Weekend Ideas – The Bay of Plenty

The Bay of Plenty embraces 259 km of open coastline stretching from the Coromandel Peninsula in the west to Cape Runaway in the east, with several large islands in the bay, including the active marine volcano at White Island 49 km off the coast of Whakatane. 

The Bay of Plenty got its name from Captain Cook in 1762 when he saw the abundant resources of the area. The whole area is steeped in Maori legend and history, and so Maori cultural activities are often centre stage tourist attractions. 

The first Europeans didn't settle in the area until the 1830s. 

Eight major rivers flow into the bay: Wairoa, Kaituna, Tarawera, Rangitaiki, Whakatane, Waioeka, Motu and Raukokore Rivers. Its warm, sunny summers and abundant beaches make the Bay of Plenty a popular summer family holiday destination. 

The Coromandel Peninsula lies just 55km from Auckland and over the summer, many Auckland families flock to its many little bays to enjoy its relatively unspoilt environment. Most of the high, mountainous Coromandel Peninsula is covered in temperate rain forest, with a forest park taking up most of its interior. The high, rugged terrain towards the northern tip and eastern side are sparsely populated, but the usual resident population of the pocket settlements on the other side swell many times over during the summer months.

Inland further south, the Bay of Plenty region incorporates some of the richest, most fertile farming land in the country famous for its vegetable production, fruit orchards, sheep and dairy farming. The Bay of Plenty is a great place to escape to for the weekend and just about covers all the recreational bases with its beaches, forests, rivers and mountains. If you are short on fun weekend ideas, there's hunting, fly fishing and riding the rapids by jet or speed boat or kayak, tramping, hiking, skydiving, ballooning, swimming at the beach or in hot pools, horse riding, shopping in Tauranga or visiting antique shops that reflect the history of the area. For those into knitting, spinning, sewing, tapestry, and the like there are many great places to shop for supplies. 

Bay of Plenty cities include Tauranga, Mt Maunganui and Whakatane, which is sited in the centre of the bay as well as the towns of Waihi, Katikati, and further inland Te Puke. Maketu, Pukehina Beach and  Opotiki lie toward the less populated eastern tip of the bay. 

Tauranga is New Zealand's largest port, as well as being a popular tourist destination with great shopping and cafes. Many of the Bay of Plenty cities and towns are popular places to retire, particularly Tauranga, Mt Maunganui, Waihi and Katikati due to their warm, pleasant climate and often quiet, friendly communities.