GO NZ: What to do in Mount Maunganui in autumn and winter 20 Apr, 2021 05:04 AM 3 minutes to read Motuotao Island, in the foreground, is a wildlife sanctuary within a short kayak of the Mount Maunganui coastline. Photo / Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media Motuotao Island, in the foreground, is a wildlife sanctuary within a short kayak of the Mount Maunganui coastline. Photo / Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media NZ Herald By: Jamie Troughton Tauranga and Mount Maunganui aren't simply summer destinations - there are many reasons to visit in the off-season too, writes Jamie Troughton Get out and about Tauranga Moana is basically aquatic heaven, with so many ways to sample some saline therapy or get some river revival. Start at the Waimarino Water & Adventure Park, where four-time Olympian Luuka Jones first learned to paddle, and radiate outwards. Boating, fishing, surfing, rafting - it's all there, ready to quench your H2O fixation.