Tauranga

Tauranga is a harbour city in the Bay of Plenty on New Zealand's North Island, and the cruise berth is at the base of Mount Maunganui (Mauao), an extinct volcanic cone. The walk to the summit takes about 45 minutes and gives a wide view over the bay, the harbour, and the long stretch of Ocean Beach below. The beach on the ocean side of The Mount has reliable surf, while the harbour side is calmer. The Elms Mission House in Tauranga, one of the oldest buildings in New Zealand, dates to 1847 and has well-kept gardens. Te Puia and Whakarewarewa in Rotorua, about an hour inland, have geysers, bubbling mud pools, and a Māori cultural centre with carving and weaving demonstrations. Kiwifruit orchards are common in the surrounding countryside; the Bay of Plenty grows most of New Zealand's crop. Fish and chips at a beachside takeaway are the default lunch. The currency is the New Zealand dollar.