Mt. Maunganui Overview

The extinct volcanic cone of Mt. Maunganui (pop. 30,400) rises from the otherwise flat shoreline of Tauranga Harbour. Formerly a Maori stronghold, the mountain now reigns over the industrial-turned-resort suburb that bears its name. “The Mount” bustles with activity in the summer, attracting cruise ships and tourists with its white beaches.

Ttransportation. Local and InterCity buses run daily to Tauranga (15min.), with stops at the Mt. Maunganui i-Site and the Bayfair Shopping Centre (3km from town). Depending on the bus, service may continue to Auckland ($46), Hamilton ($31), Hastings ($78-86), or Thames ($30). Go Kiwi also runs to Auckland ($42) via Tauranga three times per day. In the summer, take the ferry to Tauranga from Salisbury Wharf (7 per day; $8). Mt. Maunganui has 24hr. taxi companies; try Taxi Cabs (☎575 5054) or Mount Taxis (☎574 7555).

Orientation And Practical Information. Mt. Maunganui’s main drag is Maunganui Road, and the center of town is almost directly below The Mount. Marine Parade/Ocean Beach Road traces the ocean toward the fine sands of Papamoa Beach Reserve. The Mall runs on the harbor side of downtown. The Mt. Maunganui i-Site is on Salisbury Ave. west of Maunganui Rd. (☎575 5099. Open daily 9am-5pm.) Other services include: banks on Maunganui Rd.; Internet access at Mount Internet, which doubles as Mount Backpackers ($2 per 20min, $4 per hr. during “happy hour” 9-11am; open daily 9am-8pm); the Post Shop and Copy Centre, 155 Maunganui Rd. (☎574 3505. Open M-F 8:30am-5pm, Sa 9am-12:30pm.)

Accommodations. Bright blue  Pacific Coast Lodge (BBH) , 432 Maunganui Rd., 2km from the town center, has plenty to offer, including comfy mattresses, a recycling program, employment opportunities, and free parking. (☎574 9601; www.pacificcoastlodge.co.nz. Key deposit $20. Dorms $25-27; singles $65; doubles $70. MC/V.) A stone’s throw from the beach, Mount Backpackers (BBH) , 1 Adams Ave., with powered tent and caravan sites stretching to the beachfront. (☎575 4471; www.mountbeachside.co.nz. Tent sites, vehicle sites, and 2-person caravans from $30. MC/V.)

Food And Nightlife. Restaurants are concentrated on Maunganui Rd. The laid-back TTwo Small Fish , 107 Maunganui Rd., serves the freshest catch in town and is well worth the splurge. (☎575 0096. Tua tua and paua fritters $16. Blackboard fish specials $29.50. Open M-Th 6-9pm, F-Su 6pm-late. MC/V.) For the best value, Kwang Chow , 245 Maunganui Rd., serves a similar purpose. (☎574 9909. Mains $10-16. Open daily 5-10pm, also Th-Sa 11:30am-2:30pm. AmEx/D/MC/V.) Cafe Turkish Delight 2, 97 Maunganui Rd., serves up fresh kebabs ($8) smothered in your choice of several tasty sauces. (☎575 9676. Open M-Th 11am-9:30pm, F-Su 10:30am-10:30pm. AmEx/MC/V.) Two doors down from Kwang Chow, Bin Inn, 237 Maunganui Rd., has beach snacks and other groceries. (☎575 2050. Open M-F 8am-6pm, Sa 8am-5pm, Su 9am-4pm.)

The young crowd at the Astrolabe, 82 Maunganui Rd., won’t flinch at your dreds, and the Pacific Rim cuisine makes the pre-dusk hours worthwhile. (☎574 8155; www.astrolabe.co.nz. Beer $5. Mains $12-32. Kitchen open 9am-3pm and 6-10pm. Open daily 9am-late. AmEx/D/MC/V.) The heart of Maunganui’s live music scene, Mount Mellick, 317 Maunganui Rd., hosts jam night every Tuesday and live bands Friday and Saturday. (☎574 0047. Pints $6. Open daily 11am-1am. AmEx/D/MC/V.)

Sights And Outdoor Activities. It doesn’t take a genius to find the must-see attraction in The Mount—it sticks out of the sea like a 232m sore thumb. To reach the extinct volcano, follow Adams Ave. or The Mall to where they peter out into a paved lot and a well-maintained track around the base of the volcano. The track is an easy, scenic 35min. walk with crashing surf on one side and sheep on the other. Routes go up the mountain at several spots off the base track, each offering a strenuous 40min. ascent and a knee-knocking 25min. descent. There’s also a short jaunt out onto the peninsular Moturiki Island and the nearby Blow Hole.

The Mount’s other major draw (beaches notwithstanding) is the hot saltwater pools, located at the base of the mountain. A tepid lap pool, private pools, storage lockers, and multi-trip passes are all available. (☎575 0868. Open M-Sa 6am-10pm, Su 8am-10pm. $5, children $3. Private pools $6 per 30min.) The prime surfing beach is next to the mountain, but white sand stretches for miles to the east, and sheltered waters await across the peninsula in Pilot Bay. Mount Surfshop, 96 Maunganui Rd., rents surfboards, bodyboards, and wetsuits. (☎575 9133. Surfboards $30 per day, bodyboards $20, wetsuits $15, mask and fins $25. 2hr. surfing lessons $50. Open daily 9am-5pm.) Local surf schools, especially Assault, 24 Pacific Ave. (☎575 7831), just off Maunganui Rd. near The Mount, offer rentals and lessons of varying rigor ($55, $35 per person for groups). If you haven’t yet learned to hang ten, New Zealand Surf School, usually stationed at Tay St. on the main beach, will happily take you under its wing. They guarantee successful surfing or a free lesson. (☎021 477 873; www.nzsurfschools.co.nz. Lessons daily 10am, noon, 2pm. 1hr. lesson $50, 2hr. lesson $80. Cash only.) To see The Mount and Tauranga from above the water, mosey over to Pilot Bay and strap into the Big Sky Parasail. (☎0800 7244 759; www.bigskyparasail.com. Daily every hr. 10am-5pm. 400 ft. $60, 800 ft. $70, 1200 ft. $80. $10 discount for students and groups of 4 or more.)