Just when we were starting to get a bit worried that the weather was going to be much cooler and rainier than we anticipated at this time of year we got to the Coromandel Peninsula. Ahh, there’s just nothing like some warmth and sunshine to turn things around. The Coromandel is a spectacular place and we had one of the best and busiest beach days we’ve had in a long time yesterday.
We started off at the much written about Hotwater Beach. At Hotwater, hot springs seep right out of the sand and folks flock to the beach with whatever digging instrument they can find to fashion themselves a beachside hot tub (frisbee and plate did the trick) . It’s definitely the kind of thing that is worth doing for the novelty (how can a hand dug hot tub on the beach be bad?), but it’s also kind of a comical thing. We got there early in the morning as low tide was coming on, and there were only a few people there at first. After an hour or so we were in the middle of a communal hot tub and we gladly passed on our work to the pool pariahs waiting nearby. There it was, we did Hotwater Beach. It was exactly how it was described to us a by a local guy we ran into at New Chums–”A bunch of people crowded into a small space laying in the sand.” A mojito would have topped things off really well–even if it was at 8:00 am–a little practice for PI!
Next up was the much more exciting and jaw dropping Cathedral Cove. The Coromandel in general has some amazing coastline and this is one of the gems along the way. Things get really crowded here in the summer and we’re glad to be here at this time of the year when the crowds have subsisded and you can get a few beaches all to yourself. We’re totally spoiled and we know it! You’ll have to take a look at the pics to get an idea of what Cathedral is like–beautiful white sand and cliffs, blue water, sunny skies, and it’s a 30 minute walk to get there. No perfume bus tours on this beach! To top it all off, just down the shoreline at Gemstone Bay we checked out a snorkeling trail. Hopefully we’ve got more days like this on the way.
In the meantime, we are constructing a long list of things that we just can’t wait to do when we get back home. We miss everyone a ton and can’t wait for the good times in the good old USA. Less than a month until we arrive in California!
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Tags: coast
Hey Tim and Joanie…sounds like your still at it, having the time of your lives! Isn’t Cathedral Cove just so much better than you’d expect from one of the “Tourist Hotspots”??!!
I’d love to hear from you when you get back in the States and you can get as much free internet as you want 24/7 (I bet you miss it).
Hope the good weather holds and you have tons of fun your last days. If you get to Piha, say hello to Fiona, June, and Caitlin for me!
Scott Cook, NZ Frenzy
Hello. I am reading your entries about New Zealand with interest. My husband and I are travelling there in April of this year and would love to hear any hints or suggestions you may have for us. We are wondering about renting an RV for a week to get around in. Would you recommend this mode of transport or are there readily available accommodations in all areas? Thanks!
Hi,
I hope you can answer my question. We are planning our second trip to NZ but this time, it has to be in December. I know that this is the height of the sumemr season, but how busy is it really?
Do we have to book into motels/hotels beforehand, or could we “wing it” as we went along. Hope to start out driving the Coromandel – and then work our way south, hiking along the way.
I would appreciate any advice you can give me.