Far From Home, Right Where You Belong: Christmas at Pacific Coast Lodge

There’s a moment every backpacker knows well.
You’re thousands of miles from home, living out of a backpack, sharing a room with strangers you met only yesterday — and somehow, it already feels exactly right.

This holiday season at Pacific Coast Lodge in Mount Maunganui, many of us are far from family. Back home, people are pulling jumpers from the closet, stirring warm gravy and setting out Christmas crackers.
Here, it’s bare feet, sunscreen, surfboards and salty hair.
And honestly? It might just be the best way to celebrate!

🎁 Join Our Secret Santa - The chalkboard is up… the challenge is set:
Secret Santa — $5 limit, maximum creativity! Expect the unexpected. You’d be surprised what backpackers can find with five dollars, a secondhand shop, and pure imagination.

🏖️ Beach Day with the Backpacker Fam - What’s a Kiwi Christmas without the beach? After breakfast, we’ll wander down to Mount Maunganui’s iconic shoreline. Expect salty swims, sun, games in the sand, and maybe even a volleyball rivalry that lasts all summer.

🍽️ International Shared Dinner - Bring a dish from your home country — and share a taste of where you come from. It might be a family recipe you’ve mastered, or something you’ve only seen your parents cook. Either way, the kitchen will be chaos in the best possible way.

🧳 Be Part of This Memory - If you’re travelling solo, far from home, or just curious to meet new people — this is your chance to be part of something unforgettable. You don’t need family nearby to feel connected. Hostels have a funny way of being one BIG family.

👉 Sign up at reception to join the Secret Santa, International Dinner, and Beach Day. Let’s celebrate the season together — the Pacific Coast Lodge and Backpackers way. 🌞🎄🌊