Summary
With your Step-on Guide providing a clear, articulate, and informative narrative, you will leave the port and head for the historic seaside village of Maketu.
High on a promontory, once revered and fought over by warring Maori tribes, you will be welcomed to the home of a Maori elder, where it is easy to see the landing place of one of the first migration waka ( ocean going canoe ) from Central Polynesia, 700 years ago.
From high up, you can imagine the view Capt Cook had from the bridge of the ‘Endeavour’ when he sailed past, close to the coast in 1769, naming then, what he saw, as the ‘Bay of Plenty’.
He had seen Maori villages with wisps of smoke from their cooking fires, the lush vegetable gardens, and the dense green native vegetation in the hinterland.
A short drive will then take you inland to the Paengaroa Village, where, at the beautifully presented Community Hall, you will be offered a freshly prepared morning or afternoon tea, fruit, jams, wines and liqueur tastings, and some memory shopping is available.
Another short drive will take you to an exclusive, private welcome, by a Maori tribe of the area. At their meeting place or marae, you will be invited into their meeting house, so they can share some of their history and stories. Just a short drive from the tribal meeting house, is one of the finest kiwifruit orchards in the Bay of Plenty, where you be invited to walk under the green or gold kiwi vines, and learn what makes this fruit, and the area it is grown in, globally unique. Nutritional information on the Kiwifruit – the world’s healthiest fruit, will be shared, as you learn about the male and female vines, the extraordinary bee pollination phenomenon, and the amazing climatic and soil conditions which characterise the small region.
The journey back to the port will include a drive through the beachfront suburb of Mt Maunganui, past the base of Mauo, and along Pilot Bay to your ship.
INCLUDES
- All activities and venues.
- Morning or afternoon tea - Coffee, tea, chilled water, freshly baked scone with kiwifruit jam, farm fresh whipped cream, garnished with slices of green or gold kiwifruit.
- Experience Maori Family culture, at a tribal marae and meeting house
- Tastings of fresh fruit, juices, liqueur.
Glorious Bay of Plenty
| Itinerary and Time |
-30 min
|
Join Host Driver/Guide at coach on pier
Board coach and prepare for travel
|
| 0 |
Depart pier |
| 40 min |
Travel to private cliff top home in Historic seaside Maketu |
| 20 min
|
Be hosted by community elder for panoramic views of the original landing place of first Maori canoe 700 yrs ago
|
| 20 min |
Depart Maketu, travelling to Maori family marae |
| 40 min |
Enjoy intimate insight to spiritual meeting house and a family presentation of song and dance/haka
|
| 5 min |
Leave marae and move to kiwifruit orchard to join expert under the vines
|
| 40 min |
Learn about the male and female vines and the production techniques to produce the 'World's Most Nutirent Dense Fruit
|
| 10 min
|
Drive to Paengaroa Community Hall |
| 40 min
|
Spend a leisurely time for morning tea, fresh fruit tastings, and some kiwifruit-inspired gift and souvenir shopping |
| 40 min
|
Travel back to ship via Marine Parade and Pilot Bay |
| |
|
4 hrs
15 min
|
Total duration
|