Coromandel Peninsula

Rustic, relaxed and unspoilt; those are words used by local people to describe the Coromandel Peninsula or Te Tara-O-Te-Ika-O-Maui in Maori. The major towns in the area are Coromandel, Whitianga and Tairua. The most pleasant time of the year to visit is during spring and autumn as the weather is generally good and outside of school holiday periods, the region is not crowded at all. The region is dominated by volcanic hills, native rainforest and white sandy beaches. Some of the popular attractions are Hot Water Beach, where visitors can make their own hot water mud pool either side of low tide. Cathedral Cove Reserve is an ideal spot for swimming and snorkelling. Following the scenic 309 Road visitors to the area will reach Waiau Falls and the famous 309 Kauri trees are very close by. The fact that the Coromandel is an easy two hours drive from Auckland explains which it is a hugely popular holiday destination and place Aucklanders like to escape to over a weekend.