Bay of Plenty

The Bay of Plenty stretches along the pohutukawa tree-studded coast from Waihi Beach to Opotiki and inland as far as the Kaimai Range. This is where New Zealanders have come on holiday for generations, lapping up salt-tinged activities and lashings of sunshine.

Explore Bay of Plenty

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Bay of Plenty.

  • Mountain

    Mauao

    The steep slopes of 232m-high Mauao swarm with walkers in the morning, when the Mount’s early risers perform their ritual climb to the summit. The ascent…

  • Historic Building

    Mataatua

    Mataatua is a large, fantastically carved 1875 wharenui (meeting house) that is the centrepiece of Te Mānuka Tūtahi marae (traditional meeting place). A…

  • Historic Building

    The Elms

    Surrounded by mature trees and lovely gardens, Tauranga's original mission station incorporates the Bay of Plenty's earliest buildings, along with one of…

  • Museum

    Classic Flyers NZ

    This fascinating aviation museum, beside the airport, is filled with predominantly military aircraft. You can scramble through the living quarters of the…

  • Forest

    Hukutaia Domain

    Around 8km south of town, this verdant 4.5-hectare patch of forest is home to around 1500 varieties of native plants, which can be seen on a 20-minute…

  • Museum

    Te Kōputu a te whanga a Toi

    Attached to the library, this impressive museum and gallery has artfully presented displays on early Māori and European settlement in the area. A gourd on…

  • Sculpture

    Hairy Maclary & Friends

    Hairy Maclary author Lynley Dodd lived in Tauranga for years, and NZ’s favourite literary animals were immortalised in bronze on Tauranga’s wharf in 2015…

  • Waterfall

    Wairere Falls

    Tumbling down the cliffs immediately behind town, tall, skinny Te Wairere occupies a deliciously damp nook. It once powered flax and flour mills, and it…

  • Bird Sanctuary

    Katikati Bird Gardens

    About 7km south of town, this gorgeous 4-hectare private garden is all aflap with native and exotic bird life. There's 1.5km of paths, looping out to a…

  • Winery

    Mills Reef Winery

    Country-club-like Mills Reef, 7km southwest of the city centre at Bethlehem, has tastings of its award-winning wines. This isn't grape-growing country, so…

  • Gallery

    Tauranga Art Gallery

    The city's pre-eminent gallery stages challenging exhibitions of thought-provoking contemporary work. The building itself is a former bank, though you’d…

  • Park

    Haiku Pathway

    Built as a millennium project, this unusual attraction consists of boulders inscribed with haiku verses wending through a pretty park flanking the Uretara…

  • Church

    Hiona St Stephen’s Church

    St Stephen's (1862) is a white wooden Anglican church with a timber-lined interior and tukutuku (woven flax) panels in the sanctuary. Reverend Carl…

  • Museum

    Ōpōtiki Museum

    Ōpōtiki's museum has heritage displays including Māori artefacts, militaria, recreated shopfronts (barber, carpenter, printer…), and agricultural items…

  • Cave

    Muriwai’s Cave

    This shallow, partially collapsed cave once extended 122m into the hillside and was the home of Muriwai, a famous seer and sister of Toroa, captain of the…

  • Viewpoint

    Te Pāpaka & Puketapu

    On the clifftops behind the town are a pair of ancient Ngāti Awa pā (fortified village) sites – Te Pāpaka (The Crab) and Puketapu (Sacred Hill) – both of…

  • Landmark

    Pōhaturoa

    Beside a roundabout on The Strand is Pōhaturoa, a large tapu (sacred) rock outcrop capped with pohutukawa trees, where birth, death, war and moko (tattoo)…

  • Museum

    Western Bay Museum

    Housed in a former fire station, this little regional museum displays a selection of Māori artefacts from the local tribe, Ngāi Te Rangi, along with…

  • Cemetery

    Mission Cemetery

    This shady little cemetery, overlooking the bridge, has some interesting memorials relating to battles fought between local Māori and government forces in…

  • Archaeological Site

    Monmouth Redoubt

    Shaded by huge pohutukawa trees, spooky Monmouth Redoubt was originally a Māori pā (fortified village), then taken over and adapted by British soldiers…

Top experiences

Whether it’s a guided tour of a historic landmark, private tasting of local delicacies, or an off-road adventure — explore the best experiences in Bay of Plenty.

  • Activities