2/4 – Mount Maunganui, New Zealand

Today was an amazing Cathy & Ed day. We docked in Mount Maunganui for Tauranga, but since we’ve been all over Tauranga before, we decided to just stay here in town. The info all says it is a cute little seaside town with lots of nature, etc., so we figured, what the heck? Sounds like it is right up our alley. And as it turns out – it is!

First of all the sail in is beautiful – with the mountain sitting solitary on a peninsula at the end of this narrow strip of land between two bays. It is lush and green and looks perfect for a morning of hiking and explorations.

Doing a little research, we found a bunch of trails on the mountain – one that circumvents the base and others that climb up to the summit. We figured we’d take it as it comes and see how we feel about hiking to the top. Heading out around 8, it is relatively cool and cloudy, which is helpful, as we make our way down the quiet waterfront over to Mount Maunganui. At the beginning of the trails, we find a really good map that shows us all the trails. Deciding to do the easiest first, we head around the base of the mountain, about 2 miles all the way around.

It is an easy walk actually. Relatively flat and very beautiful. Passing the statue of Tangaroa, the god of the sea in Maori culture. He is placed in the harbor with his battle staff and warrior club, crouching, which tradition says is part of a ritual that challenges visitors to show if they have good or bad intentions.

Continuing on around the mountain, the views, the scenery and the water crashing against the rocks are just fantastic. We’ll just let you enjoy the photos here – there really isn’t any need for explanation!

After we circumnavigated the whole mountain, we decided, what the heck! In for a penny, in for a pound! We’re hiking to the summit! Up we went – and up and up! It was pretty strenuous, but the views were a great reward. Open pastures, so green and vibrant. great views across the water, the harbor and down to the ship. Spectacular.

It only took us about an hour to reach the summit where we rested a bit, then started the trek down, choosing to go around the other side of the mountain for more fabulous views. There was a gorgeous look out at the end of the mountain, then the path led us down, down, down (boy are we glad we didn’t climb up this path!) through more open fields with sheep and this great water painted water tower until we were back at sea level.

A thoroughly fabulous time, if not really hot and humid in the sun. Phew!

Now, though, time to explore the town and grab some lunch. After perusing the options, we chose Fox’s Hawker House for the menu and the shady sidewalk seating. A fun little place (that was actually bigger than we originally thought, with a huge outdoor patio in the back – sadly only discovered at the end of our lunch on a trip to the bathroom!) we thoroughly enjoyed a plate of huge tempura fried shrimp, totally different cheesesteak spring rolls and some roti. Perfect little lunch after our strenuous morning.

With tons more time to kill, we decided to walk back over to Moturiki Island – a flat little island (phew!) with a long storied history. Used as a quarry for railroad building in from 1912 to 1926, it later became a scenic spot where people would come for the beach, to swim and to fish. Then in 1964, a Marinelands park opened. It grew over the years from an aquarium to a class A zoo with lots of different animals. The park’s popularity remained until 1981 when slumping attendance forced its closure. It was then turned into a Leisure Park with bumper cars and a thermal pool. That park closed in 1990 and the island was left to return to it’s more natral state. Crazy!

But history being told, it is now just a beautiful little island to wander around and take in the views across to Mount Maunganui. A nice little “cool down” walk compared to the hike up the mountain, for certain!

Hiking all done, we wander back through town, stopping at Brew Co – and apt name for a brewery – to cool off and relax a bit. Refreshment handled, we continue our wanderings through town, finding a bunch of great street art murals and then completing our meanderings at the Pohutukawa Tree – at 500 years old, thought to be one of the oldest such trees in the region. It is a lovely little spot with tons of shade from this massive tree that has been propped up with huge wood posts after it split during a storm in the 1990’s.

That completed our day here in the little Mount Manganui area. We wandered back to the ship, cooled off (it’s hot and humid!), then enjoyed a fabulous sailaway and sunset from our huge balcony. Probably our favorite port so far!