Tauranga Shopping

Tauranga and Mount Maunganui have some superb shopping. But don’t expect a scaled-down version of Auckland or a Rotorua clone. The Western Bay has forged its own seaside-inspired identity in recent years. Here we point you towards some of the best-known local stores —some real stayers with glowing track records, others new and up-and-coming. The emphasis here is mainly on home-grown.

Downtown Tauranga has been described as one big open-air shopping centre, and has a reputation for easy-going shopping and café culture. Shopping on foot is easy and pleasant, with so much packed in. The Goddard Centre has evolved into its natural centrepiece, combining quality shopping with a food hall.

The rundown begins with the big shopping centres and malls, heading from the heart of Tauranga out to Mount Maunganui and Papamoa, then further afield to Bethlehem, Te Puke and Katikati.