Tauranga

The Port of Tauranga has a full range of services available, with only a short stroll to the town of Mount Maunganui, shopping center and banks. Also, within walking distance of the port are two magnificent beaches – the inner harbor has a gentle beach, while on the ocean side is a well-known surf beach. You can take a shuttle to Tauranga which is a bigger town.

Distance to the city: 6.7km (4.2 miles) to Tauranga city and 78.4km (48.1miles) to Rotorua. If you need to get to Tauranga city, you will need to catch a bus 5 or a taxi which will take around 8 minutes. Shuttle buses often provided by the cruise lines.

There is a tourist information booth at the end of the pier where you can pick up some maps, brochures, and book excursions.

There are a number of Qualmarked tour operators located outside the port gates that can be booked for local or Rotorua tours through the iSite on Salisbury Ave.

You will find in the "pen" lots of rental cars and vans lined up with signs on them saying Rent Me.

Printable map to take along.

Mount Maunganui which rises 232 meters from the sea. The walking tracks to the top of this extinct volcano provide 360 degree views which span the entire length of the Bay of Plenty. A 1 hour 30 minutes hike to the top. Below the mountain you will find Mount Hot Pools, a heated saltwater pool area with natural pools and facilities including free wi-fi, changing room, showers, spa services, snacks and drinks.

Tauranga lies in the heart of the Bay of Plenty region, about 2.5 hours south of the city of Auckland. It has become one of New Zealand's fastest-growing areas thanks to plentiful sunshine and beautiful beaches. But with a population of only about 100,000, Tauranga can still offer you generous space to yourself. In fact, the densest concentration of attractions, and perhaps the biggest crowds, is on The Strand in the downtown area. Tauranga is the financial hub, with lots of offices. Most passengers will go to Rotorua.

Hobbiton Movie Set where some major scenes from Tolkien's iconic trilogies of Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit were shot.You can visit Hobbiton Movie Set on a 2-hour guided walking tour only. About an hour away from Tauranga.

A new welcoming shelter packed with leading tourism operators has opened at Mount Maunganui. The i-port has been set up and opened to visitors disembarking from cruise ships at the Salisbury Ave side of the Port of Tauranga. The i-port operates from 6am to 11am pending cruise ship arrival and departure and tides.

Tauranga has a local bus service which provides transport to most locations around the area, including Mt.Maunganui and Papamoa. The ferry service to Mt. Maunganui operates in summer. There are three taxi companies in Tauranga: Citicabs, Tauranga Taxis and Coastline. Taxis are available at the wharf.

Hobbiton Movie Set where some major scenes from Tolkien's iconic trilogies of Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit were shot.You can visit Hobbiton Movie Set on a 2-hour guided walking tour only. About an hour away from Tauranga.

Rotorua is just under an hours drive from the port at mount Maunganui. While there are some buses running between Rotorua & Tauranga they are more for workers and not frequent. As mentioned, if you have one destination in mind a rental car is the best option provided you are comfortable driving on the left hand side of the road. Besides the Polynesian spa there are a number of free attractions near-by, such as Kuirau park with its thermal activity which has a small hot lake as well as bubbling mud pools. The nearby Ohinemutu area boasts one of the country's best known Marae and has the adjacent Maori Church of St. Faiths with its carvings and…

Te Puia Come face to face with the biggest, naturally active geyser in the Southern Hemisphere Pohutu Geyser, jumping mud pools, and kiwi in our Kiwi Conservation Centre. Watch carvers and weavers demonstrate their skill at the NZ Maori Arts and Crafts Institute, and hear our guides share stories passed down from their ancestors.

Within a 10-15 minute drive from the port, you can visit The Elms | Te Papa Tauranga historic site where you can learn about the rich cultural and historical heritage of New Zealand.

The shops at Mount Maunganui are a short walk from the ship. When you exit the gate, turn right, walk to the roundabout and turn left along the main shopping street. You will probably be given an information leaflet with a map as you exit the port gate.

The New Zealand dollar is used in New Zealand. A few traders do accept foreign currency, particularly in tourist destinations. The conversion from US dollars to NZ dollars is approximately US$1=NZD1.30.

Automatic teller machines (ATMs), locally known as 'the hole in the wall', are available in just about every town.

English, Maori and New Zealand Sign Language are the official languages of New Zealand. English is universal, and is written with Commonwealth ("British") spelling.

The emergency telephone number in New Zealand is 111.

Many public libraries have public Internet access. Generally there is a charge.