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Know About Tauranga attractions what to do in Tauranga
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 seeking to relax or for some excitement, you will find a lot 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 vital cruise port, and a haven for international visitors.

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


Things to do 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 is both a sacred mountain to the Māori people and the entrance to Tauranga Harbour.

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

Because of random turn of events, we didn't allow it to be to the top and had to turn back about midway up. To that time, the walk was steadily uphill but not too steep. It's a well known walk that's now labelled “the best” by one of many Game of Thrones stars.

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


Begin to see the blowhole on Leisure Island
Moturiki (Leisure Island) is just a tiny island accessible via 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 clearly was no splash. However, the island has an attractive nature walk, offering a lot of rock pools and endless views.

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

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