Tauranga

Tauranga is located to the north of the Bay of Plenty and is the regions most populated city. It has a busy harbour that caters to international shipping to and from the region. Tourists frequent the city for the beach at Mt Maunganui which is also exceedingly popular with locals and residents of the North Island in the summer holidays. The city is also counted as one of the stronger commercial hubs of the North Island outside of the three main city centres.

Foreign visitors to the region often take in Tauranga as a stop not far from that lovely tourist trap of Rotorua where they can relax by the beach or take a quiet stroll around the iconic Mount Maunganui.

The locals enjoy an active "outdoor" lifestyle that is easily achievable in the BOP region with fishing and boating being the most popular. There is also a larger than normal part of the local populace openly enjoying a Rasta type lifestyle throughout the BOP. Indeed one could say it was almost acceptable in the BOP to smoke if not for those annoying laws against it.

Foreigners looking for work are catered for during the Kiwifruit season, which is typically from March until May each year. Packhouse work in Te Puke is a popular option, with many backpacker hostels operating nearby.

There is a BOP subreddit at /r/bayofplenty.