Love New Zealand

About Bay of Plenty New Zealand

Bay of Plenty is a region in the North Island of New Zealand, stretching from the Coromandel Peninsula in the west, to Cape Runaway in the east.

The Bay of Plenty was the first part of New Zealand to be settled by the Maori and is a popular holiday destination, with a warm, sunny climate and lots of beautiful beaches.

The beautiful beaches, rivers and forests here provide a range of activities, including blokarting, jet boating, surfing, swimming, boating, hiking, bird watching and white water rafting. Nature lovers can swim with dolphins, visit farms and orchards or wander for miles along the beach.

Places of Interest

Tauranga

The city of Tauranga is a thriving commercial centre and the largest city in the Bay of Plenty region. Tauranga enjoys a passion for good food, wine and stylish shopping with a nautical theme.

Two large marinas in Tauranga hold over a thousand yachts and launches, and there are numerous charter boat operators ready to take you out to the marlin waters offshore.

Across the harbour from Tauranga, the horizon is dominated by the volcanic cone of Mauao. Mt Mauao is shrouded in legend and history, providing an excellent hiking challenge.

Mt Maunganui

Mt Maunganui is a popular resort town nestled at the base of Mt Mauao, on top of a sand bar that connects Mauao to the mainland. Here you will find many famous surfing beaches and a huge range of water based activities.

The white sand beach that begins here extends to Whakatane, 100 kilometres to the east.

Whakatane

Whakatane is known as the Sunshine Capital of New Zealand, and popular for its warm waters, sunny beaches and water activities. Activities include deep sea fishing, swimming with dolphins, whale watching and marine sports.

Whakatane is the launching pad for expeditions to White Island - New Zealand's only active marine volcano and one of the most accessible active volcanos in the world. Visitors can see steam billowing from the main crater and spurting ash.

Find out more about Whakatane.

Te Puke

Another town of interest is Te Puke. Te Puke is located 28 kilometres southeast of Tauranga, and is known as 'the kiwifruit capital' of New Zealand.

Attractions here include the Te Puke Vintage Auto Barn and the Kiwi 360.