Bay of Plenty

The Bay of Plenty lives up to its name in every season. The bay stretches from the Coromandel to Ōpōtiki in a vast arc of sheltered coastline, with Mt Maunganui — the country's most loved beach town — at its heart. The water here is warm enough to swim comfortably through summer, and the surf is consistent enough to justify the boards stacked against every second house.

But the Bay of Plenty's most extraordinary feature lies offshore: Whakaari / White Island, an active marine volcano that rises from the sea 50 kilometres from Whakatāne. A helicopter flight over the caldera — crater lakes of electric yellow sulphur, steam vents, the raw geological violence of it — is one of New Zealand's most visceral experiences. The region's kiwifruit orchards and Māori cultural heritage (Te Arawa and Ngāti Awa) add further layers to a destination that repays genuine curiosity.