Coromandel, Walks & Parks

  • Kauaeranga Valley hiking trails

    The Kauaeranga Valley is located 15 minutes out of Thames and is a beautiful and historic location for the entire family. With walks/tramps that last from 10 minutes to a full day, a well informed visitors centre, camping, cottages, swimming holes, a café through summer and canyoning, there's activities to suit everyone.

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    • Location: Kauaeranga Valley, 15 minutes from Thames
  • Broken Hills walking tracks

    The Broken Hills area has a number of walking tracks through old mining sites. From 5 min - 10 hr. A popular walk is to 'Gem of The Boom' 20 min return from Puketui Valley Rd - This was the site of an old mining settlement, and relics of the past can still be seen, including what appears to be a jail cut into solid rock. It is an easy loop walk with two bridged crossings over a small creek. Nestled beside the slow-moving Tairua River, Broken Hills is a tranquil holiday hideaway in a picturesque setting.This beautiful Broken Hills Gorge provides many opportunities for walking, swimming, canoeing, trout fishing, fossicking, rafting, bird watching, photography, picnicking and camping.

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    • Location: End of Puketui Valley Road, 19 km from Tairua and 27 km from Whangamata.
  • Hahei Beach - Whitianga

    This attractive, white sandy beach with pohutukawas is one and a half kilometres long. The crystal clear water is home to crayfish and fish. At the eastern end of the beach is the site of an old Maori Pa. From the lookout there is access to Cathedral Cove and the marine reserve. There are cafes, a beach store, ice cream parlour and gift shop nearby.

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    • Location: Hahei, South of Whitianga
  • Hauraki Rail Trail, Paeroa to Waikino

    This is a 2hr - 14km bike ride ( a section of the 160km 2-4 day trip). Ride through the historic and scenic Karangahake Gorge past gold mines and through the 1km long tunnel.

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    • Location: Paeroa
  • Rapaura Watergardens - Thames Coast

    Abundant native bush, ferns, watergardens and birds. Wander over bridges and take a bush walk to a cascading waterfall. The seasonal displays of native and exotic flowers are interspersed with garden art. Most of the Gardens are accessible by pushchair, except for the last part of the walk to the falls where there are long steps. It takes about 45 minutes to wander around the Gardens. Take a picnic - there are picnic tables in the car park and ducks and chickens waiting to be fed!

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    • Location: 586 Tapu Corodlen Road, Tapu Village, Thames Coast
  • Hot Water Beach - Coromandel

    Dig your own hot pools out of the sand one hour before or after low tide near the rocks and see steam rising from the open sea at high tide. Hot Water Beach is just south of Mercury Bay at the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula and is the remains of volcanic activity. The water can be as hot as 64 degrees centigrade so be careful! There are toilets, cafes and a shop at the car park which sells drinks and ice creams. Spades are available for hire if you forget to take your own. Swimming is not safe for children at this beach because of the strong surf.

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  • Billygoat Landing Walk - Coromandel

    A 20 minute gentle return walk from the carpark at the end of Kauraeranga Road. Follow the Kauri Trail for about five minutes before turning onto the Billygoat Landing Walk just after the swing bridge. At the Billygoat basin there are good views of the 180 metre high falls and the cliffs.

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    • Location: Kauaeranga Road, Kauaeranga Valley, Coromandel Peninsula
  • Pinnacles Hut Walk - Overnight trip

    A 2.5 -3 hour walk to the hut with fantastic views of the ranges and out to the East Coast from the top of the Pinnacles. This walk is full of gold mining history dating way back in the late 1800. For the more adventurous once at the hut, you can drop your packs and head up the rough climb (40mins one way) to the top of the Pinnacles (759 metres)

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    • Location: Kauaeranga Road end, Coromandel Forest Park 3592 ( Access close to Thames)
  • Matarangi Beach

    The seaside at Matarangi is perfect for families with its gentle surf and safe swimming and four and a half kilometers of white sandy beaches. There is a store and café nearby.

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    • Location: Halfway between Whitianga and Coromandel town
  • Cathedral Cove Beach

    The cove is part of the Cathedral Cove Marine Reserve which covers 9 square kilometers. The cove itself is named after after the giant rock arch at its entrance and is accessible only by foot or boat. The track to the sandy beach begins at the northern end of Hahei. The beach itself offers shade from the pohutukawa trees along the foreshore.

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    • Location: Cathedral Cove
  • Cathedral Cove Walk

    This walk will take about 40 minutes return and starts near the village of Hahei. Take the signposted road to the lookout car park. The carpark can be full during summer months because this walk is so popular – you may wish to park at an alternative site from the northern end of the Beach car park but you should allow an extra 25 minutes each way.

