Tauranga walking tour & city guide

Mount Maunganui

A walking track circles Mauao, and a steep path climbs to the summit for views over the beaches and harbor. Main Beach is popular for surfing, and hot saltwater pools are at its foot.

Tauranga

The Tauranga waterfront has restaurants and a harbor. The region is famous for kiwifruit orchards.

A day in Tauranga

Tauranga is the largest city in the Bay of Plenty, but most visitors head straight to Mount Maunganui across the harbor. Mauao, the extinct volcanic cone at the end of the peninsula, can be climbed in about 45 minutes, with views over the long white surf beach on one side and the harbor on the other. An easier path circles its base.

After the climb, swim or surf at the main beach, then soak in the Mount Hot Pools at its foot. In the evening, the cafés and restaurants along Maunganui Road are busy, especially in summer.

Good to know

Tauranga's own waterfront has parks, a playground and restaurants, and the Strand is the center of its nightlife. The region is the heart of New Zealand's kiwifruit industry, and orchards line the roads around the city.

Boat trips leave from the harbor to swim with wild dolphins, and Rotorua's geothermal wonders are about an hour's drive inland. Summer, from December to March, is the best time for the beach.