Tauranga,

New Zealand

Photo by BackyardProduction on iStock

111

For all emergencies.

Emergency Number

New Zealand Dollar ($)

Local Currency

158,300 (2022)

Population

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Local Time

UTC+12 until 3:00am on 28Sep25, then UTC+13

Time Zone

English

Māori

New Zealand Sign Language

Official/Primary Languages

Port Essentials

Everything you need to know for your visit to Tauranga.

Cruise Terminal

Address 2 Salisbury Avenue, Mount Maunganui, Bay of Plenty, 3116, New Zealand

Distance to CBD 8 km (4.9 miles)

Tender Required No

Walk Off/Shuttle Both Options

Notes The cruise ship terminal is located at Salisbury Wharf, Mount Maunganui. It's within walking distance of the beach and Mount Maunganui's main street. However, be aware that it is a significant distance from the Tauranga CBD.

General Information

Current Offset UTC+12

Daylight Saving Start Sunday, 28 September 2025 at 3:00am local time. The offset moves to UTC+13.

Daylight Saving End Sunday, 5 April 2026 at 2:00am local time. The offset moves to UTC+12.

Primary Local Currency

New Zealand Dollar (NZD $).

Currency Conversions

Below we've listed some conversion rates for the New Zealand Dollar against popular international currencies. The exchange rates are based on 100 NZD, are refreshed once per day and were last updated on 03 Jul 2025

Currency	Equivalent
USD	60.66
EUR	51.61
GBP	44.45
AUD	92.32
CAD	82.28
JPY	8799.59
CNY	434.86

To convert custom amounts, or to see the exchange rate of the New Zealand Dollar against different currencies, try our currency converter by clicking the button below.

Credit cards, including Visa, MasterCard, and American Express, are widely accepted. However, Visa and MasterCard are generally more accepted by merchants than American Express, which may incur additional fees.

Tap-and-pay options like Apple Pay and Google Pay are available in New Zealand, including in most of Tauranga. It's always a good idea to carry a small amount of cash, just in case.

Overall expectation Tipping is not customary in New Zealand, as workers are generally paid a living wage.

Weekdays 09:00 AM - 06:00 PM

Saturdays 09:00 AM - 06:00 PM

Sundays 10:00 AM - 05:00 PM

Notes

There are four restricted trading days in New Zealand (Christmas Day, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and ANZAC Day before 1 PM) when most shops are required to be closed.

Staying connected in Tauranga is straightforward, with a variety of free Wi-Fi options available throughout the city:

Tauranga City Libraries: All branches, including the main Te Ao Mārama – Tauranga Library, offer free Wi-Fi access to visitors. Simply connect to the 'APNK Library' network.
The Coffee Club: This popular café chain provides free Wi-Fi to customers. It's a great spot to relax with a coffee and catch up online.
Robert Harris Café: Located at 128 Willow Street, this café offers free Wi-Fi alongside its menu of coffee and meals.
Mount Social Club: Situated at 305 Maunganui Road, this vibrant venue provides free Wi-Fi, making it a perfect place to enjoy food, drinks, and stay connected
Mount Maunganui Free Wi-Fi: The Tauranga City Council offers free public Wi-Fi along the Mount Maunganui beachfront, between Moturiki (Leisure Island) and the surf club. Simply connect to 'Tauranga free wifi' on your device.
WiFi Map – Tauranga: For a comprehensive list of free Wi-Fi hotspots across Tauranga, including cafes, libraries, and public spaces, refer to this crowd-sourced map.

A note of caution: Public Wi-Fi is convenient, but it's not always secure. Avoid logging into sensitive accounts or entering personal information when connected to open networks. Consider using a VPN for additional security.

PortQuest recommends Nomad eSIM

Whether you're checking maps, messaging friends, or booking last-minute tours, staying connected matters. That’s why we recommend Nomad eSIMs — one of the best travel eSIMs on the market (and we've tried a few!)

Nomad offers reliable, affordable data in over 100 countries, including most cruise ports. No physical SIM swap, no roaming surprises — just install and go.

Get a Nomad eSIM

Outlets Type I

Voltage 230 V at 50 Hz

Outlet and Plug

Transportation

Below is a list of common transport options for cruise ship visitors. We haven't included every possible choice — public transport, for example, is not listed since most visitors won't need it for a short, one-day stay.

Ride-share

Uber

Website: Click here.

