Mount Maunganui, on the outskirts of Tauranga, is the perfect coastal escape with volcanic views, and is an absolute must for your New Zealand itinerary.
There are so many great things to do in the area, but the biggest highlight are the Mount Maunganui walks!
If you’re a fan of free camping, beautiful volcanic walks and relaxing by the beach, continue reading for our full guide to Mount Maunganui!
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Where is Mount Maunganui
Mount Maunganui, or Mauao as it’s more commonly known, is just under 3 hours away from Auckland (210 km).
To reach it, you’ll have to pass through Paeroa; home to L+P, so it’s only right that you stop off there to see the world’s largest L+P bottle along the way.
If you want to extend the journey? We thoroughly enjoyed our detour around The Coromandel Peninsula, North from Paeroa.
Is Mount Maunganui A Volcano?
Yes! Mount Maunganui is a 232m high extinct volcano that formed by an upwelling of lava around 2.5 million years ago.
Don’t worry though! It has been classed as extinct for such a long time, there’s no risk when doing one of the Mount Maunganui walks.
Although it stands tall on the edge of town, on cloudy days it can almost disappear from the skyline altogether – something we actually witnessed as the storm rolled in, it’s impressive and eerie.
The Best Mount Maunganui Walks
When you visit Mount Maunganui you have to understand one thing; the people here love being outdoors but they also seem to appreciate a slower pace to life.
Mount Maunganui in winter is a sleepy little coastal district that offers walking tracks, surfing and nature reserves to go alongside a weekend of camping.
Although in summer I imagine it’s a much busier place, I can almost guarantee it maintains its laid back pace. Here are a couple of our favourite Mount Maunganui walks to do while you’re there.
Mount Maunganui Summit Walk
The Mount Maunganui summit walk is perhaps the main thing to do while you’re in the area.
With two tracks to choose from, you mix it up with different routes for each direction. Both will take you roughly an hour to zig zag to the top of Mount Maunganui.
The Waikorire track gives you views across the ocean, and offers a steeper climb with lots of steps, while the Oruahine track will take up the opposite side, giving you views over the city. The Oruahine track is still steep in sections with steps but the council is working on a more pushchair/wheelchair friendly option that promises to be an easy option.
We decided to do this walk in a gap between showers, but we were lucky enough for the sky to have cleared almost completely by the time we reached the top… but also lucky enough to see the next storm brewing in the distance, creating some really moody photos!
We always stay at the top of places like this for ‘longer than normal’ because a) it gives us a chance to experience it with fewer people and b) you get to enjoy the views as the light changes throughout the day.
Can you tell Dec’s a photographer? haha
For perfect panoramic views, we recommend doing this Mount Maunganui walk in summer when the weather is usually better – although this is New Zealand after all, the weather changes fast and often here all year round!
The Mount Maunganui Base Walk
If you’re unable to do the summit walk, there is an easier Mount Maunganui walk that’s a little more family friendly: the base track.
This walk will take you 3.4km around the base of Mount Maunganui in approximately 45 minutes. It’s a really nice option for a sunset walk without the risk of having to walk down steep stairs in the dark.
The beaches along this route are often a resting spot for South Island seals so keep your eyes peeled. They can appear at any time of year and can usually be found sleeping after their journey from the South Island. If you do come across one or two, keep your distance and let them rest.
Walk To Moturiki Island / Leisure Island
Whilst this Mount Maunganui walk isn’t located on the actual volcano, it is perhaps one of the most interesting things to do at Mount Maunganui purely because of its history.
Moturiki Island started life as a quarry during the time of the first European Settlers. It was then turned into a luxury island resort called Leisure Island. A big hotel and swimming pools were built on the island, as well as pools for captive dolphins and Orcas.
Luckily it has been restored back to its natural state and is now a nature reserve that’s far bigger than it looks from the mainland – 3 Hectares!
On Moturiki Island you’ll find several walking tracks, out favourite being the one that runs all the way to the end of the island. This is a good vantage point for whale spotting, as they often come into the Bay of Plenty for a rest.
You can get to Moturiki Island by foot thanks to the man made land bridge. It’s accessible during low-tide but if there’s a big storm looming it’s wise to stay on the mainland.
Where to stay at Mount Maunganui
There are plenty of places to stay in Mount Maunganui. Whether you’re looking for freedom camping or holiday parks with all the amenities, or Air B+B, Hostels and luxury hotels, you won’t struggle for options here – just get booked early if you’re planning a trip in summer!
We stayed in a mix of freedom and paid campsites during our weekend at Mount Maunganui so here are some of our recommendations:
Freedom camping
You’re almost guaranteed a beach-side spot when it comes to freedom camping in Mount Maunganui.
There are a couple of important thing to know about all freedom sites:
- They have a 2 day limit
- They’re usually for self-contained only (read more about that here)
- You have to be inside designated spaces – usually chequered green/blue
- You have to be gone by 8am
- Be respectful and take all rubbish with you when you leave.
If in doubt, check the signs in each location for more details. Below is a list of freedom campsites in Mount Maunganui with links to their locations.
Omanu Beach Surf Club: SC only, toilets, showers, 1 space, beachside.
Macville Park: SC only, toilets, Sunday-Thursday only, in town.
Harrison Cut: SC only, no toilets/showers, 2 spaces, beachside.
Papamoa Beach Reserve: SC only, no toilets, 3 spaces, beachside.
Paid camping
Mount Maunganui was where we experienced our very first paid campsite.
With the storm rolling in we decided to splash out and enjoy the ability of plugging in our electric heater overnight – it’s the little things in life, eh!
While it isn’t our usual style of camping/van life, we understand everyone’s needs are different so below is a list of the paid campsites that have all the amenities you’d need in Mount Maunganui.
- Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park
- Cosy Corner Family Holiday Park
- Tauranga Tourist Park
- Fernland Spa
- Silver Birch Family Holiday Park
- Welcome Bay Hot Pools + Camp.
Overall we’d say these Mount Maunganui walks are a must for travellers doing the NZ North East Coast. Getting there via the scenic drive is enough to make us want to go back, let alone the appeal to see how the vibe changes in the summer.
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