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Tauranga
 By
Richard Moore
Hotels in Mount Maunganui
Hotels in Tauranga
Places
to Eat
Tauranga
is in the heart of one of the fastest growing regions in New Zealand,
the Western Bay of Plenty.
And
it is easy to say why as the place has a relaxed feel and is bounded
by some excellent beaches. These coastal strips at Mount
Maunganui and Papamoa
are great for surfing, fishing or just messing about on the white
sands.
There
are around 100,000 people in Tauranga and its main entertainment
area - The Strand - is lined with cafes and restaurants that offer
a range of meals from pub standards, to Turkish and Indian.
And
don't forget to check out Cafe Versailles
- a fabulous restaurant in nearby Grey St.
 However
Tauranga is more an outdoors place with plenty of great places to
walk, swim, bike or drive around.
Not
far from The Strand are interesting historical places - the Monmouth
Redoubt, used during the Maori/Land Wars, and the Elms Mission Station
House, one of the oldest buildings in New Zealand. The
grounds of the mission are great to walk around.
Tauranga's
most significant landmark at Mount
Maunganui, is Mauao, an
impressive volcanic cone that sits 232 metres above the entrance
to the port of Tauranga.
 There
is a circular walk around the base, but for fantastic views pack
a bottle of water and a snack and head off up to the top of the
Mount. It takes about 40 minutes but the views from there are well
worth the effort.
We've
got some fabulous pictures
of Mauao and the sights you can see from walking its tracks
and to the summit.
You
can see all the way down the ocean beaches from the Mount to Papamoa
and beyond to the Maketu Peninsula.
Behind
you will be the city and port, to the north the island of Matakana
and more coastline heading towards the Coromandel
Peninsula.
 Straight
ahead - nothing but ocean dotted with islands. Even whiney children
will be stunned, albeit momentarily, into silence.
Afterwards
enjoy a bath in hot water pools
at the base of the Mount, or grab a latte at any one of a dozen
cafes lining the beach.
You
could also visit the Classic
Flyers Aviation Museum near Tauranga airport.
From
Tauranga there are a mass of seacruises, fishing charters or nautical
adventures to participate in. Dolphin
Seafaris offers amazing voyages out to watch, or swim with,
dolphins.
If big game fishing is your passion then a trip out to Mayor Island
(35km off Tauranga) will put you right into the middle of prime
fishing waters for marlin, tuna, sharks and kingfish.
You
can also drive down to Whakatane
and take a day trip out to White
Island, New Zealand's only live marine volcano.
 Inland
from Papamoa Beach are the Papamoa Hills, where you can take a good
stroll up to the summit and see the area for miles around.
In
the hinterland from Papamoa are the impressive Kaiate
Falls - just perfect for summer picnics and swimming.
On
the eastern border of the Bay of Plenty are the Kaimai Ranges (Kaimais)
and on the foothills there is a wonderful spot to relax in relative
tranquility.
It
is the McLaren Falls
a series of small waterfalls and rock pools that stretch away into
the distance.
Tauranga
and its port is also a major base of kiwifruit and citrus growing
in New Zealand and there is usually plenty of seasonal work available
for pickers and packers.
Tauranga
is a 2.5 hour drive from Auckland, 45
minutes from Rotorua and about an hour-and-a-half
from Hamilton.
AND:
If you are into boardgames or tabletop games then check out BattleZone
in Girven Rd near Bayfair. It has a huge range of Games Workshop
figures - including 40K, Warhammer and Lord of the Rings - Flames
of War World War II tanks and figures, boardgames galore and the
Wings of War fighter plane card game.
The
BattleZone staff are knowledgeable and friendly and will make sure
you get the perfect thing for yourself or present for someone else.
BattleZone
is at 1/77 Girven Rd, phone 07 574 9405. Email battlezone@kinect.co.nz.
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