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    • Location: Hahei
  • Cooks Beach - Sth of Whitianga

    Just south of Whitianga and backed by pohutukawa trees, this beautiful beach is a 3 kilometre crescent of fine golden sand, ideal for picnics, and water which is free from rips, making it safe for family swimming. The beach resort also has a café and shopping centre. The beach can be reached via Highway 25 or from Whitianga. You can also access it by ferry to Ferry Landing but you will need to take a five minute taxi drive from the landing to the beach.

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    • Location: Cooks Bay, south of Whitianga
  • Wentworth Valley Falls

    Wentworth Valley Falls is an easy 3km walk that will take you around 2 hrs 30 mins (return) to complete.This track, from the Wentworth campsite to Wentworth Falls, follows an easy grade alongside the Wentworth River, with two bridged crossings, before climbing to a good view of the falls. The falls are in two drops of about 20 metres each. From here, a steeper tramping track leads to a basin at the top of the falls. This walk can be followed by a 3km walk up the Wentworth River through old Kauri forest.

     

     

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    • Location: Turn off SH25, 7 km south of Whangamata on the Coromandel Peninsula, into Wentworth Valley Road.
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Our favourite destinations…

Auckland

New Zealand’s economic heart and biggest city is also an exciting family visitor destination, situated on a sunny harbour with city beaches just minutes away from the CBD. Orientate yourself by heading down to Viaduct Harbour, wandering the waterfront, checking out the super yachts or enjoying the waterfront restaurants. Nearby is the must-visit Sky Tower along with excellent and kid-friendly museums and tons of exciting activities!

Wellington

Wellington is New Zealand’s capital. Here you will find New Zealand's parliament buildings, including the 'Executive Wing', more well-known as 'The Beehive' due to its distinctive shape. Another icon to look out for is the Wellington Tram, which was the main means of public transport between 1878 and 1964.

Christchurch

With a population of around 400,000 Christchurch, in Canterbury, is the South Island ’s largest city, yet much of it has the feel of a small town. Perhaps that’s why it’s known as the Garden City but with the expansive Hagley Park, Botanic Gardens, Port Hills, River Avon and numerous beaches the city certainly has an open, relaxed feel that’s hard to beat.

Queenstown

With its well-deserved reputation as New Zealand’s activity adventure capital you’ll never run out of activities and things to do in Queenstown, but you may run out of time! With breathtaking scenery, activities and festivals, cafes and restaurants, skiing and snowboarding, shopping and wineries, this lakeside alpine resort rates as one of the world’s top vacation destinations for all ages and seasons.

Rotorua

Rotorua sits on the shore of Lake Rotorua, one of sixteen lakes in the area formed by hundreds of thousands of years of eruptions from the Taupo Volcanic Zone. The area is renowned for its geothermal activity and top of any activity list is to see the bubbling mud pools that are around the region for yourself. The Waimangu Volcanic Valley offers a first hand insight into the devastation caused by the 1886 eruption of Mount Tarawera and is a great place to discover steaming volcanic craters and bubbling, spitting  pools of mud!

Nelson and Golden Bay

The Nelson and Golden Bay regions, at the top of the South Island, boast enviable sunshine hours, glorious sandy beaches, safe swimming spots, lots of wildlife to look out for, and Abel Tasman National Park - an absolute must to explore, on foot, by kayak, your own craft or watertaxi.  Nelson is home to a vibrant arts and crafts community with a fabulous Saturday market, and is close to award-winning wineries and family-friendly bike tracks to take you around the coast.

Hawkes Bay

Napier was rebuilt after the 1931 earthquake and is now known as NZ's Art Deco City.  The Art Deco influence has created a unique city – nowhere else can you see such a varied concentration of art deco style. With over 2,200 sunshine hours a year, Napier is a year-round holiday destination with countless activities to entertain the kids – there's days of entertainment on Marine Parade alone, plus numerous other family-friendly trips and activities.  Add to that the beaches, walks and flat cycle paths, outdoor cafes and entertainment, and you have a perfect holiday destination!

Northland

Beautiful, unspoiled beaches, fishing, historic gum fields, kauri forests – the Far North has it all. With subtropical temperatures, it's often known as ‘the Winterless north', with warm, humid summers and mild winters.
Gateway to the Bay of Islands, Paihia is a pretty, lively beachside town and a perfect base for your family holiday. It’s your start point for Bay of Island adventures including day cruises, sailing, kayaking, swimming with dolphins and reef or wreck diving.