Mount Maunganui sits right on the water in the Bay of Plenty. Half the island rests on the open ocean, where the other half rises out of the bay. Driving in to the town, it's impossible not to see this massive piece of land jutting above the flat town and ocean around it.

Once you have found parking, which might take awhile, the trail starts at the end of the beach walkway along the sand. There are a couple different routes up to the summit of the mountain, one being a 4WD track and the other being a more technical and direct route with steep stairs pretty much the entire way up. The lush green grass, grazing sheep, unreal views of the ocean, and wild flowers peppering the hills make the hike quite enjoyable, though you will be huffing and puffing a decent amount.

Round trip, with a good break at the top of course, should only take you about 2 hours. Though we did this hike close to midday, I would imagine both sunset and sunrise from the top of the mountain would make it all the more sweet. Enjoy!