One of the key reasons thousands of people visit the Bay of Plenty region every year is its stunning, golden sand beaches that hug the Pacific Coast Highway. Mount Maunganui’s main beach is by far the most popular in the region, especially in the Christmas/New Year holiday period.
Beautiful Beaches
Mount Maunganui is widely known as New Zealand’s summer playground - and can get very busy over Christmas and New Years. But there are many other bays and estuaries in the area, if you are looking for a quieter day on the golden sands.
Papamoa, Waihi Beach, Pukehina, Whakatane and Ohope are all just a short, leisurely drive away. These and many other scenic spots can take the place of the bustling main beach busy with summer crowds.
What a Catch
If fishing is your game, the Bay of Plenty is the place to be. Regarded internationally as home to some of the finest game fishing waters in the world, these waters are surging with a great variety of fish. World marlin, swordfish, kingfish and hapuka records have been set here.
From surf casting to deep sea fishing, the sport has a huge following from locals and visitors alike. As a result, there are fishing charters of every kind and size available.
Half day trips and overnight stays are common, with experienced guides boasting extensive game fishing knowledge. Other, very accessible and widely available options for water fun are: diving, surfing, swimming, kayaking and boating.
Learn to surf
Well know for it’s waves Mount Maunganui and Papamoa are great places to learn to surf.