The Coromandel Peninsula is located only 34 miles (55 km) to the east of Auckland, the largest city in New Zealand, and on a clear day it is even visible from there. The peninsula has the Huraki Gulf on the west coast and the Bay of Plenty on the east coast, with plenty of beautiful beaches and coastal views throughout. The town of Thames, located at the start of the Coromandel Peninsula on the west side, is about a 90 minute drive from Auckland and Pukepoto, on the east side of the peninsula, is about a 2 hour drive from the city. Also, there is a seasonal scenic ferry through the Huauraki Gulf that runs from Auckland to the town of Coromandel that takes about 2 hours. The ease of accessing the peninsula from the largest city in New Zealand makes the Coromandel Peninsula a popular place for Kiwis and international visitors looking to enjoy some of the country’s best beaches.
Destination Overview
The Coromandel Peninsula
Besides having postcard beaches such as Cathedral Cove or Hahei Beach, there are also unique geothermal attractions that draw visitors to the area such as Hot Water Beach and the Lost Spring. The Coromandel Peninsula also has epic hikes along the coast such as the Coromandel Walkway and some of the best views in New Zealand on the Pinnacles Trek. Beyond these activities or attractions, many people choose to visit the peninsula to relax and enjoy a few days of doing nothing as a break from the hustle of the city.
Our journey to the Coromandel Peninsula started from Tauranga, the fifth largest city in New Zealand. The city is located on the Bay of Plenty and the iconic Mauao / Mount Maunganui towering above the Maunganui Beach and Pilot Bay Beach are the primary attractions that bring visitors there. Before departing for our counter clockwise road trip around the Coromandel Peninsula (from the east side to the west side), we took the opportunity to walk up to the top of Mauao / Mount Maunganui. The views from the summit were spectacular, especially on a nice sunny day and the water below looked inviting for a refreshing swim. On the way down we walked on the back side of the mountain, and gained another perspective of Mauao / Mount Maunganui by walking along its coastal base. The end of the hike was on the beautiful sand beach of Mount Maunganui, and we had time to enjoy the perfect weather at the beach. We went for a nice swim in the calm waters of the Bay of Plenty, and whenever we looked up it was impressive to see Mauao / Mount Maunganui towering above. Before leaving town we stopped at Rice Rice Baby, a delicious Vietnamese restaurant, and ate a tasty bahn mi sandwich along with ca ri ga, a creamy chicken curry.
We departed Tauranga energized for the day and headed north towards the Coromandel Peninsula and the town of Hahei, about a 2.5 hour drive away. At a little over the half way point we decided to stop at the quaint town of Whangamata Beach to stretch our legs. Where we parked along the coastal area there were some beautiful beach homes, and public walking trails that we took to our first beach on the peninsula. There were a few other people walking along the shore or relaxing throughout the long expansive sand beach. We wanted to stay for the day, but had to continue our drive to Hahei. On the way out of town we saw a popular restaurant filled with people called the Port Road Project. Curious, we stopped in and tried a slice of their homemade carrot cake which was delicious. After our first stop on the peninsula we saw why Coromandel is such a popular place for people to vacation and it left us looking forward to the remainder of our road trip.
Where to Read More
A Long Weekend Itinerary On the Coromandel Peninsula
A weekend itinerary to explore the Coromandel Peninsula, including hiking throughout the landscape and taking in the beach and coastline.
An Interesting Fact
Hot Springs can be Enjoyed Throughout New Zealand
While Rotorua is most known for its geothermal attractions and spas, all throughout New Zealand there are opportunities to take advantage of relaxing hot springs. These opportunities range from high end to approachable and even free options as well. Given all the hiking we did during our road trip, it was nice to relax our sore muscles and take advantage of many of these hot springs during our visit. As we neared the end of our journey in New Zealand, we knew that our last big hike was going to be the Pinnacles Walk on the Coromandel Peninsula. Since the hike was going to be uphill and fairly strenuous for a total of about 9 miles (14 km), we decided to book one more hot spring experience as a reward at the Lost Spring in Whitianga.
