Travel & Hospitality Awards - Oceania 2023

The North Island of New Zealand is simply packed with great things to do and see. Here are our top
five “must see” destinations.
1. Tauranga: The lovely harbour city of Tauranga is
perfect for anyone who loves the great outdoors.
Surrounded by water and lush forests on all sides,
it boasts excellent cycling and walking trails, as well
as world class fishing and dolphin spotting. There
are some great restaurants in town as well, with the
local favourite Umami Fusion Kitchen winning several
awards.
2. Rotorua: Just inland from the city of Tauranga,
Rotorua is a spectacular geothermal wonderland.
The lake is, in fact, a caldera, or the top of an ancient
volcano. Famous for its number of spurting geysers,
healing mud pools, and bubbling hot springs, Rotorua
is also a deeply important spot for Māori culture and
an ideal place to experience a traditional ceremony.
3. Moutohora Island: The Bay of Plenty has several
islands that you can visit, but Moutohora, or Whale
Island, is something special. A fiercely protected
wildlife sanctuary, you can only go there with a select
number of tour operators to see the blue penguins,
grey-faced petrels, and fur seals. You can take a boat
across to meet the local wildlife and even swim in a
secluded hot water beach.
4. Waihī Beach: Found at the northern tip of the Bay
of Plenty, Waihī Beach is a five-mile-long, gorgeous,
sandy beach that is known for its surfing and volcanic
black sand. You can splash around in the sea, try your
hand at surfing, or check out the cycling trails.
5. Lake McLaren: If kayaking is your sort of thing, you
can hop aboard in downtown Tauranga and take a
once-in-a-lifetime trip down the Wairoa River. The
waters wind past sheer cliff faces and lush vegetation
that teems with delightful wildlife, and at the end, the
incredibly scenic Lake McLaren comes into view. If
you paddle along at the right time, the whole place is
filled with dancing glow-worms.
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