Coromandel New Zealand

Coromandel town means craft, great dining, shopping, adventure, fishing, history and friendliness.

Coromandel takes its name from the HMS Coromandel, which dropped anchor here in 1820 to load kauri logs for the English navy. The trunks of young kauri trees are very straight and strong - ideal for ships' masts and spars.

The Coromandel’s other treasure, gold, was discovered around 30 years later. Although the serious mining days are over, the town has New Zealand’s last fully functional stamper battery - still on its original site and working on a daily basis. Coromandel also has many restored Victorian buildings.

Other local attractions include a narrow gauge mountain railway, mining museum and the Coromandel Coastal Walkway.

If you’re exploring the Coromandel Peninsula, you’ll soon come to Whitianga – the main town in Mercury Bay. Whitianga’s deepwater harbour is the perfect departure point for big game fishing enthusiasts.

When native forests were being harvested on the peninsula in the 1800s and early 1900s, Whitianga was a timber port. Ships from Europe came to load up with kauri. Today, Whitianga depends on fishing, farming and tourism for its prosperity.

Accommodation is plentiful for much of the year, but the town gets busy over the summer holiday period. You’ll find a great choice of places to dine.

Dolphins live in the bay and sometimes frolic around the wharf. A passenger ferry provides a link with the Cooks Beach side of the harbour.

Hahei is an attractive beach fringed with pohutukawa trees and drifts of pink shells at the northern end. Offshore islands provide something of a breakwater, making this beach ideal for swimming, boating and fishing.

The coastline to the north and the offshore islands form the boundaries of a marine reserve, making this a popular destination for diving and kayaking. Reefs, caves, archways and soft sediments provide the ideal habitat for a variety of plants, fish, molluscs and crustaceans.

At the southern end of Hahei beach, the Te Pare historic reserve is the site of an ancient Maori pa (fortified village).

From the north end of the beach, a one hour walking track leads along the cliff top and then descends to the stunningly beautiful Cathedral Cove. Here a gigantic arched cavern passes through a white rock headland to join two secluded coves. The cathedral-like arch gives whole area an air of grandeur. The beach is sandy with shady pohutukawa trees along the foreshore - a perfect place for a picnic and a swim.

A little way off the beach at Cathedral Cove is a large pinnacle of pumice breccia rock known as 'Te Hoho'. Over centuries this has been sculpted by wind and water - it now looks like the prow of a large ship steaming into the beach.

Naturally heated mineral water bubbles up from deep within the earth to emerge through the sand at the appropriately named Hot Water Beach.

Near the rocks at the southern end of the beach, you can dig your own spa pool in the sand - start digging two hours either side of low tide. It's a strange but very pleasant feeling to be lying in a pool of hot water just metres from the comparatively cold sea.

If you have a suitable digging implement, bring it with you. Otherwise you may be able to hire a spade from the local general store.

From the hot water area, the long sandy beach stretches north and curves east under a headland. Here you?ll find sheltered and secluded spots for quiet, sleepy sunbathing.

For surfers, Hot Water Beach has good beach breaks in moderate easterly swells. However the presence of strong undertows means this beach is often dangerous for swimming.

Tairua is a seaside village with an attractive harbour and white sand beaches. Paku, an extinct volcanic cone, is the town’s most memorable landscape feature. It can be climbed from Paku Drive; the summit is a steep 15 minute walk.

This area of the Coromandel Peninsula is a favourite holiday destination – there are many baches (holiday houses) around the harbour and on the surrounding hillsides. For a small town, Tairua has an excellent range of restaurants and cafés; accommodation is also plentiful, although it pays to book ahead.

Across the water from Tairua is Pauanui, a purpose-built holiday community with a residential canal development.

Pauanui is a popular beach settlement located on a narrow stretch of land between the Pacific Ocean and a tranquil inner harbour.

The broad, three-kilometre beach has a gentle gradient making it relatively safe for swimming. Depending on the direction of the wind, Pauanui can also be great for surfing, windsurfing and kite surfing.

On the inland side, the tranquil Tairua Harbour and estuary offer hours of fun for kayakers. You can swim here too, but keep an eye out for boats. Across the harbour mouth, at Tairua, the volcanic cone Paku rises steeply from the sea.

At the southern end of the beach, a trail leads to the summit of forested Pauanui Mountain. Rising to a height of 400 metres above the sea, the track is steep in places but the panoramic views from the top certainly justify the effort.

This beautiful area of the Coromandel Forest Park includes 21 walking tracks ranging from 20 minute strolls to rewarding overnight trails. Administered by the Department of Conservation, Kauaeranga Valley is an ideal playground for hikers, mountain bikers and nature lovers.

The rugged hills, which include Table Mountain (846 metres) and the Pinnacles (759 metres), provide a spectacular backdrop. Clear streams run through the valleys and at Sleeping Gods Canyon there's a magnificent 300-metre waterfall.

