Tauranga

Understand

thumb|Mount Maunganui panorama Tauranga sits at the head of a large harbour that extends along the western Bay of Plenty, with Matakana Island sheltering the harbour from the ocean. The volcanic cone and town of Mount Maunganui stand at the entrance to the harbour, 5 km north of Tauranga. "The Mount", as it is known, is a suburb of Tauranga, although it is often regarded as a satellite town. It is one of the major resort cities in New Zealand, famous for its beautiful beaches and surfing.

The name Tauranga comes from Maori and roughly translates to "sheltered anchorage". Due to its sheltered position to the east of the Kaimai Range, Tauranga enjoys a warm, dry climate, which has made it a popular place to retire to. During the summer months the population swells as holidaymakers flock to it.

Much of the countryside surrounding Tauranga is horticultural land, used to grow a wide range of fresh produce for both domestic consumption and export. The area is particularly well known for growing tangelos (a grapefruit/tangerine cross) and kiwifruit. The Port of Tauranga experiences brisk but seasonal shipping traffic and is a regular stop-off for container ships and luxury cruise liners.

Tauranga i-SITE Visitor Information Centre, 95 Willow St (NW corner of Wharf St), in the heart of the Tauranga CBD, is the first place a visitor should go for local tourist information, maps, bookings, and tickets. From there, most of Tauranga's top attractions, shopping and dining options are wi…

Do

In summer, holiday-makers travel to "The Mount" to make the most of the beautiful beaches and the great surf. The waters off the coast of Tauranga are good fishing areas.

thumb|Mauao and beach (looking north) Mauao or Mount Maunganui Summit Track. The volcanic peak at the mouth of the harbour is considered by many the peak to climb. Offers fantastic views of the beach-side suburb named after it (Mt Maunganui or The Mount), Tauranga, and the entire Tauranga harbour area and coastlines. Mauao (meaning “caught by dawn”) is an historic reserve owned by Maori and managed by Tauranga City Council. Tramp to the top or walk around the base track. There are several tracks to the summit. The summit is 232 m high – it takes about 40 minutes to get to the top. A circular track at the base of the volcanic cone offers views of the harbour, the ocean, and the town and takes about 40 minutes to complete. Stroller and wheelchair accessible. The summit tracks are just a bit more challenging with plenty of stop overs to catch your breath.

thumb|Evening view from Mauao of Mount Maunganui (looking south) thumb|Paragliding at Tauranga Entrance and Mount Maunganui Walks. The free Tauranga City Walkways pamphlet from the i-SITE Visitor Information Centre details walks around Tauranga and Mt Maunganui. There are also beautiful walks further afield. Waterfalls In Tauranga - With already an abundance of things to do in Tauranga, adding to the beauty and wonder of such a beautiful city are its waterfa…

Buy

There are two main shopping centres in the Tauranga region - Bayfair at 'The Mount' and central Tauranga, or 'town'

Eat

People in Tauranga love to eat out. There is a large selection of restaurants to eat at, especially on 'The Strand', which is regarded as the restaurant central of Tauranga.

Drink

As with eating, people in Tauranga love cafes. You will also find numerous pubs around the area. A double spirit will cost $6-7.

'The Strand' is the main area for Tauranga's nightlife consisting of a strip of bars, clubs and restaurants.

Go next

thumb|300px|Looking over Hobbiton, Matamata Te Puke Waihi Beach White Island – boat tours operate to New Zealand’s only active maritime volcano from Whakatane and there are helicopter and plane tours also, although tours are suspended as of Dec 2019 Hobbiton movie set, about an hour from Tauranga, near the town of Matamata in the Waikato, provides a fun and fascinating experience of this famous location in the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films.