Coromandel Peninsula

A holiday peninsula east of Auckland, with Cathedral Cove's sea arch and Hot Water Beach, where you dig your own hot pool – New Zealanders' favourite summer coast.

The Coromandel Peninsula lies east of Auckland on New Zealand's North Island, facing the city across the Hauraki Gulf. About 85 km long from north to south, it belongs to the Thames-Coromandel District in the Waikato region. Down the middle runs a volcanic ridge clad in native forest; the west coast faces the calm Hauraki Gulf, while the east coast has white-sand Pacific beaches and sea-carved shores, making it New Zealanders' favourite summer getaway. The best season is Dec–Mar when the water is warmest, but Christmas to late January is the local summer holiday, when accommodation is scarce and pricey; Feb–Mar brings settled weather and fewer people; winter (Jun–Aug) is cool and rainy, but you can still dig a hot pool at Hot Water Beach at night. Key areas: Mercury Bay on the east coast (Whitianga, Hahei, Cathedral Cove, Hot Water Beach, Cooks Beach); the northern coast (New Chums Beach, Otama, Opito Bay); Coromandel Town and the old gold-mining town of Thames on the west coast; the central ranges (the Pinnacles track, the kauri groves on State Highway 309, Castle Rock); and in the south, Tairua, Whangamatā, Waihi and the Karangahake Gorge. Getting there: it's about 1.5 hours' drive from Auckland to Thames and 2.5–3 hours to Whitianga; there are also InterCity buses and small-plane flights. The peninsula's roads are winding and some are gravel, so allow plenty of time for a loop drive. Allow 3–5 days, based in Whitianga or Hahei. Note: the Cathedral Cove track has been closed for long periods due to landslides, so check DOC notices before you go; east coast beaches have strong rips, so swim only between the flags where lifeguards patrol; clean your shoes before entering kauri forests.

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