The Coromandel Peninsula is located just south of Auckland and is a great weekend destination, either as a long weekend from Auckland or on a road trip between Rotorua and Auckland. It is a unique destination because it has some of the geothermal activity that is similar to Rotorua while also having a beachtown culture.
If you Are Coming from Rotorua, Spend a Day in Tauranga on Your Way to the Coromandel Peninsula
For this road trip, your first stop will be in Tauranga, a coastal city along the Bay of Plenty with beautiful beaches along the coast. To take advantage of the coastline, head for a walk up to the top of Mount Maunganui. This loop can be between 3-4 miles (4.8-6.5 kilometers) and you can stop at Pilot Bay Beach and Manganui Beach at the base of the hill prior to after the hike. These are great spots to hop into the water and take advantage of beautiful weather. Spend time relaxing at either beach!
Manganui Road near the beach area is the commercial center of this area of Tauranga and has a variety of restaurants and boutiques to check out. Finally, if you are interested in local craft breweries, head to Rising Tide, a family friendly brewery and taproom.
Day 1: Hahei
Hahei is a small beach town within the Coromandel Peninsula area and it is a great place to relax, see the beautiful coastline of New Zealand, and discover some of the geothermal phenomena of the region. (If you are interested in the geothermal areas of New Zealand, look into visiting Rotorua and Taupo.) There are a few things to do in Hahei but they are largely dependent on the tide. Below are the different things to do, where they are located, and at what tide level they are best to visit.
Cathedral Cove
Cathedral Cove is a well known rock formation located walking distance from the town of Hahei. The walk, starting in town, is 4.4 miles (7 kilometers) and takes a total of 1 hour and 45 minutes. However, there is a shuttle that can take you from the town to the start of the trail, making the trail only 2 miles long and about a 1 hour walk total. There is no parking at the trailhead and parking is only available in the town center. You can purchase the tickets for the shuttle online here or with cash on the bus.
The walk to Cathedral Cove takes you along the coastline and through the forest until you reach the beach and cove itself. To get to the iconic Te Hoho rock formation, you can walk through the cave to the left of the beach during a low tide. The best time to visit Cathedral Cove is between low and high tide. During the lowest tide, the water will be far out and the view of the rock formation will not be as amazing as what you may have seen online. However, during high tide, you will not be able to walk through the cave to see the formation.
Instead, you can consider taking the Cathedral Cove Water Taxi from Hahei Beach to the beach of Cathedral Cove. This is the only boat service that will drop you off on the beach. You can choose to take the boat in one direction or reserve a round trip. You can pay for the service on the beach or boat. If you want to explore more of the coastline and marine life around Cathedral Cove, consider taking a boat tour of the area. There are a number of different companies that provide this service with tours that range in length of time and area that is explored.
Hot Water Beach
Near Hahei is Hot Water Beach, a beach with hot water that rises from the sand. Here, during low tide, people come with shovels and dig large holes in the sand that get filled with hot water from the ground. The water is heated through geothermal forces beneath ground and can get burning hot. People then sit in these holes, creating their own personal hot tubs! Check the tide levels in advance of coming to the beach. And if you do not have a shovel, you can always borrow one from others at the beach. However, many hotels in the area will let you borrow a shovel just for this activity.
Day 2: Coromandel
On your second day in the Coromandel peninsula, you will spend more time taking in the coastal area of the peninsula. Start your day heading to Cooks Beach for a view over the beautiful coastline in this region. One of these viewpoints in the Shakespeare Cliff Scenic Reserve before going to the Lost Spring, a hot spring and spa where you can relax in the numerous hot pools and grottos. You can also order food and drinks to be consumed poolside or book a massage or other spa service. Most packages give you 2 hours to spend in the pools and you can add on food or additional services.
After spending your morning at the Lost Spring, get lunch in Whitianga where you will find a variety of small restaurants with different cuisines near the marina. After lunch, you can head to some different beaches along the peninsula. The first one is Otama Beach & Reserve where you will find an expansive beach with very few other visitors. Next, make your way to New Chums Beach, where you can walk along the coast to a hidden cove of New Chums Beach that feels like a tropical paradise. Note: the detour to the right in the area between the two beaches is relatively steep but has beautiful views of the two adjacent beach and cove areas.
End your day in Coromandel where you can stop at the Kaipawa Trig Track on your way into town for a viewpoint over the land and water around this area. If you want to extend your time in Coromandel, consider checking out the Driving Creek Railway, a train tour up the local mountain that is great for all ages and varied weather. You can also explore the Waterworks, a theme park full of upcycled attractions and activities that are all powered by water, making it a fun water park for the spring and summer months. Towards the end of the peninsula is the Coromandel Walkway & Mountain Bike Track, a 12.2 mile (20 kilometer) loop that allows you to bike around the nature of this part of New Zealand. And at the very end of the peninsula is Port Jackson.
Day 3: A Big Hike - the Pinnacles Track
For your final day on the peninsula, consider doing the Kauaeranga Kauri Trail, a day hike that is part of the Pinnacles Track, one the Great Walks of New Zealand. The round-trip of this piece of the hike is 8.9 miles (14.3 kilometers) and is a relatively challenging walk up and past a lodge and back down. While the best way to experience the hike is to spend the night at the Pinnacles Hut, it is definitely doable to do it as a day hike. However, spending the night at the lodge will give you the opportunity to see the sunrise at the peak of the hike, beyond the hut.
For the hike, the beginning of the walk is relatively straight forward, hiking uphill through the forest and across some suspension bridges to the Pinnacles hut. Once you get to the hut, you can continue on to the peak of the hike. For this portion, you will have to go up a lot of stairs and climb some metal ladders so you do not want to do this if it is raining or the ground is wet as it will be slippery and dangerous. Because of the steep hike up, the way down will be equally steep and may be hard on your knees so use a hiking pole if necessary. This hike will take about 6 hours.
Heading Back to Auckland
As you make your way to Auckland, stop by the Karangahake Gorge to stretch your legs and walk through the ruins of the old mines in the region. It’s a nice spot to stretch your legs. You can also make a quick stop at the Giant Lemon & Paeroa Bottle (which celebrates the New Zealand L&P soda).
