Beaches and Islands
Mount Maunganui, New Zealand’s ‘Surf City’, is known internationally for as a main summertime centre, and draws huge numbers of visitors each year.
The Mount’s beaches are great for relaxing in the sun, surf and sand, and play host to everything from surf-lifesaving events to beach volleyball, national surf contests to sandcastle-building.
New Zealand’s answer to Australia’s Gold Coast, Mount Maunganui’s beaches are steeped in New Zealand surfing history, and are patrolled year-round by lifeguards to ensure maximum fun and safety for beach-goers.
Main beach
This beach is the ideal summer holiday venue, with its golden sands and rolling waves.
Kilometres of sand look out to the South Pacific ocean, and the warm, sunny climate provides New Zealand’s premier summer playground – perfect for lying back and relaxing or for family fun.
An artificial surfing reef provides an excellent, year-round surfing spot for resident surfers and a thriving surf industry.
Ocean Beach
Ocean Beach extends to Papamoa over the south and offers incredible beach breaks - perfect for surfers and body-surfers - and is accessible by foot off the main coastal road.
Matakana Island
Matakana Island lies across the Tauranga harbour entrance from Mount Maunganui, with access only by ferry or boat. Swells off the island produce great tubes and big hollow waves – the ideal conditions for surfers.
Moturiki Island
This tiny island provides an environmentally-friendly picnic spot and offers a great walking track with stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and offshore islands from the summit.
Fishing, wildlife-watching and viewing the summer ocean events on the coast each summer are all popular activities on this island.