A Mountain of Comfort

The main attraction in town, aside from the water, is the mountain. It takes roughly 45 minutes to walk around it and about half an hour to climb up, depending on how fit you are. You are rewarded with spectacular views of the ocean and the country. Other suggested activities include learning how to surf, swimming with dolphins, and flying a small plane.

Quick Tips:

Tuesday nights are discount nights at the local movie theater. Wednesday is trivia night at the local Irish pub, The Melick, and every Thursday is a theme night with cheap drink and prizes to be won. During the summer, the city puts on free movies down by the main beach.

Best Way To Get Around:

The best way to get around town is to walk or bike. You can borrow a bike from the hostel. The center of town is only a 20-minute walk away, and the beach is only 10. If you are looking to get over to Tauranga, I would suggest hopping on the local bus or hitching a ride from another traveler with a car.

Finally, I found a hostel where I didn't have to sacrifice comfort for budget. Pacific Coast Lodge is about a 10-minute walk from the beach and town of Mount Maunganui. It has that cozy feel for several reasons. The first thing is its size. With two levels, this hostel has beds for over 70 people, but the feel of a much smaller hostel. Prices start at NZ$22 for a dorm room, and discounts apply when you hold a traveler's card, such as VIP or YHA. Room styles include four-, six-, or ten-bed dorms, one twin room, and two doubles. There are no en-suite rooms, but the bathrooms sparkle and the whole hostel is meticulously cleaned each day.

The kitchen is a traveler's dream. Two large ovens and a total of 12 gas burners, along with three full-size refrigerators, a freezer, and cubby spaces that stretch out across 7 feet of wall, give the traveler plenty of space to store and cook. The kitchen is also well equipped with pots, pans, crockery, free spices, and free tea and coffee. There's also a barbeque for use outside.

Other perks include free bike hire, a games room with a pool and Ping-Pong, and a TV room loaded with SkyTV and old movies. There are washers and dryers and Internet on-site as well. The owners are also more than happy to help book activities, such as swimming with dolphins, adventure flights, and surfing lessons.

Set on the main road into town, the Mellick is the only Irish pub in town and is hard to miss. Walk by on a summer night, and you'll find a healthy crowd of patrons enjoying the open-air balcony overlooking the mountain, tucked into one of cozy booths, or chatting in the back beer garden. If you pass by on a Saturday night, most likely the windows will be open, and sounds of the local band "Sons of Beaches" will welcome you in.

This is a pub that has its priorities straight. Walk in, and you're at the dark wood bar, where you can order Irish Guinness on tap. If it's just good NZ beer you’re after, they do have a few of those on tap, such as Speights and Export, and what's not on tab is most likely in bottle form. Drink prices aren't terribly expensive, with a pint costing around $4 to $6 (that's for the Guinness).

They do serve meals, which are presented extremely well. While the food is good it's also pretty pricey for a night meal. Expect to pay $16-23 for a main. If you are just after a nibble until 9pm, check out the range of snacks for $8. The wedges here are a favorite of mine.

The pub has two floors and one bar, which expect to wait a while to get served on a Saturday or be prepared to grab several drinks at once. There is a small stage up at the front of the bar where local bands play and open mic sessions are held. Dancing usually starts out in front of the band, but as the night goes on, you can find people dancing anywhere.

This is a great place to go with friends when you just want to chill out. It’s definitely a place where you can walk back from the beach, walk on in, and feel comfortable. Oh, and they also show the rugby on game days. (But do get there early if you want a seat!) The tables, chairs, and booth are all made of wood and most of the decor in the pub is expectedly Irish. However, you can spot a few NZ pictures at the top of the stairwell.

Tuesday-Saturday nights feature a different theme. Tuesday is open mic night. Wednesday is pub quiz night. This promises to always be a good time with small prizes and drinks given out to witty (wrong) answers and cheeky patrons. Top prize includes a $100-150 bar tab. Thursday nights change, but they usually feature games and drink specials. Past games have included jelly wrestling (with a midget) and midget curling. Friday and Saturdays are live music nights.