The Coromandel Peninsula and the Bay of Plenty

View from the Coromandel Peninsula across the Firth of Thames

Our driving tour of North Island commenced by motoring 2 hours east from Auckland to the Coromandel Peninsula.  This area was the scene of a goldrush in the 1870's, but is now better known

for its beaches and fishing, and is a popular week-end retreat for Aucklanders. We followed the winding coastal road up the west side of the peninsula, enjoying some fabulous views across the Firth of Thames towards Auckland, then cut across the middle of the peninsula on dirt tracks to the east coast.  Here are some of the best beaches, Hahei, Hot Water Beach and Cathedral Cove. Hot Water Beach is so named because at low tide it is possible to dig a hole in the sand and sit in your own bath

of near boiling water.  We walked across the cliffs to Cathedral Cove, notable for its vast rock arch that floods at high tide and enjoyed the stunning views from the cliff path. We stopped for the night at Tairua where the bay is dominated by the 178metre Mount Paku, an extinct volcanic cone, and an early indicator that we were moving towards a region where the landscape owes much to volcanic activity over millions of years.

Mount Paku

Continuing our tour next morning we breakfasted on the beach at Opoutere, reached by a 1km walk through pine groves.  The beautiful white sandy beach extended as far as the eye could see in each direction, yet including ourselves I only counted twelve people along its length.  We drove

southwards through the Bay of Plenty, a fertile region, where kiwi fruit are grown in abundance, before reaching our next destination, Rotorua.