The Excelsa is a newish complex situated at the other end of Karewa Pde, on the corner of Golden Sands Drive and Papamoa Beach Road by the roundabout, with just about everything you need for your holiday! It's a 1 minute drive or about a 10-15 min walk- which you can do via the beach. There you will find a popular coffee shop (Henry and Ted), a wonderful bakery (Rise), Four Square, Burn Fitness Studio, Papamoa Pines Medical centre, Physio Centre and a Unichem pharmacy. If you've been neglecting yourself until you're on holidays, there is an excellent hairdresser and barber at Refinery Studios, and a Hollywood Nails. One of our favourite things to do is catch the latest block buster at the family run movie theatre Tivoli Cinemas, where you can enjoy your movie with a glass of wine or craft beer. Restaurants include the highly rated Great Spice Indian Restaurant, Papa Mo's has a menu for everyone in your group and Grill & Green has delicious eat in or takeaway with popular dishes. Further along Papamoa Beach rd there are more shops with fish and chip type takeaways and a bottleshop. 8 min drive, off Domain Rd, there is plenty of shopping to be found at Fashion Island & the Plaza Shopping Centre including Pac ’n Save, Countdown, The Warehouse, Mitre 10, a Bendon and Bonds outlet shop and many other shops. 13 min to Bayfair Shopping Centre which has everything you would find in a large shopping mall. Thursday Dinner in the Domain is one of our favourite things to do over summer. It’s Thursday evening and has an artisan food market/ food truck evening held at the Papamoa Pony Club, 491 Papamoa Beach Rd. Take a picnic blanket and a bottle of wine (or buy a drink there). Includes live music or DJ. Down at the Papamoa Domain area is the Papamoa Surf Life Saving club if you want a monitored swimming area between the flags and you’ll also find a popular surfing school Hakanini Surf School and Rentals where you can book in for a surfing lesson for any age. https://www.hakaninisurf.co.nz/ Another must do activity is the walk up or around Mt Maunganui. Drive to the Mount (about 20 mins) and find a car park as close as you can to Mt Maunganui, ‘Mauao’. Walk around the base or climb, both extraordinarily beautiful walks. Finish with an icecream from Copenhagen Cones and a wander through some of the beautiful boutiques and shops downtown the mount. Some fabulous cafes and restaurants to also enjoy. Hot pools also at the base of the Mount. 25 minutes to Tauranga for leisurely shopping, hot pools, walks, golf, rock climbing, boating/water skiing/fishing/yachting. 20 mins to Te Puke, and 45-60 mins to the various lakes and Rotorua thermal/Maori Culture attractions. Why not a charter a boat for a fishing or snorkelling trip- or join one of the several fishing trips you can join I with others- we're happy to recommend ones we've enjoyed. Something for everyone!