and level, and paths tend to follow the water for kilometres, linking suburbs to the city on foot or by bike. Locals pick their stretch by where the track connects, where the shade falls in summer, and how close the parking is. One thing worth knowing on any river: after heavy rain in the ranges the water rises quickly, and low-lying tracks can close for a day or two. On the quiet edge of Whakarongo, this stretch of the Manawatu makes a handy starting point for a walk or a ride beside the water.