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Whakatāne

Chill out in the sunny Bay of Plenty

Whakatane

The attractive little town of Whakatāne (pop 19,000) in the southeast of the Bay of Plenty boasts beautiful beaches, a vibrant main street and is one of the sunniest spots in the country.

It’s a peaceful spot to chill out for a day or two and take in cultural attractions such as Mataatua Wharenui, the fully carved Māori ancestral house of the Ngāti Awa people that travelled the world for over a century and then came home.

Sadly, Whakatāne is still coming to terms with the tragic eruption at offshore Whakaari / White Island that killed 22 people in December 2019. A number of local guides perished, along with their clients, and the tragedy hit the town hard.

Tours

Diveworks offers dolphin & seal encounter tours and fishing & diving trips.

Moutohora (Whale) Island tours visits the offshore wildlife sanctuary administered by DoC and local Ngati Awa Māori. The predator-free island is now home to a number of endangered bird species including kiwi and saddlebacks, and visitors can dig their own geothermal spring pool at Onepu Bay, Moutohora’s secluded hot water beach.

Rotorua & the Bay of Plenty

Text © Craig McLachlan

Image by Chris Thompson