Tauranga and Mount Maunganui (10 minutes from Tauranga's city centre) are blessed with some of the most stunning waters in this country. Coastline sweeps as far as the eye can see, offering visitors miles and miles of glittering gold sand and clean turquoise waves to play on. Further inland, calm harbours and bays offer an idyllic alternative to rolling surf.

Hit the Surf

Our beautiful coastline draws hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers to this Bay of Plenty each year - the stunning beaches offer so many leisure pursuits.

Splash around in the waves of Mount Maunganui's main beach, or head down the coast and take a surfing lesson and enjoy New Zealand's first world-class artificial reef.

Swim with Dolphins

Board a tour boat and seek out the playful  dolphins that play and feed here - you may even get to swim with them!

White Island

Take a trip to  White Island, and enjoy the experience of walking on an active volcano, surrounded by sulphur vents and crater lakes.

Fishing Paradise

The Bay of Plenty is renowned for great angling. You can hang your line off a local wharf, head out to the sea in a boat for big game fishing or enjoy the excellent  fishing to be had in peaceful Tauranga harbour. There is a myriad of opportunities here to enjoy the fishing, whether you are a keen fisherman or a complete beginner - from heading out to sea for an overnight charter to just eating someone else's fresh catch at a local seafood restaurant!

Diving

If you'd rather get up close to the marine life than eat it, you can experience some of New Zealand's best  diving locations right here (White Island, in particular, has been heralded as one of the country's finest spots).

Sailing

Tauranga's two large marinas also host beautiful yachts - and there are many skippers who will give you an exciting  sailing lesson, or take you on a sailing day trip. Help your skipper hoist the sails, sit on deck with a chilled wine and lose yourself in some of the best scenery in the world.

Rivers

The rivers of Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty offer endless opportunities for fun and excitement. Go white-water  rafting down tumbling rapids,  kayak along lush calm gorges, enjoy the beauty of one of our many waterfalls, jump aboard a jet boat and hold on tight, or find a secluded river pool and take a refreshing dip in the pure water.

And more.!

Our clean harbour waters are an ideal place to jet-ski and wakeboard.

Take a  horse ride along the beach, go parasailing to get that adrenalin pumping or just sink your toes into the golden sand and watch the world go by.

Standing guard at the harbour entrance is the towering Mount Maunganui. Take the popular 45-minute walk around its base, or climb the mountain for spectacular views of the city and its beaches, islands and harbour waters.

If you've got the need for speed, give kite surfing or the very popular  Blokarting (land sailing) a go!