After finishing my internship in late December, the Christmas days offered – almost – the real start of my journey through NZ. After looking for some travelmates, two other German guys responded soon and we were off to the well-known and popular Coromandel Peninsula, which is located roughly 2 ½ hrs away from Auckland. As a famous holiday destination for travellers and locals alike, Coromandel offers beautiful beaches but also native bush land and mountains. I planned a four day trip for our small group, beginning in the South West in the township of Thames.
There was nothing spectacular about this town, it is rather calm and doesn’t offer much recreational opportunities. However, as long as you own a car or stay in one of the hostels which offer transport to places nearby, Thames is a good spot to start exploring the Coromandel – a very nice walk with an average walking duration of a couple of hours return (can’t remember the exact figure) to a rocky hill formation called The Pinnacles is one of them. Once arrived on top, you got stunning views (here’s a video!) over big parts of the peninsula, so it’s definitely worth the effort. I also would like to mention the hostel we stayed at: The Sunkist Backpackers was set up in a charming looking old manor which used to be a hotel in past times. Although the owners are paranoid due to many bad experiences with travellers, the place itself is surely one of the better hostels on NZ’s North Island, regarding cleanliness, equipment and atmosphere.
On the following day, we arrived in Whitianga a good 2 hrs after we left Thames. I won’t lose any words about the town and the hostel since both things were nothing fancy, but our evening/night trip to Hotwater Beach and Cathedral Cove has to be mentioned. Note that Cathedral Cove is a natural stone ark which spans over a beach, and it’s probably Coromandel’s most visited tourist attraction. If you don’t like big groups of tourists, go there in the evening. This was likely the best thing we could do, as we had a gorgeous sunset at the Cove, only sharing it with five other people plus having low tide, which allows you to pass the Cove without getting wet feet. Afterwards we were heading towards Hahei Beach, which is more commonly known as Hotwater Beach. Yes, that’s right, it got its name from the natural hot springs below the sand, which can be found below a certain area of the beach which is only accessible during low tide too. We arrived around 10 pm, when it was already utterly dark. While the beach is crowded during daytime by tourists from all over the planet, there were only about 30 people around in our night; after digging a hole with a spade (you can borrow it from Whitianga’s i-Site or the hostels in town) using torches as support, you’re able to relax in your very own hot pool, hearing the sea’s waves behind and offering a totally incredible star sky above you. So far, this was one of the best experiences I’ve had here, and I strongly recommend this to everyone who’s planning to go to this part of NZ.
The last day is not worth mentioning as we hiked on an unpopular hiking trail which didn’t have much to offer. I hoped to have enough time to explore Coromandel’s almost unpopulated wild North, but there wasn’t enough time before New Year’s Eve. Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for the upcoming posts!