Long golden beaches and easy surf
Around Bay of Plenty you'll find long golden beaches and easy surf. Ask your guide about summit walks — it's the kind of thing that turns a transfer into a day you remember.
Northland → Bay of Plenty
Mangawhai Heads to WhakataneDay tours & experiences
A day out from Mangawhai Heads to Whakatane is an easy way to see a different side of Aotearoa without changing hotels.
Whakatane sits in Bay of Plenty — a sunny arc of surf beaches, kiwifruit orchards and an island volcano offshore. With your own vehicle and a local guide you can shape the day around what you actually want to see, rather than a timetable.
Bay of Plenty
What you might experience
A taste of what a day around Whakatane can hold.
Orchards, avocados and roadside produce
Around Bay of Plenty you'll find orchards, avocados and roadside produce. Ask your guide about beach days — it's the kind of thing that turns a transfer into a day you remember.
Harbour walks and a summit view over the bay
Around Bay of Plenty you'll find harbour walks and a summit view over the bay. Ask your guide about orchard visits — it's the kind of thing that turns a transfer into a day you remember.
Coastal Māori communities and marae
Around Bay of Plenty you'll find coastal Māori communities and marae. Ask your guide about harbour cruising — it's the kind of thing that turns a transfer into a day you remember.
Tour options
Ways to travel between Mangawhai Heads and Whakatane.
Full-day guided tour
A whole day with your own driver-guide — the classic way to see the highlights without watching the clock or reading a map.
Half-day experience
A shorter loop for arrival days, cruise stops or when you want the afternoon back. Fewer stops, same local knowledge.
Scenic transfer with stops
Travelling anyway? Turn the journey itself into the sightseeing, pausing wherever the view, the coffee or the photo is worth it.
Custom group tour
Families, friends and small groups in one private vehicle, with an itinerary written around what your group actually wants to do.
Why travel between these towns
The road between Mangawhai Heads and Whakatane threads through the kind of country people fly across the world to see — a sunny arc of surf beaches, kiwifruit orchards and an island volcano offshore.
Going private means the day belongs to you: no fixed departure times, no coach-load of strangers, and no rushing past something you wanted to photograph.
Whakatane sits in Bay of Plenty, which means long golden beaches and easy surf and orchards, avocados and roadside produce are both within reach on the same outing.
Gateway experiences
Make the most of both ends of your journey.
Mangawhai Heads
Before you set out, Mangawhai Heads is a good place to slow down — Northland is known for sheltered bays and island-dotted harbours and ancient kauri forest and giant trees.
Whakatane
Once you arrive, Whakatane opens up harbour cruising, orchard visits and beach days in and around the wider Bay of Plenty area.
Frequently asked questions
More day trips from Mangawhai Heads
Ready to see Whakatane?
Tell us what you'd like to do and we'll come back with a private itinerary and a clear quote.