Quick Guide to Mount Maunganui

Backpackers guide to visiting Mount Maunganui

Gorgeous beaches and views 

How to get to Mount Maunganui

With most places in NZ, driving is best. The drive from Auckland is ~220km in a South Easterly direction and takes around 2 h 45 minutes. Free on street parking is available, although we had to drive a few streets away to find a spot.

It is a perfect getaway from Auckland. We went on a day trip, but there is plenty of accommodation available. 

Use this affiliate link at Booking.com to find accommodation. If you use this link, we may receive a small commission from Booking.com

There is also a regional airport in Tauranga if that’s more your thing.

What to do at Mount Maunganui

The best thing to do is hike up the 263m above seal level extinct volcano. There are two tracks leading to the summit called the Waikorire track (1.2km, 1 hour) and the Oruahine track (1.8km, 1 hour).

The summit appears to be a paragliding hot spot. It looked amazing and everyone we saw appeared to bring their own equipment.

Around the town is the Pilot Bay Beach (with calm water) and the Ocean Side Beach (perfect for surfing), Moturiki Island, Hot water pools (Mount Hot Ocean Water Pools) and a wide variety of cafes and restaurants.

For further details on the above map, please click the button on the top left corner. To view the map in Google Maps click the button in the top right corner.

Travelled May 2020