Tauranga is one of those places that just works. It’s beautiful, relaxed and, when cruise ships are in town, very busy. We visited here in April when we sailed on Celebrity Edge and had a wonderful day, so we were looking forward to coming back.
The weather couldn’t have been better. A clear blue sky, a gentle breeze and a very comfortable 21 degrees. We had a lazy morning onboard with no excursions booked and nowhere we needed to be. The plan was simple: get off at some point, wander around town, visit the markets, take in Mount Maunganui, have something to eat, and head back to the ship in the early afternoon. That’s exactly what we did.
From our balcony, 15 decks above the wharf, we watched a steady stream of people leaving the ship. With around 3,200 passengers onboard, and it being a port day, most disembarked at some point. With great weather and such an easy-to-access town, Tauranga clearly drew people ashore. We waited for the crowds to thin a little and made our way off around 11.00am.
The port area was busy. As you exit the ship and move toward the transport zone, there’s a bottleneck of activity. Dozens of buses, vans, taxis, Ubers and even modified motorcycles designed to carry four or six passengers were lined up, ready to whisk people away. Rotorua was the most popular destination, with taxi drivers calling out offers as we walked past. Rotorua is about an hour’s drive from Tauranga and is famous for its cultural experiences and geothermal activity. It’s also famous for the sulphur smell, which reminds me strongly of rotten eggs. I first visited Rotorua back in 1994 on a cricket tour for blind cricketers. The mud baths and geysers were great fun, but that sulphur smell has stayed with me ever since. Rotorua also has kiwi hatcheries and wildlife sanctuaries, which we did consider, but in the end we decided to keep things simple.
Once we moved beyond the transport hub, we wandered into the markets. They were just as busy, with hundreds of people moving through the stalls. The usual mix was on offer: candles, essential oils, clothing, jewellery, sunglasses, and a large food court featuring cuisines from all over the world. We spotted some hats that might be ideal for our upcoming trip to Egypt. The seller explained they were hemp hats, crushable, washable, with a stiff brim you can shape to block the sun while still letting your head breathe in warmer temperatures. They sounded perfect, so we both bought one.
We continued through the markets, enjoying the sunshine and the atmosphere, before heading into the main street of Tauranga. The place was packed. With two cruise ships in town, around 7,000 passengers, plus locals and tourists, the streets were jammed with traffic and people. We wandered down one side of the street and back up the other, popping into a few shops along the way.
We stopped at Tommy Bahama, a store we discovered during our visit in April. Mardi tried on a couple of dresses and I tried a few shirts. I ended up buying two shirts. They’re beautifully made, high quality, and exactly my style.
By then we were ready for something to eat. We found a small bar with a tucked-away garden at the back and settled in for a light lunch. Mardi had a beef and halloumi salad, and I had bao buns filled with Korean-style chicken and prawns. We sat for a while, relaxed and watched the seagulls eyeing us hopefully for any stray crumbs.
After lunch we continued walking, passing an ice cream shop where I couldn’t resist. Chocolate, peanut butter and chocolate chips was the winning combination. From there we wandered down to the beach. Looking one way we could see Mount Maunganui, and looking the other we could see Discovery Princess sitting in the harbour. It almost felt like the mountain and the ship were facing off, with the harbour stretched between them.
The waterfront was alive with activity. The water was dotted with every kind of recreational craft you can imagine: small tinnies, sailing boats, kayaks, paddle boats, jet skis, windsurfers and people simply enjoying the water. Up on Mount Maunganui, people lined the summit, taking photos and soaking in the view. It really is a serene and beautiful spot.
We slowly made our way back to the ship as the afternoon wore on and the sun began to dip. Back onboard, we rested in our room for a while before heading out for an afternoon and evening of trivia.
The day’s trivia included general knowledge, a movie and TV show set quiz, an ABBA music quiz, and finally a movie, music and score–themed quiz. As usual, we did reasonably well without setting the world on fire. ABBA was our strongest performance, scoring 17 out of 20. The movie score quiz was tougher, and we managed 17 out of 30.
Between quizzes we sat with Bob, Carol, Jodie and Andy, shared a drink and got to know each other a bit better. By the time trivia wrapped up it was late, and instead of a formal dinner we opted for something easy. We found a table at O’Malley’s Bar where the kitchen was still open and ordered fish and chips. It hit the spot perfectly.
We called it a night not long after. Tomorrow we’re in Auckland, and we’re really looking forward to seeing my nephew Kurt, and my great-nephew, Archer and great-niece, Audrey.
