Turangi is a small town on the west bank of the Tongariro River, 50 kilometres south-west of Taupo on the North Island Volcanic Plateau of New Zealand. It is part of the Waikato region.

It was built to accommodate the workers associated with the Tongariro hydro-electric power development project and their families. The town was designed to remain as a small servicing centre for the exotic forest plantations south of Lake Taupo and for tourists. It is well known for its trout fishing. The major hapu of the Turangi area is Ngati Turangitukua.

The Turangi area covers some 2273 km², and is located close to the edge of the Kaimanawa Ranges and ten kilometres north of the stretch of State Highway 1 known as the Desert Road.
The streets around Turangi in autumn are lined with “brilliant” foliage.

Built on the banks of the Tongariro River, Turangi and it’s surrounding countryside offers challenging hunting, fishing, mountain biking, hiking or leisurely bush walks, white water rafting, kayaking, sight seeing and much more.

The town has a population of around 3500, and it is (after Taupo) the second largest population centre in the Taupo District. The Town's population peaked at 9000 during the 1970s. Since the end of the Project in the 1980s the population has declined but has remained stable due to the town's handy location for tourists.

Tourism and forestry are the mainstay of the community with the Department of Corrections two prisons, Genesis Energy, the Department of Conservation and farming being the main employers.

The area was settled by the people of Ngati Tuwharetoa, descendants of those who came to New Zealand on the Te Arawa canoe from about the 16th Century with a variety of settlements in the area.

Turangi has two schools, both area schools which cater for Year 1 to 15 students. The school's opened in February 2004, following the Turangi Education Network Review that resulted in the closure of four schools:

•   Hirangi Primary, Turangi Primary, Tongariro High and Tauranga Taupo Primary Schools were closed.
   
•  A single Year 1 – 15 composite school was established (Tongariro School).
   
•  A Wharekura for Year 1 – 13 students who wish to receive their education in te reo Maori, was established (Te Kura o Hirangi).