Coromandel Peninsula New Zealand The Coromandel Peninsula, east side of the North Island, New Zealand. New Zealand Travel Guide | New Zealand Map | New Zealand Tours

Billed as 'the place where Kiwis take their holidays' the Coromandel Peninsula's 400kms of shore supplies a great number of attractions including superb white beaches - one with hot and cold running water! - rainforests and masses of activity possibilities. Some of the more popular activities are kayaking, sailing, boating, fishing, horse riding, Harley riding, cycling, golf and eco-tourism rainforest walks. There are also plenty of events and festivals to enjoy.

A view over Mare's Leg Cove and Cathedral Cove, Waikato, Coromandel.

Getting to Coromandel from Auckland depends on where in the Coromandel you aim to go. e.g. the nearest major point is Thames at 115 kms [72 miles] while Coromandel town is 170 kms [106 miles] and Witianga/Hahei Hot Springs beach is about 200 kms [125 miles]. But...some of the roads on the peninsula are not in great shape.

A congested Coromandel road.

Cathedral Cave, as seen in the movie The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.

Cathedral Cove can only be reached on foot or by boat. The Cove car park is at the north end of Hahei and the Cathedral Cove Walk will take about 1.5 hours for 2.5 kms.

Hot Water Beach, Coromandel. Photo by Steve Copley.

The Japanese would love this place if they could find it, hot springs on the beach courtesy of underground volcanic activity. The downside is, of course, that the pool you're sitting in could ejaculate a ton of 1,000C magma at any second. And you have to dig a bit to reach the hot stuff. And you have to dig the hole within two hours either side of low tide. And the adjacent sea is a killer, with strong rip currents, large waves and occasionally unpleasant but not deadly Lion's Mane Jellyfish.
If you still fancy a toasty dip Hot Water Beach is on Coromandel's east coast just south-east of Whitianga and 200 kms from Auckland, but check Whitianga tide table first!

An embedded Coromandel café to reward a hard day's walking/digging.

A Coromandel vineyard.

The two biggest wineries on the peninsula are Purangi in Whitianga and Totara in Thames. Click for Rotorua.

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