Camping – Maketu Beach Holiday Park, 2 Town Point Road
Two tickets for Maketu Kaimoana Festival and a booking at the Maketu Beach Holiday Park and we were set for the night. We chose the holiday park closest to the festival and what a choice it was – if our caravan Rosie was any closer to the water she’d be floating (granted the few rocks below would have turned her into a leaky boat first).

Our caravan Rosie beachfront at Maketu Holiday Park

It’s not just campers who get the superb location, there’s some cute little log cabins beachfront too. The cabins reminded me of beach huts in Thailand without the mosquitos and the cost of the airfare to get there – they’re  $60 a night for two.

Beachfront log cabin at Maketu Beach Holiday Park

The holiday park is small and the communal facilities aren’t near as flash as you’ll find at bigger parks but at only $30 for a beachfront powered site it’s a steal. The cabins are also better equipped than most you’ll find in NZ, they have a fridge, TV, jug etc (BYO linen or hire it).

If you don’t take your own food Maketu Beachside Cafe & Restaurant is onsite or you can always take your rod and try your luck surfcasting. We were there for the kaimoana (seafood) ……

Maketu Beachside Cafe & Restaurant

Building huts on the beach and surfcasting in Maketu

Maketu Kaimoana Festival
Maketu Kaimoana is an annual seafood festival held in February at the local sports ground. The festival kicks off at noon with a welcome from the kapa haka group, we missed it unfortunately. Later in the day Tom Sharplin and the Cadillacs got the crowd dancing.

Tom Sharplin & The Cadillacs – Great Balls of Fire

We love going to events in small places like Maketu, it’s easy to get a car park and queues for essentials like loos and brews aren’t too long.

The local college students surprised us with their costumes, every hour someone (or something) new would appear.

Princess on a string

Newly dead & nearly wed?

Plenty of seafood and other goodies …….

From the heart of Maketu – smoked fish pie

Avocado & shrimp boat

Rewena bread & seafood chowder

Tui & tatties

Yum! watermelon and ice cream

Paua to the people

Helicopter flight $30pp

The all female band Empress were the finale act ending the day at 6pm. It was Empress’s second year at the festival, we reckon it should be their third in 2015, they were brilliant. Ticket prices for Maketu Kaimoana are $15 adult, under 18 $10, under 5, free. Where is Maketu? It’s around 40kms from both Tauranga and Rotorua.

Porina from Empress on the bass guitar

PS. Go the girls from Maketu on MasterChef NZ – hope you have a stall at the festival next year.