Cruise Day 12: Tauranga

Tauranga is a harbourside city in the Bay of Plenty region on New Zealand’s North Island. A bridge over the harbour connects Tauranga to Mount Maunganui, a beach town with hot saltwater pools and an extinct namesake volcano with winding walking paths.

We spent the morning touring Tauranga and Mount Maunganui. We rented a car and drove to Rotorua where we spent the afternoon touring. Rotorua is set on its namesake lake about 65k south of Tauranga. It is renowned for its geothermal activity and Maori culture. We were back to the ship in time for dinner and great views of the setting sun.