Top Coromandel scenic highlights
The Coromandel's landscapes are hugely varied - from the dead flat Hauraki Plains
to the rugged peaks of the ranges; from the crashing surf of the east coast to
the tranquil bays on the Firth of Thames.
Selected highlights at a glance
Catch the ferry to the beaches of Cook's Coast
From Whitianga Wharf you can catch a ferry to the Stone Steps Wharf, the oldest
stone wharf in Australasia (built in 1837) and the start of Cook's Coast. Front
Beach, Flaxmill Bay, Shakespeare Cliff, Lonely Bay and Cooks Beach are all a short
shuttle or taxi ride away.
At the base of Shakespeare Cliff to the south is Flaxmill or Homestead Bay. Providing
sheltered anchorage for small boats, Flaxmill Bay once had a mill operating on
its foreshore. It was here that Captain Cook was said to have careened the Endeavour.
To the south side of the bluff are Lonely Bay and Cooks Beach. Lonely Bay is a
small bay cut off by cliffs and totally unspoilt - it's accessible only from the
Cook Memorial via a short, steep walking track.
Dig your own spa at Hot Water Beach
Hot Water Beach is as good as its name. Hot pools can be dug out of the sand
at low tide near the rocks and in places where steam can be seen rising from the
beach. The hot mineral pools are a legacy of an exciting geothermal past. Hot
Water Beach is also known as a good surfing spot.
Bush, birds and views of Thames
While you're in Thames, look for Rocky's Goldmine Trail - a three hour bush walk.
Take Victoria Street to Dickson Holiday Park, where the walk starts. You'll see
excellent views of the Firth of Thames, regenerating native forest and swimming
holes.
To spy on the local bird life, find the Karaka Bird Hide by the Goldfields Shopping
Mall, Brown Street. Take the board walk through the mangroves to the hide, where
you can sit and watch birds in the Thames Firth.
The War Memorial Monument at the top of Waiotahi Creek Road offers great views
of Thames township.
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MEMORY:
Submitted by Zuzana from New Zealand
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The nature is just amazing, so green, and experiences in Hot water beach unforgetable.
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Seasonal Tips
DURING YOUR VISIT
Cheese aficionados shouldn't go past the Matatoki Cheese Factory, just south of Thames.
At Piako Ostrich farm you can view egg incubation and get close to the chicks and breeding birds. Meat tasting is part of the tour and the shop sells various ostrich products.
The Coromandel is famous for its seafood, particularly the mussels that are farmed in the area. Stop at one of the mussel shops or order a mussel dish at a local restaurant.
| Catch a ferry from Whitianga to beautiful Flaxmill Bay. |
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| Pohutukawa at Lonely Bay on the Coromandel Peninsula. |
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