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A true jewel in the Bay of Plenty, Mt Maunganui is easily accessed from central Tauranga — just a 10-minute drive in your rental car. The ‘Mount’ is just across the harbour, a sandbar with sheltered Pilot Bay on one side and a fantastic surf beach on the other side.

The mountain itself, Mauao, rises 232 metres above sea level. Several historical Maori pa (villages) were once built on this extinct volcanic cone, which you will see if you walk around it. A well-maintained track spans the mountain, approximately 3.5 km long, and suitable for strollers too. There are several other pathways to the top of Mauao, from where you will be rewarded with views in every direction, along the Bay of Plenty coastline and inland to the Kaimai mountain ranges.

Reward yourself afterwards with an ice cream on the glorious white sandy beach, which is consistently voted one of the best in the world. The main beach at Mt Maunganui often hosts sporting events but it’s ideal for sunning and swimming year-round. Just across the road there’s an array of restaurants and cafes, equally suited for evening alfresco dining as to a lazy brunch. The main street also houses a number of art galleries, gift stores and fashion boutiques.

Feeling active? Try your hand at paragliding, fishing, or surfing — there are lots of surf schools to be found here. And, at the end of the day, you can kick back at the hot salt water pools at the bottom of Mauao. Whatever you’re after, you’re bound to find it in this chilled-out holiday town.

Escape to a peaceful paradise at Kaiate Falls in Welcome Bay, a suburb of Tauranga. Also known as Te Rerekawau Falls, the Kaiate Falls are part of a nature reserve that includes plenty of greenery in the form of native bush and forest, and a river that runs through a series of waterfalls.

There are well-kept walking trails throughout the reserve. There is a main loop track you can walk that takes about an hour to complete, with maps, information and pictures along the way. There is plenty of shade and shelter provided by the flax plants and large trees, including puriri and kohekohe.

At the top of the ravine, the Kaiate Stream descends over the edge to form the waterfalls you see. The first waterfall is a stunning three-step cascade of multiple falls. The first two steps are clearly visible, while the third is recessed into the bush. The second waterfall is a typical drop or horsetail waterfall stretching some 15 metres.

At the bottom of the lower falls there is a delightful swimming hole just made for cooling dips on a hot day. In between the falls, the track crosses over the stream.

The trip will take about 30 minutes in your rental car from central Tauranga. The road is sealed however in the last kilometre it changes to a gravel surface so be prepared for that. Pack a picnic to bring along, because above the Kaiate Falls carpark is a lovely picnic area to relax in, with great views to Mount Maunganui and the Port of Tauranga.

New Zealand is world-renowned for its hiking trails, but if you want an undisturbed walk in some of the country’s best native forests and fauna, you don’t have to go too far. Just a half-hour drive from Tauranga in your rental car, Kaimai Mamaku Forest Park borders the Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions. This ancient subtropical forest features some historic mining and kauri-logging sites, with huts, shelters, and picnic areas sprinkled among over 350 km of hiking trails.

Gold was discovered in the park on Mt Te Aroha in the 1880s, and kauri trees were felled for use in constructing mines, and for the fuel needed in extracting gold. Kauri logging stopped in the 1970s, but gold mining continues even today at Waihi.

Now regenerating, the park marks the furthest south that you will find kauri, and the northern limit for kamahi, red and silver beech trees. It is home to a large number of native birds including the kiwi, kokako, karearea, kaka, whitehead, kererū, and whio.

Pick up a trail map in Tauranga at the visitor centre. Access roads lead directly into the park and clearly signposted trail options — get there from the SH2 (there are exits between Tauranga and Katikati) or head southwest on the SH 29.

While there are plenty of popular tracks to choose from, a recently upgraded car park at the top of Whakamarama Road now provides easy access to the Leyland O’Brien logging tramway track (a 3-hour return walk) and to the longer Ngamarama track (a day’s walk across the Kaimai range).

It’s a half-hour drive in your rental car from Tauranga to the picturesque town of Katikati, known locally as the mural town. Walking the streets you’ll see more than 35 artworks (not just murals, but also sculptures and carvings) honouring the town’s early Maori and pioneer residents, and its timber milling and farming heritage. Pick up a map of the town and its murals from the visitor information centre.

Katikati is also known for its 'Haiku Pathway', a one-of-a-kind 2 km riverside walk that includes over 40 haiku poems, inscribed on river boulders — the largest collection of haikus (and the only haiku path) outside Japan. You can start the pathway at various spots, but if you start at the main entrance you will be greeted with this haiku: 'Strangers they stop and ask me the way if only I knew'. 

Bird lovers will also want to visit the Katikati Bird Gardens, which sits directly on the edge of the inner Tauranga harbour on the outskirts of the town. The garden and aviary tour is a 45-60 minute walk through wetlands, and past water lilly ponds, with opportunities to get up close to bantams, pheasants, parrots, parakeets, ducks, swans, and doves. Giant camellias and magnolias brighten up winter skies, while azaleas and lilies show their colours in spring and summer. Tui, heron, fantail and grey warblers frequent the gardens, making this a great place to relax and unwind for an hour or two before you head off again in your rental car.