Tauranga - Things to see and do

Home to New Zealand's top-rated beach, kiwifruit farms, glow worms, street art, and much more, the region is aptly named the Bay of Plenty. If you are trying to relax and for some excitement, you will see lots of fun things to complete in Tauranga (the largest city), Mount Maunganui (coastal beach town), and the surrounding region.

It is a local's playground, a week-end getaway for other New Zealanders, a key cruise port, and a haven for international visitors.

Unlike cruise visitors, we had several days to explore. While our personal goal was a little relaxation, we couldn't resist many unique and fun things to do in Tauranga and the surrounding area.


Things to accomplish in Mount Maunganui
With so many things to do in Tauranga and in Mount Maunganui, we opted to start with the icon – the extinct volcano rising up from sea level, which will be both a sacred mountain to the Māori people and the entrance to Tauranga Harbour.

Hike up Mount Maunganui or walk around the base
The extinct volcano's Māori name is Mauao, which equals “caught by the dawn.” Rising 230 metres above sea level, Mount Maunganui's coastal views from the summit track are unforgettable.

Due to a random turn of events, we didn't ensure it is to the most truly effective and had to reverse about midway up. To that point, the walk was steadily uphill but not too steep. It's a popular walk that is now labelled “the best” by one of many Game of Thrones stars.

If climbing Mount Maunganui isn't your thing, another popular track may be the 3.4-kilometre path around the volcano's base.


See the blowhole on Leisure Island
Moturiki (Leisure Island) is a tiny island accessible with a manmade land bridge from Mount Maunganui Beach. You can see the island in the photos above. The blowhole shoots seawater up at high tide on days with wild surf.

We visited on a calm day, so despite the proper timing, there is no splash. However, the island has a beautiful nature walk, offering a lot of rock pools and endless views.

Fun things to accomplish in Tauranga
Tauranga is the greatest city in the Bay of Plenty. Tauranga harbour welcomes nearly a quarter-million cruise ship visitors annually, and the port of Tauranga is currently the largest cruise port destination in New Zealand, and consistently voted the favourite.