Mount Maunganui is a favourite summer playground for both Kiwis and tourists, especially over the Christmas and New Year period. One of its main attraction is the magnificent long sandy beach which faces the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by holiday apartments, hotels, holiday parks, cafes and ice cream parlours.
A popular spot for surfers, it also attracts many swimmers and sunbathers with lifeguards patrolling during the summer months.
If you are looking for a bit of adventure, take the magnificent walk up Mauao which lies at the northern end.
Products and specialities
Public beach
Surf beach
Swimming
Reviews
The white sandy surf beach with its outlying islands and vista across to Mayor Island is a firm favourite with locals and visitors. It can be the most serene and beautiful place in the world or the ocean can churn up some huge wild surf, which favours only the more experienced surfer. Sitting on the rocks at the blow hole at the end of the Leisure Island is pure bliss. The sandy beach extends 20km up to the Kaituna River and cafes and food outlets on Marine Parade support the local beach-crowd and visitors.
This is the hot place to be and the coolest to swim in summer. It’s got it all, a breath-taking beach, white sand, surf, rocks, and wonderful walks on our wonderful guardian landmark The Mount, or Mauao, as the Maori named it. There’s also smaller cousin Mount Drury and Leisure Island to explore. And you won’t go hungry with all the eateries available. The area is extremely popular so you’ll never be alone.
This one has to top the list for it’s beautiful white sand, rolling waves and close proximity to Mauao. It’s beauty and popularity have also attracted some great ice cream shops - including Copenhagen Cones and Monte Gelato - and great locally-owned cafes like Sidetrack. It’s a busy beach so best visited on a day when you feel like people watching playing a game of beach cricket or volleyball. You can swim between the flags, go for a walk around Mauao and end the day with a soak in the Mount Salt Water Pools - bliss.
Ask Bay residents why they love living here and they’ll tell you - the beach and the lifestyle. It’s difficult not to put a visit to one of New Zealand’s most beautiful beaches at the top of a things to do list. A stroll along the boardwalk or walk up or around the Mount (Mauao) are some of the most beautiful and relaxing things to do in the Bay. Just around the corner is the harbour beach, Pilot Bay, which recently got its own boardwalk, and is a great spot for a family picnic or barbeque while you watch the cruise ships come and go. It’s also a safer option than the main beach as a swimming spot for kids.
An obvious walk but a great one! This walk can be done at any pace and you can’t say you have experienced the mount until you have walked from one end of the boardwalk to the other. Great people watching spot and make sure you bring some money with you so you can get an ice cream at the Tay Street Dairy
In the Summer Time I would say this place is unbeatable with the number of woman. It is however a more youthful crowd on the main beach. Us older folk normally reside down off the main stretch a little bit or across the other side Pilot Bay where its more family friendly. However as a younger man this was the spot to be.
