Oceania : New Zealand : North Island : Coromandel
Coromandel
Coromandel [1] is a peninsula on the north-eastern coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It separates the Hauraki Gulf and coasts around Auckland from the Bay of Plenty.
Cities
Other destinations
- Cathedral Cove, Accessible via Hahei
- Hahei
- Hot Water Beach is a beach with two hot springs emerging under the sands, meaning visitors can dig their own hot pool. A popular and busy tourist destination, visitors are advised to arrive an hour or two before low tide, when the springs emerge from the receding tide. Hot Water Beach is signposted from the road south of Whitianga.
- Tararu Valley Sanctuary is an active rainforest protection project and sustainable living community, just 15mins from Thames that welcomes volunteers and travellers who wish to make a 'koha' or gift to the New Zealand environment. The Sanctuary has giant kauri trees and rich birdlife.
- The winding coastal road from Thames north towards Coromandel Town is worthly of special mention also. In December the beautiful pohutakawa trees flower, and is a site to behold. This tree is affectionately known as the New Zealand Christmas tree, and several festival events in December celebrate the time.
Understand
Coromandel is noted for its beautiful beaches, with backdrops of lush native bush in the hills. The gateway to the Coromandel, the Kopu bridge, is a wonderful one way bridge that is just 110 km from Auckland. From this bridge you can go in a loop around the entire Coromandel peninsular. All roads lead to Coromandel Town at some point.
Talk
Get in
By Bus
Intercity Coachlines [2] operate NZ's national bus network with daily departures. Tickets can be purchased online or throughout the country at numerous agents inlcuding the i-site network.
Get around
See
- Driving Creek Railway [3] is a tourist attraction close to Coromandel Town which began life as a back yard project for sculptor Barry Brickell, who initially created his narrow gauge railway to help extract sculpting clay from deposits on his land. Over the years it has grown into an elaborate mountain railway with spirals, tunnels, viaducts, reversing points, and a summit station called the "Eyefull Tower" with views above the forest canopy across the Coromandel. The one hour return trip is priced at NZ$20.
Itineraries
Do
Buy
Eat
- Peppertree Restaurant & Bar (31 Kapanga Rd, Coromandel, t +64 7 866 8211) – breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Drink
Stay safe
Cope
Be sure to bring a sweater. It can be chilly sometimes. Also try to book in advance if there is anything you really want to do.
Get out
This page was last edited at 10:53, on 20 February 2009 by Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel. Based on work by Ryan Holliday, Andy Farrell, Todd VerBeek, Gareth Pearce, Ian Kirk, Derek M. Strout, Colin Jensen and Michele Ann Jenkins, Wikitravel user(s) New Zealand Traveller, Morph, Episteme, Jelse and Huttite, Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel and others.