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FijiRegion · Central North Island
Bay of Plenty
Bay of Plenty brings together Rotorua, with geysers, boiling mud and Māori culture, the beaches of Mount Maunganui and Tauranga, and the kiwi orchards of Te Puke.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
The region
Get to know Bay of Plenty
Bay of Plenty (Toi Moana) occupies the coast of the bay of the same name, in the north of the North Island, and extends inland to the lakes of Rotorua. The name was given by James Cook in 1769, for the abundance of food he found in the region. The regional council’s seat is in Whakatāne.
Rotorua sits on an active geothermal area: steam rises from parks and gardens, there are boiling mud pools and hot springs. At Te Puia, in the Whakarewarewa valley, the Pōhutu geyser often erupts several times a day, and there is a Māori carving and weaving school.
Rotorua is the main centre of Māori culture for visitors. The Te Arawa people have lived in the region for centuries, and villages and marae open to visitors offer singing and dancing (kapa haka) performances and hāngī, food cooked in an earth oven. The town also has lakes, the Whakarewarewa redwood forest (The Redwoods), with suspended walkways among the trees, and mountain-bike trails.
On the coast, Tauranga is the region’s largest city and a cruise port. At Mount Maunganui, the Mauao cone has trails to the summit and a surf beach at its base. Te Puke, nearby, is the country’s kiwi-growing centre. To the east, Whakatāne and Ōhope have long beaches and boat departures.
When to go
On the coast, summer—December to February—is the beach season and the busiest time in Tauranga and Mount Maunganui. Rotorua operates year-round: from June to August the steam from geothermal areas becomes more visible in the cold air, and hot pools see higher demand. From March to May the days are usually stable and there are fewer visitors.
Getting there
Rotorua is about 230 km from Auckland, roughly a 3‑hour drive, and has an airport (ROT) with domestic flights. Tauranga also has an airport (TRG), and Whakatāne receives flights from Auckland. Rotorua and Tauranga are about 60 km apart. Long-distance buses link Rotorua with Auckland, Taupō and Wellington.
Your questions
Frequently asked questions about Bay of Plenty
Does Rotorua smell of sulphur?
Yes. The gas that comes from the geothermal ground smells like rotten eggs, stronger in some parts of town and in the geothermal parks. Most visitors get used to it after a short time.
Where can I see Māori culture in Rotorua?
Te Puia and the village of Whakarewarewa, where Māori families live beside the hot springs, offer guided visits and performances. Several villages and marae offer evenings with cultural performances and a hāngī dinner, usually by reservation.
How many days should you stay in Rotorua?
Two days allow for a geothermal park, a cultural evening with hāngī, the hot pools and the redwood forest. With three days you’ll have time for the lakes, mountain biking or a trip to Hobbiton, about an hour’s drive away.
Can you bathe in hot springs in Rotorua?
Yes — at the town’s hot-pool complexes and on the shore of Lake Rotorua. In geothermal areas always stay on marked trails: natural lakes and pools can have boiling water.