Mount Maunganui

Where is it?

Almost due north of Rotorua on the western end of the Bay of Plenty lies the resort town of Mount Maunganui. Really though, the town is a part of the much bigger entity that is the fast growing port town of Tauranga. Mount Maunganui is a sprawling resort town that sits at the base of a long extinct volcano of the same name.

What’s it like?

In high season - January - it is heaving with holiday making Kiwi’s but outside of this period it is much easier to appreciate the appeal of the region. In the rush for the tourist dollar development has run on unchecked giving a very over commercialised feel to the place. Even the overcrowding and uncharacteristic architecture is more than compensated for by the beach where over 12 miles of golden sand stretch down the coast.

What to see and what to do.

Not a lot is the short answer. The beach is undoubtedly the main attraction especially for surfers. Lessons are available, boards and wetsuits easily hired.
Mount Maunganui is one of the places to be in New Zealand for New Years Eve and the place does have a reputation as a wild party town.
If the appeal of the beach has faded then there is walking on the volcano, boat trips on the bay or trips out to one of the Bay islands (Matakana or Mayor). One of the companies running excursions on the bay offers the possibility of swimming with dolphins.
Nearby Tauranga is a pleasing enough place, there are shops and restaurants a number of interesting Maori sites and if that all sounds too mundane take a trip on the Bungee Rocket.

Eating, drinking and sleeping.

There is a premium to be paid for proximity to the beach so prices here are a little higher than in Tauranga. High season it gets very busy so book in advance. There are loads of places to stay for all but as a resort town there tends to be less accommodation at the hostel end of the market.
There are numerous places to eat and drink but not many just dedicated as bars or pubs. Out of season, Mount Maunganui is very quiet but just after Christmas when the sun goes down the whole place goes nuts.