Tauranga

Tauranga (population 120,000) is the major city of the western Bay of Plenty on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is the sixth largest city in the country, and is 105 km east of Hamilton and 85 km north of Rotorua.

Tauranga is located at the head of a large harbour which extends along the western Bay of Plenty, and is protected by Matakana Island. The volcanic cone and town of Mount Maunganui stand at the entrance to the harbour, five km north of Tauranga. "The Mount", as it is known, is often regarded as a satellite town of Tauranga, although it is technically a suburb. It is one of the major resort cities in New Zealand, famous for its beautiful beaches and surfing.

The name Tauranga comes from Maori, it roughly translates to "a sheltered anchorage". Due to its sheltered position on the east coast, Tauranga enjoys a warm, dry climate. This has made it a popular location to retire to. During the summer months the population swells as holidaymakers descend on the city.

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 also experiences brisk but seasonal shipping traffic and is a regular stop off for both container ships and luxury cruise liners.

Tauranga i-SITE Visitor Information Centre, 95 Willow St, NW corner of Wharf, 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 within a 15-minute walk.

• Tauranga Art Gallery, 100 Willow St (NE corner Wharf St. 10am-4:30pm daily. is one of New Zealand’s newest and most respected regional public galleries. Since opening in 2007, it has consistently delivered high quality exhibitions within its contemporary gallery space located in the heart of Tauranga’s CBD. Touring the ground floor and mezzanine galleries will take an hour or so. Free. Donations appreciated..
• Katikati Bird Gardens, Walker Rd East (25 min drive north of Tauranga off State Highway 2, +64 7 549-0912. 10:00-16:30. Lovely old established gardens on the edge of the inner Tauranga Harbour. Mostly formal with wetlands area and walk. Golf cart tours and hire. Great café. Native birds on display including the NZ kea. adult $10.
• Marshalls Animal Park, McLaren Falls Rd. Wed, Thu 10aM - 2PM, Sat, Sun 10AM - 4.30PM, daily during school holidays. Mainly horses, deer and farm animals. $13.
• Te Puna Quarry Park, Quarry Rd (off State Highway 2, 15 km north of Tauranga. Previously a quarry, now turned into a park through volunteer work. Free, donations welcome.
• The Elms, 15 Mission St.. Daily 10AM - 4PM. House built in 1847 as a missionary station, with many original items of contents, set in a fine garden. non-NZ adult $15, NZ adut $10.

Tauranga Art Gallery, 100 Willow St (NE corner Wharf St. 10am-4:30pm daily. is one of New Zealand’s newest and most respected regional public galleries. Since opening in 2007, it has consistently delivered high quality exhibitions within its contemporary gallery space located in the heart of Tauranga’s CBD. Touring the ground floor and mezzanine galleries will take an hour or so. Free. Donations appreciated..

Katikati Bird Gardens, Walker Rd East (25 min drive north of Tauranga off State Highway 2, +64 7 549-0912. 10:00-16:30. Lovely old established gardens on the edge of the inner Tauranga Harbour. Mostly formal with wetlands area and walk. Golf cart tours and hire. Great café. Native birds on display including the NZ kea. adult $10.

Marshalls Animal Park, McLaren Falls Rd. Wed, Thu 10aM - 2PM, Sat, Sun 10AM - 4.30PM, daily during school holidays. Mainly horses, deer and farm animals. $13.

Te Puna Quarry Park, Quarry Rd (off State Highway 2, 15 km north of Tauranga. Previously a quarry, now turned into a park through volunteer work. Free, donations welcome.

The Elms, 15 Mission St.. Daily 10AM - 4PM. House built in 1847 as a missionary station, with many original items of contents, set in a fine garden. non-NZ adult $15, NZ adut $10.

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.

• 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 232m 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.

• Mount Maunganui. As New Zealand's Surf City, Mount Maunganui has beaches on the coasts that are great for surfing and diving, with large numbers of visitors wanting to experience the laid-back summery atmosphere.
• The Kiwi Asylum, 386 Papamoa Beach Rd, +64 7 218-0355, +64 27 273 2544. Dirtsurfing is for the adrenaline junkie in all of us. All that is needed is a willingness to try this inline board sport. Only your imagination will limit what you can do with your Dirtsurfer. A Dirtsurfer is like a combination of a skateboard and a bike moulded into one.
• McLaren Falls Park. Summer: 7.30am – 7.30pm; Winter: 7.30am – 5.30pm. McLaren Falls Park is located just 10 minutes’ drive from central Tauranga. The popular park comprises 190 hectares of parkland alongside the picturesque Lake McLaren. It is home to a number of easy walking tracks and is also a great spot for camping, fishing, kayaking, bbqs and picnics. A ranger is on duty seven days a week. Around 300 sheep roam through the grassed areas, so dogs are not permitted within McLaren Falls Park.
• 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 it's waterfalls. There are a number of waterfalls throughout the Tauranga region where all are worth a visit. You have McLaren Falls, Kaiate Falls, Whataroa Falls, Omanawa Falls and Wairere Falls ( Wairere Falls being on the other side of the Kaimai ranges).