It is hard to tell if the Pinnacles Hike was the most challenging day hike we did or if after so much hiking over the past few weeks our legs were at the end of their limit, but regardless it was a tough climb to reach the summit. The first portion of the hike was a good steady climb through the forest until reaching the Pinnacles Hut. At this point the hike became fully exposed to the sun, and proceeded uphill along stairs that felt like you were on a never ending stair master. After making it to the top of the stair portion of the trail, there was a rock climb that required rungs to pull yourself up the final pieces of the summit. Once at the top of the Pinnacles Hike, the view of the Coromandel Forest below was spectacular, and since it was a clear day we could clearly see the ocean in the distance. We ate lunch at the top and took in the views before needing to head back down. As we passed by the Pinnacles Hut we wished we had booked an overnight stay to rest our legs before returning to the trail start. Eventually we made it back to the carpark and were so tired that we decided to pass up a cool down swim at the Hoffmans Pool in favor of getting back to our lodging to rest and eat an early dinner.
Our final hike ended up being a memorable one, and we were also excited for our last hot spring experience. When we arrived at the Lost Spring we entered through a nice restaurant where many families were enjoying brunch. There was a cold pool and varying different hot pools all set in a relaxing environment of native bush. When we visited the Lost Spring it wasn’t overly crowded and everyone kept the environment peaceful with minimal noise. There was water easily accessible throughout the pool area and a courteous wait team came by to see if we wanted anything to eat or drink. We decided to indulge in a nice cocktail and a dip sampler platter after all of our hiking. They were delicious and made us wonder if the rest of the menu was that good. Our visit was timed to 2 hours which went by fast but was an overall good amount of time to relax and soak in the mineral water of New Zealand one more time.
Travel Tip of the Week
Check the Tide Times for Hot Water Beach and Cathedral Cove
Cathedral Cove is the most recognizable place to visit on the Coromandel Peninsula and is commonly featured on computer screen backgrounds. We planned to visit it while staying in Hahei but prior to arriving in town didn’t exactly know how we would reach it. Additionally, on the way to Hahei the Hot Water Beach is a great place to stop and create your own hot tubs in the sand because of geothermal waters below. Before arriving at our accommodation in Hahei we stopped at Hot Water Beach and were surprised to see only a few cars in the car park. We tried to find someone in the life guard area to rent a shovel to dig our own hole for the hot tub. There was no one in, so we took a walk along the Hot Water Beach to see if someone might lend us one. Everyone was swimming in the water or relaxing on the beach, and there were no holes in the sand. We talked to a few people, and they let us know that we needed to come back at low tide if we wanted to take advantage of creating our own hot tubs. Feeling a little silly about not looking this up in advance, we continued on to our lodging.
At check-in in Hahei, they informed us that our booking included a shovel so that we could go to Hot Water Beach to take advantage of the hot tubs and showed us the tide times for the week. They also let us know that in addition to it being important to visit Hot Water Beach at low tide, many people prefer to visit Cathedral Cove then as well so that they can pass underneath the iconic archway to the other side. They told us that there are shuttle boats to the cove but they stop running later in the day, so our best option would be to hike there. Since the tide was still high, we had a little extra time to explore the quaint town of Hahei. We stopped for an ice cream at Hahei Eatery & Ice Cream and walked along the picturesque Hahei Beach where many families were enjoying a relaxing day in the sun. On the way back to our lodging we passed The Pour House & The Coromandel Brewing Company which looked like a nice spot for an evening drink.
As it neared low tide we tried to time it up so that we could enjoy our time at Cathedral Cove but also make it to Hot Water Beach before sunset. The start of the walk to Cathedral Cove went along a road lined with beautiful homes looking over the beach below. There was a closed carpark at the end of the street with a shuttle bus service but it was ending for the day, which was fine because we had planned to walk back. The hike down to Cathedral Cove along the coast had great views as the sun started to go down, but we had to keep a good pace due to wanting to visit Hot Water Beach as well. Since it was so late in the day, there were only a few people at Cathedral Cove and we could enjoy it with only the sound of the waves. There was a family swimming in the water, and while we would have wanted to go in as well, we headed back to Hahei so we could make it to Hot Water Beach.
This time when we arrived at the Hot Water Beach carpark it was full of people grabbing their shovels to walk down to the beach. As we walked along the beach we could see mist rising in the distance, and as we got closer saw a crowd of people relaxing in their own self made hot tubs. We excitedly joined them but were warned to be careful because in some areas the water was really hot. They let us know the best way to be safe was to dig near an existing hole because if it was mild enough for others it was probably fine for you. The experience was so much fun to dig the hole and socialize with people enjoying this free wonder of New Zealand. As the sun set and the temperatures dropped it was nice to enjoy the warm waters. Eventually we left to return to Hahei, and arrived with enough time to enjoy a craft beer at The Pour House to conclude a great day on the Coromandel Peninsula.
