Location

Pyes Pa is a small suburb situated in the outskirts of Tauranga, New Zealand. Despite being on the mainland, it is still in close proximity to the beach and harbour, making it a desirable location for those who enjoy waterfront living. With just a 15-minute drive to the Tauranga shopping centre and a 20-minute drive to the popular Mount Maunganui, Pyes Pa offers the perfect balance of peaceful suburban living with easy access to urban amenities.

Pets/House

During this two week house sit we had the pleasure of looking after a cute french bull dog called Gus and a beautiful ragdoll cat named Izzy. As with a lot of french bull dogs, Gus is a very stubborn little guy and so taking him for walks proved to be a bit difficult. Getting him to the beach was not a problem, however walking back to the car demonstrated to be quite the challenge as he would not budge. Most of the day he loved to lounge around the house, however occasionally he would get great bursts of energy and zoom about the house in circles while we threw him his toy. One of the cutest things about Gus was when we played chase with him, he would often jump onto the couch, only to realise he had nowhere else to go and happily admit defeat. Izzy was a very relaxed cat, who enjoyed spending time either outside or in the garage. She had a peculiar habit of only drinking water from the filter tap in the kitchen. The house itself was a big four bedroom home with two lounges and a TV room. They even had a mini bar with beer on tap which we were particularly impressed with.

What We Did

Although there is not much to do in Pyes Pa itself, the surrounding areas are filled with breathtaking sights and exciting activities. One of our favourite experiences was a day trip to Mount Maunganui, where we hiked to the summit of Mauao. The trail was steep and had some slippery spots, so make sure you wear suitable footwear. We started the walk on the harbour side and enjoyed picturesque views of the boats and Matakana Island.

As we ascended the mountain, we could see the vast ocean stretching out before us as far as the eye could see. Upon reaching the summit, we were greeted by a stunning clearing that revealed the incredible views of the city and beach below. The coastline sparkled in the summer sun with a mesmerizing blend of blue and gold.

On the descent, we had the pleasure of spotting some sheep seeking shade under a large pohutakawa tree. We ended our hike by the beach, close to the shops, where we highly recommend stopping by the famous ice cream shop ‘Copenhagen Cone’.