Extravaganza of art events in Bay of Plenty

High season in the Bay of Plenty kicks off on Labour weekend with an influx of visitors arriving to enjoy the sun, surf and exciting events.

The popular Tauranga Arts Festival is a 10-day extravaganza of music, drama, dance, art and community events. From 20-30 October, thousands of festival-goers will take over the town to experience top artists at a variety of venues. Some of this year's musical acts include Katchafire, Greg Johnson and Don McGlashan.

Down the road from Mount Maunganui, Papamoa offers visitors the chance to attend the first blokart championships in New Zealand. Created, designed and manufactured in the Bay of Plenty, the blokart is a three-wheeled land yacht which can be used almost anywhere - beaches, parking lots, and even ice. Blokart is the culmination of a dream of Mount Maunganui-based Paul Beckett.

The Professionals Papamoa 2005 NZ blokart Open from October 26-30 will be held at Blokart Heaven and its 100 competitors from all over the globe will showcase short-circuit racing, which is unique to this sailing machine. When the competition isn't running, visitors of all ages can enjoy a thrilling ride on the world's only purpose-built blokarting track at Blokart Heaven for an exciting adventure. The track is open to the public, with rentals starting at $15 for 15 minutes of fun.

Not far down the road from Papamoa is the town of Te Puke, where you can spend an afternoon playing golf in the heart of paradise. Golf Te Puke has an 18-hole, fully irrigated golf course which is easy to walk and readily accessible to suit golfers of all abilities. The course also has all the facilities you'll need for a fun outing, from a practice fairway and teaching professionals to delicious food and drinks.

For more of a wildlife encounter, Katikati Bird Gardens is home to an extensive range of native and exotic plant and bird life. Situated just off the Pacific Coast Highway 25 minutes from downtown Tauranga, the gardens are located right on the harbour edge.

The extensive plantings include a rose garden, a conifer garden and a number of lily ponds. Exotic pheasants, peacocks and doves follow as you wander through the gardens and sculpture. Visitors are encouraged to hand-feed the emu, ducklings and lorikeets. Enjoy lunch in the terrace cafe and visit the art gallery and gift shop. A B&B is also available.

Anchorage Apartments offers an upmarket lodging option for those seeking stylish apartment accommodation.

Located a minute's stroll from Mount Maunganui's main beach, the Anchorage offers excellent accommodation option for weekend and mid-week breaks or for the longer stay. Facilities include a large outdoor swimming pool with two spa pools and sundeck area, spacious gym area, television, sauna and BBQ facilities.

Anchorage Apartments are conveniently located next to the Mount's top shops, restaurants and cafes as well as nearby cinema, Mount hot pools, i-SITE visitor centre and an easy walk to Mount Maunganui's excellent ocean beach or harbour bay.

Further down along the Pacific Coast Highway is Whakatane, home to White Island (Whakaari), New Zealand's only active marine volcano. Roaring gas vents, clouds of drifting steam, vivid sulphur yellow and iron oxide red ground, and a crater lake that's filled with sulphuric-acid rich water.

Whakaari sits offshore from Whakatane, an outdoors-mad town on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, just 100km from Tauranga.

If you fancy getting closer to marine mammals head to Whakatane's Whale & Dolphin Watch NZ. You'll be taken out onto the sparkling ocean waters in search of dolphins. When you find them you'll have the chance to hop in and swim. You may also come across seals, whales and orcas.

Be sure to check out Nga Tapuwae O Toi - the footsteps of Toi - which is a stunning track between Whakatane and nearby Ohope Beach. From end-to-end it's about an hour's easy run, or two hour's walk. For a shorter leg-stretch, head to Ohope and nip over to the zen-like calm of Otarawairere Bay.

In Whakatane itself there's a grand wander on the flat. Simply head onto the grassy bank of the Whakatane river. Stroll up-river to enjoy herons and shags, gardens and playground; or go down-river to the bustle of the boat ramp, historic waka (canoe) and the harbour heads.