Mount Maunganui. As New Zealand's Surf City, Mount Maunganui has beaches on the coasts that are great for surfing and diving, with large numbers of visitors wanting to experience the laid-back summery atmosphere.

The Kiwi Asylum, 386 Papamoa Beach Rd, +64 7 218-0355, +64 27 273 2544. Dirtsurfing is for the adrenaline junkie in all of us. All that is needed is a willingness to try this inline board sport. Only your imagination will limit what you can do with your Dirtsurfer. A Dirtsurfer is like a combination of a skateboard and a bike moulded into one.

McLaren Falls Park. Summer: 7.30am – 7.30pm; Winter: 7.30am – 5.30pm. McLaren Falls Park is located just 10 minutes’ drive from central Tauranga. The popular park comprises 190 hectares of parkland alongside the picturesque Lake McLaren. It is home to a number of easy walking tracks and is also a great spot for camping, fishing, kayaking, bbqs and picnics. A ranger is on duty seven days a week. Around 300 sheep roam through the grassed areas, so dogs are not permitted within McLaren Falls Park.

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 it's waterfalls. There are a number of waterfalls throughout the Tauranga region where all are worth a visit. You have McLaren Falls, Kaiate Falls, Whataroa Falls, Omanawa Falls and Wairere Falls ( Wairere Falls being on the other side of the Kaimai ranges).

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

• Historic Village, 17th Avenue. site open daily 7:30AM – 10PM. A small shopping centre in a collection of original and replica buildings from early Tauranga.

Historic Village, 17th Avenue. site open daily 7:30AM – 10PM. A small shopping centre in a collection of original and replica buildings from early Tauranga.

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.

• Bella Mia Pizzaria, 73 Devonport Rd, +64 7-578 4996. In the same spot for over 30 years, pizza-pasta Italian restaurant.
• CBK Craft Bar & Kitchen Tauranga, Red Square, 1 Devonport Rd, +64 7 578 4700. Excellent weekend brunch, lunch and dinner spot in the centre of town. Great restaurant and Cafe food
• Harbourside, Old Yacht Club Building 150 The Strand, +64 7-571 0520. Situated over the water in a historic converted yacht club
• Patrick's Pies Gold Star Bakery, Tenancy H1B, Bethlehem Town Centre, 19 Bethlehem Road, Bethlehem, +64 7-579 2328. 08:00–16:30. Six-time winner of the New Zealand Supreme Pie Awards.

Bella Mia Pizzaria, 73 Devonport Rd, +64 7-578 4996. In the same spot for over 30 years, pizza-pasta Italian restaurant.

CBK Craft Bar & Kitchen Tauranga, Red Square, 1 Devonport Rd, +64 7 578 4700. Excellent weekend brunch, lunch and dinner spot in the centre of town. Great restaurant and Cafe food

Harbourside, Old Yacht Club Building 150 The Strand, +64 7-571 0520. Situated over the water in a historic converted yacht club

Patrick's Pies Gold Star Bakery, Tenancy H1B, Bethlehem Town Centre, 19 Bethlehem Road, Bethlehem, +64 7-579 2328. 08:00–16:30. Six-time winner of the New Zealand Supreme Pie Awards.

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.

• Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club, Sulphur Point.
• Mount Ocean Sports Club, Pilot Bay, Mount Maunganui.

Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club, Sulphur Point.

Mount Ocean Sports Club, Pilot Bay, Mount Maunganui.

• Cornerstone, 55 The Strand. pub with meals and live music
• Crown & Badger, 91 The Strand. Great pub meals

Cornerstone, 55 The Strand. pub with meals and live music

Crown & Badger, 91 The Strand. Great pub meals

• Te Puke
• Waihi Beach
• White Island. New Zealand’s only active maritime volcano. Tours operate from Whakatane. Before stepping on the island, tourists are issued hardhats and gas masks. It is necessary to wear mask because fumes on White Island can affect some people - with headaches or nausea. From the ancient dock of the Island, one has to climb along steel ladders, walk along a concrete wharf, over a rusting steel bridges, and then clamber over rocks before you find yourself standing in front of a live volcano.
• Located about an hour from Tauranga, near the town of Matamata in Waikato, the Hobbiton movie set provides a fun and fascinating experience of this famous location in the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films.