The Cave is a high-tech entertainment studio at 7/16 Ashley Place in Pāpāmoa, offering hosted virtual reality sessions, VR escape rooms, sim racing simulators and PC gaming. It is one of three Cave locations in New Zealand - alongside Taupō and Palmerston North - and positions itself as a premium indoor activity for families, groups, date nights and corporate teams.
VR sessions are hosted rather than self-directed: a staff member guides participants through experiences suited to their age and comfort level. The Pāpāmoa location runs 12 HTC Vive Pro systems with high-resolution displays and spacious play areas for active gameplay. The library covers hundreds of titles across sport, RPG, sci-fi, arcade and shooters. The sim racing setup uses custom-built rigs with rally, circuit, formula one, go-kart and demolition derby formats - head-to-head racing between participants is popular for groups.
Birthday parties are a core part of the operation. The Cave handles setup, entertainment and a group photo, and provides coffee for parents. Minimum age is 8 years, minimum group size 4 for birthday packages. Corporate groups of up to 40 are catered for. Advance booking is strongly recommended - the venue books out regularly, particularly on weekends and during school holidays.
Hours vary during school and public holidays. Confirm at thecave.nz/papamoa before visiting.
“Brilliant experience for the kids’ birthday party. Staff were fantastic - they kept everyone entertained, the VR library had something for every age group and the parents got coffee. We’ll be back.”
“Sim racing was a highlight for our corporate group. Head-to-head racing on the custom rigs is genuinely competitive and everyone got involved regardless of their gaming experience.”