The Bay of Plenty

After the Pinnacles we headed to the bustling port town of Tauranga for a bit of R&R.  With a population of around 115,000, it's just big enough to offer a lively atmosphere, while also small enough to maintain its beachy feel.  In fact, it's quite similar to some of the smaller beach communities in California, and it reminded me quite a bit of a sort of working class Santa Barbara, complete with the hordes of retro bicycles and skateboard riding youth.  It had a surprisingly developed waterfront for New Zealand, with loads of sweet eateries and cafes to explore.  Just across the harbor from Tauranga, Mt Mangonui rises sharply at the end of a small peninsula sheltering the harbor from the sea.  This little strip of land is known lovingly as The Mount, and it's where the holiday magic happens.  

The Mount is where we stayed for two nights at a holiday park right across the road from a white sand beach. that stretches from the Mount itself, all the way to the East Cape of New Zealand, becoming "different" beaches along the way as it stretches from one town into the next.  After a lovely birthday meal cooked by the one and only Kay Fry, we walked along the beach for a few kilos until we reached Mt Mangonui and the town centre at the end of the line.  As we explored the town, I began to wonder if our NZ experience would have been more amazing if we had based ourselves in this little town.  It had never even occurred to me to try and work anyplace other than one of the main cities.  Maybe in Oz… After a good night's sleep we (ok, maybe it was more like I, much to K Fry's chagrin) decided to climb Mt Mangonui for the sweeping views of the city and surrounds from the summit.  It was yet another tough slog, but well worth it.  

On our way to the Bay of Plenty's biggest tourist hotspot, Rotorua, we made a quick pitstop at what turned out to be my favorite waterfall in NZ thus far: Rainbow Falls.  A short hike from the car park brings you down to this little piece of Eden for a spectacular view of the falls and a few places to leap into the deep pools below for the brave.  Despite the sun not yet reaching into the valley, I couldn't help myself.  I had to jump in! Yes, even with the brief time spent in only a few locations, the Bay of Plenty just might be my favorite region of New Zealand so far.