Our Director Tracy Sinclair’s Scenic Road Trip Through New Zealand’s Bay Of Plenty
Sisters and a road called home
By Tracy Sinclair | 7th November 2025There’s a certain magic in returning home as a tourist. For me, that home is Aotearoa, where the air feels softer, the light hits differently, and every familiar place somehow tells a new story.
We’d been invited on a famil to explore Te Moananui ā Toi (the coastal Bay of Plenty), a region I know well, but this time I’d be seeing it differently — through the eyes of a visitor. Behind the wheel of a motorhome, with my sister Aroha riding shotgun – part co-pilot, part travelling sideshow – we became what Kiwis affectionately call Tiki Tourists.
From the moment we picked up our Star RV motorhome near the airport, we were buzzing, raring to go. There’s something about a road trip that just feels good — a mix of freedom, unpredictability, a bit of chaos, and plenty of laughs in between. The Polaris 2 became our home on wheels: bathroom, kitchenette, aircon, TV, and just enough space for two sisters who still argue over the phone charger.
But I’m getting ahead of myself – let’s back up the motorhome a little. We landed in Auckland after an incredible China Airlines flight from Brisbane, walking out of Arrivals and into the impressive Te Arikinui Pullman Auckland Airport Hotel, and I’ll admit, I didn’t expect to get emotional. The hotel is part-owned by (Tainui Trust) Waikato-Tainui iwi (tribe), and that personal connection hit the moment we walked in. From the black-sand-inspired carpets and carved timber details to the considered cultural references throughout, everything feels proud and intentional. Te Kaahu bar and restaurant are world-class, but what makes this place special is how seamlessly it celebrates Māori culture through design and experience. It’s rare for a hotel to move you, but this one does – a cultural and design triumph that set the tone for all that was to follow.
Leaving the luxury of Te Arikinui Pullman wasn’t easy, however, once our van was stocked (read: full of wine and cheese), we rolled south toward Waihi Beach and Pāpāmoa, places we would stop into on our way to Mauao (Mount Mauganui) when we were teenagers. Our van was a breeze to drive and easy to pull over for coffee and photos along the way.
Tasman Holiday Parks in Waihi Beach and Pāpāmoa were our home for the next three nights. These fabulous parks felt more like retreats, with sparkling resort-style pools, a hot communal spa, and modern cabin accommodation – a far cry from the camping grounds I remember as a kid.
After setting up our vans at Waihi Beach, it was a short stroll to The Sauna Project. A concept so ingenious, it could only be Kiwi. Imagine: a hip mobile sauna that rocks up to your beach. We had the sauna to ourselves, but in an hour, the locals would arrive for their weekly sauna catch-up. They love it! A social and restorative way to unwind together while soaking up the ocean view through the huge glass window. Absolute Kiwi magic!
Along the way, we chased waterfalls at Te Rere o Ōmanawa, guided by local iwi, and ate hearty meals and pizzas in Waihi Beach (seafood chowder at Flat White Café still lives rent-free in my mind). But the moment that really stayed with me was in Maketū, where we joined Muirs Tours – a cultural and food experience hosted by ex-Māori All Black Deon Muir, and his wife Ngaire. Deon hosts fishing and diving charters that attract sporting and diehard rugby fans from far and wide. (Kiwi NBA star Steve Adams was there the week before us). By pure coincidence, Aroha knew Ngaire’s sister, and she also went to Uni with Bay of Plenty Tourism GM Oscar, who also joined us for kai (food). That’s typical New Zealand for you, everyone knows someone.
Between the laughter, storytelling and the hangi – a feast cooked in the earth – I felt immense pride watching our Aussie travel mates experience a genuine slice of Māori life: warm, grounded and unforgettable. Deon’s tours end back at his place, where he pulls up the hangi and invites guests to join in — cooking fry bread, chatting, and, in true Kiwi style, helping themselves to beers from the fridge. His mum lives next door, and there’s a steady flow of whanau and friends dropping by (strangely, always right when the hangi is served). The purpose-built outdoor kitchen pavilion is the perfect setting to share good food, good company, rugby banter, and that sense of belonging.
Travelling by motorhome gave us the freedom to follow whatever caught our eye – detours, bakeries and fish and chips. It was everything a great road trip should be – unhurried, scenic, and full of laughs.
Sometimes, the best adventures aren’t the big, bucket-list ones. They’re the ones where it’s just you, your sis, an open road, and enough time to pull over for another pie.
(Oi, Aroha, where’s my phone charger?)