Phone: 0800 46 8237

E-Scooter

Beam

Website: Click here.

Bike Rental

Bay of Plenty Bike Hire

Website: Click here.

Evo Cycles

Website: Click here.

Phone: +64 7 578 2221

Taxi

Tauranga Taxis

Website: Click here.

Phone: 0800 829 477

NZ Cabs

Website: Click here.

Phone: 0800 189 222

Kubat Cabs

Website: Click here.

Phone: +64 7 578 7878

Private Car Hire

Mount Classic Transport and Tours

Website: Click here.

Phone: +64 7 574 1779

Elite Limousines

Website: Click here.

Phone: +64 7 574 1779

Tauranga presents a mixed bag for walkability. While the city center, Mount Maunganui, and the Strand offer pleasant waterfront walks and good accessibility, much of the city is spread out, requiring reliance on vehicles.

Several parks and reserves provide excellent walking opportunities, but the overall urban layout poses challenges for extensive walking.

Safety & Health

Universal

Call 111

Notes: For all emergencies: fire, police, ambulance.

Police (non emergency)

Call 105

Notes: For non-emergencies only.

Current Travel Advisory for New Zealand.

Level 1 – Exercise Normal Safety Precautions

The security environment is similar to that of a large Australian city.

Use common sense and look out for suspicious behaviour.
Monitor media for changes to local conditions.
Check entry requirements before you travel.

Not sure what these levels mean? Learn more about travel advice levels.

Smartraveller is the official travel advice service of the Australian Government. While primarily aimed at Australian citizens, PortQuest believes it offers practical, up-to-date safety guidance for travellers worldwide. See the full advisory on Smartraveller.gov.au .

Last updated: 17 Mar 2025

Safe to drink? Yes

Precautions While tap water is generally safe to drink, some people may find the taste and smell unpleasant due to naturally occurring substances like geosmin and MIB. These are not harmful. If the taste or odor bothers you, consider using a water filter or purchasing bottled water.

Weather

Monthly weather in Tauranga

°C °F	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum Temp	22.7	73	22.7	73	21.2	70	19	66	16.5	62	14.4	58	13.4	56	14	57	15.2	59	16.9	62	19.1	66	21.1	70
Minimum Temp	15.9	61	16.4	62	14.7	59	12.8	55	10.4	51	8.9	48	7.5	45	7.5	46	8.9	48	10.4	51	12.3	54	14.8	59
Avg Rainfall (mm)	130	119	119	135	136	173	135	124	136	106	110	139
Avg Rainy Days	11	10	10	10	11	11	11	12	13	12	11	13
Daylight Hours	14.4	13.5	12.3	11.1	10.1	9.6	9.8	10.7	11.8	13.1	14.1	14.7
Avg UV Index	9.3	8.8	7.8	6	4.2	3.1	3.5	5	6.6	8	8.9	9.3

Best Time to Visit

Cruise ships usually just spend one precious day in port — and we want to help you make the most of it.

To give you the best chance of an enjoyable visit, we’ve created a custom “Best Time to Visit” score for each month, unique to each destination. The score is calculated using factors that are likely to matter the most:

Comfortable temperatures
Lower rainfall and fewer rainy days
More daylight hours
Moderate UV levels

Each score is based on historical monthly averages and adjusted for each port’s climate. We weight the above factors — for example, long daylight hours and fewer wet days matter more when you're only ashore for part of the day. That's also why no month gets a 10/10, as there's always a trade-off. For example, warmer weather and clear skies comes with higher UV (and more sweat!).

This chart isn't meant to suggest that a port is bad to visit outside the highest rated months — each season provides something memorable for each location. But if you’re deciding when to cruise, this will hopefully give you the best chance of having perfect weather on your visit.

Temperature Chart

Rainfall Chart

UV Index Chart

1–2: Low

3–5: Moderate

6–7: High

8–10: Very High

>10: Extreme

Tours & Experiences

Each tour you see below has been selected for cruise ship visitors. For example, each tour has Free Cancellation, as most of us have experiened the stress of trying to refund a tour when a port visit is cancelled or an itinerary changed on short notice. They're also no more than 6 hours in length, leaving you plenty of time to make dinner on the ship, or explore the port further on foot.

By booking through our links, you help support PortQuest and allow us to continue providing valuable content to enhance your port visits (at no extra cost to you).

Top Attractions

Discover the top attractions in Tauranga, selected for cruise passengers!

