The Coromandel is one of the more remote regions of New Zealand, namely because its difficult to access further north than Whitianga without a car. It is a jaw dropping beauty of a place, though, and it consistently ranks in New Zealand traveller’s top ten. I feel madly in love with the Coromandel peninsula when I went the first time, so much that I had to go back.
The tiny gravel roads that wind their way up to Fletcher Bay and Stony Bay are not for the faint of heart. The scenery though, is enough to make you want to stay once you’re there. If you can’t get that far up, there’s plenty to do in the lower part of the Coro, from kayaking and snorkeling to surf beaches and good hiking.
Read on for a short list of 12 things to do in the Coromandel.
cathedral cove
This is a highlight on most Coromandel tours and with good reason. The walk down is easy enough, if a little long, but the beach and the arch are perfectly photogenic and in good weather it is easy to spend hours in the sun. There is a large rock that you can swim out to, and in the right tide jump off of, and several caves to explore as well.
Be sure to walk through the archway to the smaller beach; its no less beautiful and generally less crowded. Also, don’t miss the turnoff to Stingray Bay, which is often overlooked but no less beautiful. Admission is free and accessible at anytime.
hot water beach
This fascinating place is a natural hot spring on the edge of a wide beach, where at low tide you can dig your own hot pool. Go with about two hours to go before low tide and begin your pool; you’ll want to stay for awhile. The beach doesn’t close, so in summer don’t be surprised if there are people there even when low tide is at 3 or 4 in the morning.
Pay attention to where everyone is – there is only a small bit of actual hot spring – and dig nearby. Pools tend to get joined together so you’ll likely make friends quickly. Free!
sample the local brews
There are a few breweries on the Coromandel peninsula. In Coromandel Town there is the Mussel Kitchen + MK Brewing Co., in Hahei, the Pour House which brews Coromandel Brewing Company, and just down the road near Hot Water Beach, the Hot Water Brewing Company. If you decide to make a day of it, don’t forget to have a sober driver.
hike from fletcher bay to stony bay
By far one of the best walks to do on the peninsula is located in the far, far north, at Fletcher Bay. This is a 3 hour walk one way, so you either need transportation at Stony Bay or you will need to walk back. The drive between the two bays is long, namely because you have to retrace your steps all the way back to where the road forks – about an hour back – and then continue on to Stony Bay – another hour around. Free (except for the petrol required to get there).
kauri groves
Kauri trees are dying, there is no two ways about it, but there are pockets of New Zealand where kauri trees thrive in groves. The Coromandel has several; there is one south of Whitianga on the main highway, one on the 309 road, and one near Waiomu – just to name a few. These massive trees and their own ecosystem and they’re lovely to look at. (The largest kauri trees can be found in the Northland). Free, maybe consider a donation to the Department of Conservation or the Keep Kauri Standing group.
visit a railway + pottery shop all at once
{image from Driving Creek Railway}
Likely a rather unique store model, the Driving Creek Railway and Pottery is a narrow-gauge winding railway through regenerating kauri groves to the top of a hill where you can look out over the Hauraki Gulf. The track is lined with large pottery sculptures and tiled mosaics. They also sell handmade pottery in the shop; I say, go for the experience and pick up a tiny souvenir.
kayak along the coast
Being a peninsula, the Coromandel is an excellent place for water sports. There are some good places to kayak, and not just because of the open ocean. Go with Coromandel Kayak Adventures and explore the remote volcanic islands off the coast, sea caves, or land at Cathedral Cove for sunset.
eat local mussels
There are several ways to enjoy the local dish, mussels. You can order them at the Mussel Kitchen or another local eatery. Done crumbed with garlic butter, sauteed with pesto, battered, in fritters, or steamed in white wine and garlic, there is a delicious way for everyone to enjoy mussels. You can also buy them from the Coromandel Oyster Company or Coromandel Smoking Co. and take them home with you to prepare the way you like. If none of this sounds like enough, you can also head out on a full or half-day charter boat and catch your own.
play at the quirkiest amusement park in new zealand
{image from the waterworks}
Many of the attractions at this weird little amusement park on the 309 road are water-powered, from small water guns to a water cannon. There’s even a water-powered clock (that apparently is on Coromandel time, which is to say, probably not the same as the clock in your rental car.) Not free, but worth the fun.
snorkel in a marine reserve
{image from Boutique Hotels & Lodges}
The waters near Cathedral Cove are a marine reserve, which means no fishing or collecting anything, but you can go out for an underwater exploration of the sea life, as either a scuba diver or snorkeler. Hire snorkel gear and do the Gemstone Bay snorkel trail on your own, or scuba from a guided trip. Interested in learning to scuba dive? You can do that through Coromandel Dive & Snorkel.
hike the pinnacles
{image from the DOC}
One of the best hikes in the region is at the Pinnacles, the jagged mountain range that divides the peninsula in two. The hike starts at the Kauaeranga roadend, near Thames, and is typically divided into two days, although at only 12km you could do it in a day easily. Hike from the roadend to the hut and from the hut onward to the peak of the Pinnacles. Here, you have expansive views of the Hauraki Gulf and plains, the Coromandel, and the Bay of Plenty: truly a magnificent experience.
drive the 309 road
There are two ways to cross the peninsula between Whitianga and Coromandel Town; one is the longer, paved state highway and the other is the gravel 309 road. If you have time, take the 309 road. It is narrower and more winding, but there are intriguing places to stop waterfalls, short walks, and a roadside pig farm (do be careful if you aren’t stopping; the pigs run free and have been known to meander slowly across the road).
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