The Kauaeranga River was once named Waiwhakauaeranga, which means "waters of the stacked-up jaw bones". Historians from the Ngati Maru Maori tribe claim the name originated from a famous battle - members of Ngati Maru stacked up the jaw bones of their defeated enemies in rows on the banks of the river.

In the early 1900s logging took place in the valley, but the forest has been regenerating for the last eighty years and there are fine specimens of kauri, rimu, totara, kahikatea and kowhai trees, as well as a wide range of ferns. Several native bird species are commonly seen and heard throughout the valley.

Remote camping and hut accommodation is available for overnight stays. The Pinnacles Walk, which requires an overnight stay in the Department of Conservation Hut, is particularly rewarding.

There is a Department of Conservation visitor centre at the entrance to the park. Call in for advice before you start hiking.

Thames is the Coromandel Peninsula’s main town. Idyllically situated between the Firth of Thames and the mountains of the Coromandel Forest Park, Thames has a fascinating history linked to gold mining and forestry. Historic wooden commercial buildings, pubs and homes give the town plenty of character. There are two museums to visit and a hands-on goldmining experience to try.

As a sizeable town, Thames offers a wide choice of accommodation, restaurants and shops. The Saturday morning market is a great place to find an arty souvenir.

For fresh air and exercise, head for the hiking tracks of nearby Kauaeranga Valley; a large valley furnished with rivers, waterfalls and native forest. This beautiful area of the Coromandel Forest Park includes 21 walking tracks ranging from 20 minute strolls to rewarding overnight trails. In the early 1900s logging took place in the valley, but the forest has been regenerating for the last eighty years and there are fine specimens of kauri, rimu, totara, kahikatea and kowhai trees, as well as a wide range of ferns. Several native bird species are commonly seen and heard throughout the valley.

Most places on the Coromandel are within 1 to 1.5 hours drive from the township and of course there's lots to keep you busy, whether you enjoy browsing through the numerous and varied speciality shops, delving into Thames' colourful history, participating in some of the sporting activities or experiencing beautiful forests and coastlines.

The attractive combination of sand, surf and native forest makes Whangamata a popular destination for summer holidays. Find a spot on the four kilometre ocean beach or swim in the safe waters of the harbour.

The town has two ocean beaches, both of which are extremely safe for swimming and surfing. There is a safe boating harbour at the North end of the town and another estuary at the South end. Both the harbour and estuary provide good swimming for families. 15 minutes drive south of Whangamata is the quietly popular beach Whiritoa. Other beaches just north of Whangamata are Onemana (about 15 minutes) and Opoutere (15 minutes).

There are two golf courses in the area and plenty of charter boats waiting to take you diving or game fishing. Just behind the town, the Coromandel Forest Park is a place for hiking, mountain biking and hunting. The Wentworth Falls walk is particularly lovely.

Whangamata has numerous cafés, restaurants, motels and beach cottages. Arts and crafts shops provide interesting shopping opportunities.

Let curiosity drive you to stop in Paeroa. This historic town is the home of the nationally famous soft drink, Lemon and Paeroa (L&P). The very large bottle at the eastern end of the main street has plaques that explain the development of the drink. Call into any of the main street food outlets to purchase a bottle – a drinkable souvenir.

Paeroa is also a place to look for antiques and collectables. The museum has a notable display of porcelain. Just north of the town is the Paeroa Historical Maritime Park, where you’ll find restored historic vessels and interesting displays.

Paeroa connects travellers to the Coromandel, Bay of Plenty and Waikato and is located between the beautiful green Hauraki Plains and the scenic Karangahake Gorge and mountain range. Paeroa is an excellent base for the The Karangahake Gorge Historical Walkway, situated off State Highway 2 between Paeroa and Waihi. Part of the walkway is along the route of an old railway line that followed the riverbank through the gorge. It crosses three bridges and includes a two kilometre loop section that offers the chance to walk through an 1100 metre tunnel. The railway line was closed in 1979, allowing visitors to access the historical sites associated with gold mining. As you walk along this scenic gorge you can feel the past all around you.

Waihi is the home of the richest gold mine in New Zealand. The Martha Mine was opened in 1878 and is still producing about a million dollars worth of gold and silver every week. The mining company conducts regular weekday tours of the open pit site.

A vintage railway runs between Waihi and Waikino, where you can find relics from the early gold rush days. Around the town you’ll notice some wonderful old buildings. Waihi is proud of its history and has a heritage trail that points out places of interest. There is an ever-increasing number of cafés and restaurants in the recently revived town centre.

Waihi town and Waihi Beach are separate destinations, but they're only a short drive apart. At Waihi Beach you'll find 9 kilometres of safe surf beach. Stunning coastal walkways invite you to explore further.Waihi Beach is a popular summer holiday location.