Bay of Plenty, New Zealand

The Bay of Plenty lies east of the Kaimai-Mamaku Ranges and south of the Coromandel peninsula. It's a place of beautiful harbours, long white surf beaches and an easy going lifestyle. Everything you need for a perfect holiday is here—sun, sand, sea and a myriad of great places to eat and shop. The Pacific Coast Highway touring route brings travellers into the bay, and the city of Tauranga is often their first port of call. Located at the entrance to a beautiful natural harbour, Tauranga is a thriving commercial centre with a passion for good food, wine and stylish shopping with a nautical theme. Two large marinas in Tauranga hold over a thousand yachts and launches, and there are numerous charter boat operators ready to take you out to the marlin waters offshore. The resident population of the Bay of Plenty region was 257,379 as of the 2006 census.