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Shopping

With large and small centres across the region, there are retail precincts of every size and shape, to suit your every taste and need.

There are delightful craft shops in the smaller towns like Tairua in Coromandel, and Waitomo, while the larger cities have everything from large chain and department stories, to boutique art galleries and quality souvenir shops. There are also large shopping malls and retail areas in Mt Maunganui, Tauranga and Rotorua, with fashion boutiques, countless shoe shops and gift shops. And regardless of the size of town, there are always book stores, chemists (or pharmacies), photo outlets and supermarkets.

In most places around Central Park, shopping is available six to seven days a week, usually from 9am or 10am to around 5pm, although there will be some variation from town to town. Parking is readily available across Central Park, and is often free in most areas.

There is also specialised shopping unique to the highlights of the area. Bike shops are a feature in Rotorua, surfshops are a speciality in Mt Maunganui, and art deco style in Hawkes Bay, while fishing shops are to be found both on the coast and inland. If you’re a gourmet shopper, there are speciality food shops to be found across the region, offering everything from local cheeses, to organic meat and homemade pasta.

A growing shopping trend in Central Park is the development of farmers’ markets, selling fresh produce, crafts and local specialities. There are markets to be found across Central Park, including Kuirau Park in Rotorua, the Tauranga Farmers Market, Taupo’s Riverside Market, the Hastings Farmers Market, the Coromandel Community Market and many more. Don’t bother eating breakfast – grab a freshly cooked mussel fritter, add it to a piece of traditional Rawena bread, topped off superbly brewed coffee and accompanied by a busker. It’s a great way to start the day.

Featured: The breathtaking Bay of Plenty

The aptly named Bay of Plenty was given its title by Captain James Cook during his exploration of New Zealand and to this day it continues to be one of the country’s largest producers of fruit and one of the busiest ports.

 An extremely popular holiday destination, the Bay of Plenty region encompasses several highly visited areas including Tauranga, Mount Maunganui and Papamoa, to name but a few. The region’s major city of Tauranga is one of the fastest growing cities in New Zealand and is home to the country’s biggest export port. As one of the largest natural harbours, Tauranga sees many cruise ships over the summer months and the two marinas play home to over 1000 boats.

Affectionately known as ‘The Mount’ – Mount Maunganui is the dominant feature of the area and every year the beaches attract thousands of surfers and sun lovers. Providing safe swimming spots for families, great surf, long golden sand beaches and of course the opportunity to walk to the summit of Mt Maunganui, this ever popular suburb is a great destination for both young and old and during the Christmas/New Year period it really comes alive with a massive influx of revelers.

A short way down the road from Mount Maunganui is the coastal Papamoa. A rapidly developing area, Papamoa offers a slightly more laid back environment and beaches less crowded than that of The Mount.

25km away sits the ‘kiwifruit capital of the world’ – the township of Te Puke – the heart of New Zealand’s kiwifruit industry. Aside from producing the green furry fruit, Te Puke also offers many walking tracks, swimming holes and camping areas, along with a selection of shops and cafes, making it an ideal spot for a family getaway.

As the main access point for the active marine volcano White Island, Whakatane is home to operators of tours to this unique natural feature. Boasting a range of restaurants, bars, cafes and a vibrant retail sector, Whakatane is an ideal spot for those who enjoy the cosmopolitan lifestyle as well as the laid back beach scene. Nearby Ohope Beach provides safe swimming waters along 11km of golden sand shore.

Throughout the region there is a plethora of activities to partake in from wildlife encounters to adrenalin charged adventures. Experience a freefall from 12,000 feet or enjoy a scenic flight taking in the views stretching from Mt Ruapehu to the East Cape. If aerial activities aren’t your thing, the region also offers a variety of land and sea based experiences, such as swimming with the dolphins or enjoying a relaxing horse trek alongside the Pacific Ocean and over undulating farmland.

An extensive range of accommodation options throughout the area make a holiday to the Bay of Plenty affordable for everyone, whether camping in one of the holiday parks or lapping up the luxury in a top class hotel, there is something to suit any requirement and budget.

Spring HOT Fest | Rotorua – 2010

Spring HOT Fest 2010
24-30 September, Spring Hot Fest 2010
Don’t miss the fun as Rotorua celebrates its super hot status with a week full of festive fun. A Spring holiday family festival that’s guaranteed to prove a hot time, Hot Highlights for 2010 include the Opening and Closing Gala Entertainment Nights, the Hot Non-stop Film Festival, [...]

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Chris Meek, Jo Sweeney, Mark Purdom, Karla Stevenson and Hayley Hamilton came together with a common vision to establish an outlet for their work within the supportive community they all lived, a [...]

Rotorua Wearable Creations n Colour Awards.

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Launched in 2003 and now an annual occasion not to be missed, the Wearables (as they are now affectionately known) attracted a record number of entries in 2009.
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Watching a glass blower like Ron van der Vlugt at work is something that can be likened to a ballet; it’s an assemblage of movement, colour and fluidity resulting in the creation of something beautiful.
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Waitomo Creative Markets

Whaingaroa creative market, Raglan. Second Sunday of each month from 10am to 2pm, Old School Arts Centre, Stewart Street.
Raglan is the perfect place for a market with a difference.
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Ruapehu Shopping

Ruapehu has an excellent range of places to shop. You can buy or hire all the gear you need for hiking, camping, skiing, snowboarding or other outdoor activities.
There are also some excellent shops carrying New Zealand made fashion labels, greenstone and bone pendants.
Ski and snow board shops in Ruapehu offer an excellent range of the very [...]

Coromandel Shopping

Separating the Pacific Ocean from the Hauraki Gulf, the Coromandel Peninsula is a beautiful, rugged area fringed with dozens of great beaches.
The towns are all of historical interest, with heritage trails, local museums, fine Victorian buildings and relics of the gold-mining and kauri-logging days. Four roads cross the Coromandel Range, linking the two coasts.
Throughout the [...]

Hawke’s Bay Napier/Hastings Shopping

Boutique shopping is a Hawke’s Bay specialty, and the central city streets of Napier and Hastings are compact and easy to navigate but offer everything including a fabulous café culture. Nearby Art Deco, antique and curio shopping is a local specialty. Havelock North has a fabulous reputation for its designer boutiques and delightful gift shops, [...]

Tauranga/Mt Maunganui Shopping

If the Western Bay of Plenty has a retail Mecca, it has to be Downtown Tauranga – where you’ll find the district’s biggest and best shopping centre – more stores, from fashion to lifestyle shopping. The CBD has everything from small independent stores offering exclusive designer fashion to popular national chains – with plenty in [...]