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You don't have to go far from Auckland to find a natural paradise of unspoiled coastline, rain forests and gorgeous white sand beaches. A road trip around the Coromandel Peninsula rewards visitors with endless opportunities to explore the magnificent coastal landscape that defines this area.
Starting on the west coast side of the Coromandel peninsula, your first stop is Thames. Built on the pioneering industries of gold mining and kauri milling, discover the rich history of this town at the Thames Historic Museum and Thames School of Mines Museum.
Keeping your eyes on the road will be your next challenge as you drive up the Thames Coast Road. Hugging the coastline, the road passes through seaside settlements and offers spectacular views across the Hauraki Gulf back to Auckland. Stands of giant Pohutukawa trees line the road and when in flower, are a visual splendour of dark green and crimson red.
Next stop is the township of Coromandel, renown for its relaxed, laid back lifestyle, historic character buildings and home to many artists and craftspeople. Take a stroll through town and you'll soon see the many art studios and galleries.
Coromandel township is also home to Bruce Bricknell's Driving Creek Railway, a one hour narrow gauge train ride that winds its way through kauri trees and native forests. Bruce originally built the railway to extract clay from the hills for his pottery but was so inundated with requests for train rides; he decided to open it up to the public. Today Driving Creek Railway is one of Coromandel's most popular tourist attractions.
From Coromandel township, head over Whangapoua Hill to explore the magnificent beaches of Whangapoua, New Chums, Matarangi and Kuaotunu. Whangapoua beach is a wonderful beachside spot; a place where many kids have warm childhood memories of idyllic summer holidays and catching their first fish off the Whangapoua wharf.
Northwest of Whangapoua lies New Chums Beach, rated one of the top 20 beaches in the world by Observer, yet unknown by many New Zealanders. The reason for its obscurity is that New Chums Beach cannot be reached by road. You need to take a 30 minute walk, through estuary, over rocks and past a magnificent grove of Nikau Palms. But it's worth the walk as you'll find a stunning stretch of unspoiled beach paradise lined with pohutukawas; no people, no houses, no developments of any kind.
From Whangapoua, continue along the main road to Matarangi. With 4.5 kilometres of white sandy beach that's super safe for swimming, Matarangi is one of the most popular family destinations on the peninsula. If you are feeling a bit peckish, local haunt Piper's Café offers great coffee and wood fired pizzas to recharge the batteries. Matarangi also boasts a 18 hole international golf course designed by Bob Charles which regularly attracts top golfers to test out their skill.
Bluff Road winds its way around the bluff between Matarangi to the western end of Kuaotunu, an area popular with fisherman for its many rocky outcrops perfect for surf casting. Located on Bluff Road is Rings Beach, a small settlement of about 20 houses with a fresh water lagoon that's ideal for kids.
The settlement of Kuaotunu is blessed with awesome views of the Mercury Islands. Its excellent boat ramp and close proximity to the islands makes Kuaotunu a popular place for boaties. But its beaches and fresh water lagoon also means Kuaotunu is popular for fishing, walking, swimming, kayaking and diving.
As you drive down the east coast side of the peninsula, your next stop is Mercury Bay and the town of Whitianga. The palm-lined Esplanade is the hub of this busy town featuring cafes, restaurants and bars all overlooking the Whitianga marina. From here, you can go big game fishing with Rod of RNR Charters, take the Cave Cruiser to Cathedral Cave, swim with the dolphins or view the undersea world from one of several glass bottom boats.
Inspired by old stories of a lost thermal water spring on the Coromandel, Alan Hopping spent 20 years searching for the spring. His eventual success led to the creation of the Lost Spring Thermal Resort, a spectacular set of hot pools set in beautiful native forests.
Mercury Bay is also home to Cooks beach, Hahei Beach and the famous Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach. Accessible only by foot or water, Cathedral Cove is a magnificent cathedral shaped cavern situated in the middle of a pristine marine reserve teeming with fish and sea life.
Hot Water Beach is one of those unique experiences every visitor to the Coromandel must do. An underground river of hot water surfaces at Hot Water beach and one hour either side of low tide, visitors flock to the beach to dig their own spa pool in the sand.
Road 309 is a narrow windy gravel road but worth the drive. Linking Whitianga directly with Coromandel township, Road 309 is a scenic drive through farmland and native forest with several must-do activities.
The Kauri Grove is a protected stand of giant Kauri trees. The walk takes 10 minutes but you really need to spend 30 minutes here to appreciate their beauty and that Coromandel was once covered by these magnificent trees.
Castle Rock is the core of an old volcano that rises above the bushline and worth the two hour walking round trip for the panoramic views from the top.
Waiau Waterworks is an innovative theme park that features whimsical contractions and machines all powered by water. With a flying fox, picnic area and safe swimming hole, Waiau Waterworks offers lots of fun for all the family.
Continuing along Road 309 brings you back to Coromandel Township. A meal of local fresh crayfish at The Pepper Tree Bar and Café is the perfect place to recoup from your road trip. Enjoy some fine wine and reflect on the wonderful places you've seen in this natural wonderland of Coromandel Peninsula.
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