Waimarino Adventure Park

★ 4.8 (331)

View Details

Port of Tauranga

★ 4.6 (1862)

View Details

PortQuest Picks

Our team has hand-selected these tours to showcase the best and most unforgettable experiences each port has to offer — ones we've either personally enjoyed or have at the top of our bucket list.

6hr Hobbiton Movie Set Tour - Departs Tauranga

PLEASE NOTE: This tour no longer operates in conjunction with cruise ships docking at the port of Tauranga. All other days will operate as normal. A must do fo...

$142 USD (≈ 234 NZD)

6h 0m

★ 5.0 (59)

Tauranga,

New Zealand

Tauranga, New Zealand

111

New Zealand Dollar ($)

158,300 (2022)

Loading...

UTC+12 until 3:00am on 28Sep25, then UTC+13

English

Māori

New Zealand Sign Language

Port Essentials

Cruise Terminal

General Information

PortQuest recommends Nomad eSIM

Transportation

Ride-share

E-Scooter

Bike Rental

Taxi

Private Car Hire

Safety & Health

Weather

Best Time to Visit

Temperature Chart

Rainfall Chart

UV Index Chart

Tours & Experiences

Top Attractions

Waimarino Adventure Park

Port of Tauranga

PortQuest Picks

Browse Tours

6hr Hobbiton Movie Set Tour - Departs Tauranga

Private Tour Rotorua Shore Excursion up to 8 Passengers

6hr Rotorua Geothermal Wonderland Tour - Departs Tauranga

TAURANGA SHORE EXCURSION: Epic 25 min V8 Trike tour of Mt Maunganui & Tauranga

Tauranga History and Culture

Tauranga: Evening Glowworm Kayak Tour

Guided Māori History and Culture Tour to Rotorua and Tauranga

Tauranga to Magical Hobbiton Movie Set - Private Shore Excursion.

TAURANGA SHORE EXCURSION: V8 TRIKE - 1.5 hour City Sites

New Zealand Tauranga Tour with Transportation and Snacks

3 Hour Tauranga Scenic Cruise

4hr Tauranga Scenic History and Tasting Tour FREE Kiwifruit Tasting

Tauranga to Rotorua. "Te Puia" Geysers. Private Shore Excursion

Best of Tauranga & Rotorua's Hidden Secrets - Shore Excursion

4hr Shore Excursion - History and Tasting Tour FREE Kiwifruit Tasting

Private Tour to Rotorua (Max 11 Passengers)

Hobbiton Movie Set Tour from Tauranga 6 hours CTT-17

Shore Excursion: Local Tasting Tour from Tauranga

Scenic Short Hike Tour - Papamoa Hills and McLaren Falls

Hobbiton movie set tour and a lot more beautiful NZ sights

Boutique tour , Mt Maunganui, NZ farm, Rotorua lakes/geothermal

Tauranga Daytime Scenic Lake McLaren Tour

Tauranga Shore Excursion: Small-Group Bay of Plenty and Tauranga Tour

Tauranga Shore Excursion: Rotorua Highlights Tour

Rotorua via Kiwi/lakes country & a visit to iconic Whakarewarewa

Tauranga City & Scenic Local 2-hour Tour (City Sightseeing)

Katikati Gourmet Avocado Tasting

Katikati Avocado Adventure

Make Your Own Gin at the Matahui Gin Lab

Shore Excursion: Local Tasting Tour from Tauranga

Katikati Gourmet Avocado Tasting

Katikati Avocado Adventure

The Best of Tauranga Walking Tour

Tauranga Shore Excursion: Rotorua Highlights Tour

Dolphin & Wildlife Encounters

Scenic Short Hike Tour - Papamoa Hills and McLaren Falls

Half Day Dolphin & Wildlife Cruise - Tauranga

Tauranga Daytime Scenic Lake McLaren Tour

6hr Rotorua Geothermal Wonderland Tour - Departs Tauranga

Tauranga History and Culture

Guided Māori History and Culture Tour to Rotorua and Tauranga

New Zealand Tauranga Tour with Transportation and Snacks

4hr Tauranga Scenic History and Tasting Tour FREE Kiwifruit Tasting

The Best of Tauranga Walking Tour

4hr Shore Excursion - History and Tasting Tour FREE Kiwifruit Tasting

Boutique tour , Mt Maunganui, NZ farm, Rotorua lakes/geothermal

Tauranga Shore Excursion: Rotorua Highlights Tour