Mount Maunganui has a way of shifting your rhythm. The salt air feels anew, mornings stretch longer, and the coastal light makes everything glow just a little differently. With golden beaches, thoughtful dining, boutique shopping and a pace that invites a deep exhale, it’s the kind of place where 48 hours feels both full and wonderfully unhurried.
Here’s a curated guide to spending two slow, beautiful days by the sea, the Beyonder way.
DAY ONE
Settle (and Check) In
There’s something grounding about stepping into your Beyonder home. The quiet hum of the neighbourhood, and the ease of everything being exactly where it should be. Drop your bags, pour a glass of something cold, open the deck doors, let the sea breeze move through the house, and start your weekend in the most grounding way possible: slowly.
A Walk to Welcome the Weekend
Ease into holiday mode with an unhurried pace. Wander down to Mount Main Beach for a sandy stroll, or start with something iconic and walk the Base Track of Mauao. It’s an easy loop that wraps you in ocean views, native bush and the sound of the tide.
Arvo Drinks, the Beyonder Way
Pour a spritz or crisp white in your own space. Sink into a chair on the deck in the late-afternoon light. Read a chapter of the book you’ve been meaning to start. Put on a soft playlist (see: Beyonder’s own here). This slow moment is part of the ritual here.
Dinner Out & About
For the best meal in town, book into Solera, a two-hatted gem and one of Aotearoa’s top 40 restaurants. Expect clever flavour combinations, relaxed-but-thoughtful service, and dishes that ebb and flow like a good story.
Prefer something more low-key? Try Rita’s, where you’ll find cocktails and deep-dish Detroit-style pizza in a cosy corner spot that leans fun, loud and delicious.
DAY TWO
Wake With the Light
Open the curtains and let the morning light spill in. Brew a coffee, sit outside, breathe deeply, stretch lightly, or stay in bed a little longer. This is your slow day.
Breakfast at Eddies
Head to Eddies for freshly baked pastries or something delicious from their elite menu. Otherwise Tay Street Store is a great spot for takeaway (including our fave Wildflour treats) among the locals and a stroll along the 3km long boardwalk that can take you all the way to the base of Mauao.
Paddleboarding at Pilot Bay
If the water is calm (as it often is), hire a paddleboard and glide across Pilot Bay. Under the morning sun, amongst the boats gently anchored, it’s always a postcard-quality time on the water. Alternatively, enjoy a slow morning on the deck with your morning coffee.
Lunch
Settle into Alpino for oysters, spritzes, light snacks and authentic pizzas at one of their sun-soaked tables (with one of the best views of the Mount). It’ll most likely be the kind of lunch that stretches out into the afternoon. For something lighter and more relaxed, head to Rice Rice Baby for fresh Vietnamese with a punch.
A Midday Shop Or Pause
While you’re at Mount Mainstreet, take a wander through the boutiques. Highlights include homewares store Paper Plane, Aotearoa fashion label Ruby, and the iconic Sisters & Co. To discover something new, head to Nine Lives for curated vintage fashion and Drift for considered men’s fits.
To take it easy, return to your Beyonder home for a restorative break. This is where your weekend truly expands, lying on the couch with sun on your legs, or sitting outside with a magazine while the cicadas hum.
A Sauna or Soak
Choose your flavour of calm here. Mount Hot Pools are geothermally heated saltwater pools at the base of Mauao. On the other hand, The Sauna Project is a cool ritual. Book a session for the oceanfront heat therapy, cold plunge into the ocean, and that unmatched post-sauna clarity.
A Slow Evening, Your Way
Tonight is yours. Cook something simple at your place or grab fish & chips to take to the beach. The beauty of a Beyonder stay is having the freedom to choose between a night out and low key night in. Put on a film, play cards, listen to an album from start to finish and enjoy the soft breeze moving through the house.
DAY THREE
One Last Swim
Before packing up, take one final salty dip. The water is cool and invigorating, making it the best way to close out your time in the Mount sunshine.
Gelato, Obviously
Depending on your mood, the rich and flavourful scoops from Monte Gelato are best enjoyed on the grass overlooking Mount Main Beach. Otherwise, if you haven’t tried it already, cult-favourite Sea People on Mount Mainstreet is known for its weird and wonderful small-batch flavours like pistachio paradise (a collab with Fix & Fogg) and strawberry matcha.
Check Out
Close the door gently behind you, and carry the feeling of slow coastal living with you for the rest of the week.
BEYONDER HOMES TO CHECK IN
For couples, check out The Loft, The Lookout and Parkview.
For friends and groups, gather together at Golden Oasis, Black Beach House and Pearl by the Sea.
For families, take a look at Saltwater Cottage, Coastal Calm and Oceanfront Abode.
