Tauaranga was a great port. Everything says its Tauaranga but it is actually Mount Maunganui which is lovely. Some took a bus ride to Tauranga but didnt think much to it. The ususal thing to do from this port is to see the geothermal activity around Rotarua which is amazing. We did that but would have liked another day just to be at Mount Maunganui too. There is a Mount to climb and lovely beaches to enjoy including a peaceful harbour side beach and surfing ocean side beach (which goes on for miles). We walked off the ship and chose a tour from an information centre just off the ship. It was much cheaper than the ships tour. They book up quickly though so its worth getting off early to make the most of the day. 9 of us went in a comfy mini bus with an excellent local guide to the thermal springs Rotarua at Whakarewarewa where we saw bubbling mud, Champagne pool, Guysers, Mauri show etc. We also visited Kiwi farms and saw beautiful lakes, crystal clear springs and beauutiful countryside. The local tours stop at lots of interesting extra places cf the large coach tours too. There was just time on return for a walk on the beach then back to the ship.
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