Mount Maunganui Beach
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| Tauranga Bay and beach seen from Mt Maunganui |
Mount Maunganui Beach (aka Ocean Beach) in Tauranga (which means "safe anchorage" in Maori by the way) is great for both swimming and surfing. Safe areas are marked by flags and there are lifeguards on duty during the summer months.
There are always beach volleyball games and sandcastle-building contests going on for the kids. This 20 km-long stretch of beach is very popular with Kiwis on holiday and gets very busy, especially at New Year.
To hike to the top of Mt Maunganui (232 meters), an extinct volcano, will take 30 to 45 minutes. Other activities include fishing, dolphin watching, surfing and kayaking. There are also natural, hot saltwater pools on the beach.
Tauranga is the largest city in the Bay of Plenty with a population of over 131,000. It is also New Zealand's largest port.
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| There are stunning views from the top of the mount |
Access - Getting There
By car, Tauranga is a 2-and-a-half-hour drive from Auckland Airport.
There are also daily flights with Air New Zealand to Tauranga from Auckland Airport, Wellington Airport, and Christchurch Airport.
There are also long-distance buses to Tauranga from Auckland (3 hours, 45 minutes), Auckland Airport (5 hours), Hamilton (1 hour, 50 minutes), Napier (6 hours, 20 minutes), and Wellington (8 hours, 50 minutes) with InterCity.
Baybus operates local bus services.
Tauranga i-Site
103 The Strand
Tauranga 3110
New Zealand
Tel: 07 578 8103
Hours: Monday to Saturday: 9 am - 5 pm. Closed on public holidays.
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| The beach is blessed with pristine, white sand |
Accommodation
Trinity Wharf Tauranga has views of the Tauranga Harbour and offers a restaurant, an infinity edge swimming pool and conference rooms.
Ocean Waves Beachfront Motel is set right on the beach with each room having a kitchenette and private bathroom.
Cosy Corner Holiday Park is great for families with kids. Facilities include a hot tub, an outdoor pool, a covered BBQ area as well as a fully-equipped games room with billiards table.
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