The Spectacular Coromandel Peninsula

I wanted a relaxed holiday in New Zealand and the time spent on the Coromandel Peninsula was exactly what I wanted..........

- Pristine golden sandy beaches
- Deserted coves
- The gorgeous Thames coastline framed by the beautiful Pohutukawa trees
- The dramatic scenery - mountains, rainforests, native bush with the sea and surf nearby
- The romantic (or maybe not) gold mining history
- The quaint colonial towns
- The scrumptious seafood

We stayed at a cute town named Thames which is the gateway to the Coromandel. It makes a great base to explore the many interesting sights. Thames is also one of the historic gold mining towns. You can actually check out a gold mine (defunct one though).

The town of Coromandel is a beauty and is the centre of arts and crafts. The main highlight is the Driving Creek Railway which was built by one man - Barry Brickell on a 60 acre plot of land along the mountain. He not only built the railway but is also an active and accomplished potter. He is also involved in conservation of the kauri trees which once dominated the landscape but were cut down for timber by the English.

To the north is the beautiful New Chums Beach at Whangapoua which is rated as one of the Top 20 beaches of the world. Reason - isolated, framed by pohutukawa trees and bordered by rainforests. It makes for a pretty picture for sure.

We stopped at many interesting beaches during the days we were there. Each more picturesque than the other. We also wanted to do the cruise to the Cathedral Cove from Whitianga but the sea was rough so instead we were directed to go to Hahei beach and walk to the cove taking in the Gemstone cove and Stingray cove on the way. I must say the walk was very interesting, spectacular and very rewarding.

And not to be missed is the Hot water beach at Hahei where one can dig a spa for oneself in the sand during the low tide. I can guarantee the water is piping hot and very soothing.

Don't miss the 309 Road which is the shortest route from Whitianga to Coromandel. The drive is quite pleasant and is an interesting trip on its own with numerous sights along the way. We did the Kauri Grove where we saw the Siamese Kauri and the Waiau Falls. We ended the drive at the Mussel Kitchen where we had an assortment of mussels prepared in different ways.

Most of the sights in the Coromandel are free as intended by the Maker. One just needs to have the patience to drive and a sense of adventure to discover.

The Driving Creek Railway and Potteries

The pottery and sculpture garden

Amazing that he laid this track on the mountainous terrain.

He has used bottles to shore up the side walls. Very creative.

The new Chums Beach

The beach at Matarangi

Spectacular - a stream running through the beach.

I love the Pohutukawa trees lining the beach

The cliffs at the Cathedral Cove.

Stingray cove

The beach at Cathedral Cove

The dramatic Cathedral Cove

Soaking up at the Hot Water Beach

The Siamese Kauri

The Waiau Falls

The mussels..........yummy

The Goldmine at the Thames

Mission Bay - Auckland's chowpatty

On a day off, most Aucklanders head to Mission bay for a bit of rest, relaxation and ice cream! Mission Bay used to be known for its Mission House. But now it is famous for its golden beach, restaurants and cafes.

The golden sand and blue waters were truly inviting.

The kids love the fountain.

The New Zealand Christmas tree.

The New Zealand Christmas tree is called the Pohutukawa. It is native to NZ and belongs to the Myrtle plant family. It bears spectacular red flowers from end of November to end of January and that's why the nickname - Christmas tree.

Pohutukawa, or 'splashed by the sea,' is sacred to native Maoris who believe that the pohutukawa which sits on the very tip of Cape Reinga is the last stepping-off place of spirits from this world.

The Northern tip of New Zealand

The Cape Reinga Lighthouse

Cape Reinga
The Cape Reinga lighthouse is situated at the northwestern most tip of the North Island of NZ. It is a sacred place for the Maori who believe that the ape is the point where the spirit of the dead enter the underworld.

According to mythology, the spirits of the dead travel to Cape Reinga on their journey to the afterlife to leap off the headland and climb the roots of the 800 year old tree and descend to the underworld to return to their traditional homeland of Hawaiiki-a-nui, using the Te Ara Wairua, the 'Spirits' pathway'
Source: Wikipedia

It is also the point where the Tasman sea meets the Pacific Ocean. One can see the tidal race where the 2 bodies of water meet.

90 Mile Beach
The 90 Mile beach is not 90 miles in length but 55 miles! Nevertheless, it is unique with a desert landscape, huge sand dunes, wild horses, plenty of birdlife and access to the beach only during low tide. We had great fun taking optical illusion pictures.

Another hole in the rock!

Tina has Giles in the palm of her hand. :)

I am dancing on mum's palm.

Sandboarding
It is an activity that is similar to snow boarding but it is carried out on sand dunes rather than snow covered mountains. We hiked up to the top of a giant sand dune (that was the hardest part) and then surfed down the dune on a boogie board.

Giant sand dunes

and we sand boarded down it.

Giles and me with our boards.

Waipoua Kauri Forest
This forest is the home of Tane Mahuta, the country's largest kauri tree, which is approximately 1200 years old and still growing. Tane Mahuta is rightly called 'The Lord of the Forest'. Another significant tree in Waipoua Forest is Te Matua Ngahere – 'Father of the Forest' – which is estimated to be 2000 years old.

Hugging the Lord of the Forest.

Ancient Kauri Kingdom
The ancient wood is found in swamps in the North of New Zealand and is carbon dated at more than 45,000 years old. It predates the migration of Neanderthal man and was already buried in swamps more than 25,000 years before the onset of the last Ice Age. Ancient Kauri is the oldest workable wood in the world. It is considered worldwide a valued heirloom connecting us by its beauty and ancient history.

The centrepiece of this shop is the staircase carved out of a single Kauri log. You can read more on the website - http://www.ancientkauri.co.nz/

The famous staircase.

Furniture carved out of 40000 year old Kauri swamp logs. 
 

Tip: Do the tour with AwesomeNZ as they are simply awesome.
http://www.awesomenz.com/

 

Paihia - the Jewel of the Bay of Islands

Paihia is a great place to base yourself and explore the beautiful Bay of Islands. It is a quaint seaside town which is not very far from most of the sights.


Some of the popular things for visitors to do in the Bay of Islands are:

• Swim with the dolphins
• Go Kayaking, fishing, swimming
• Take the ferry to Romantic Russell
• Picnic along secluded beaches
• Visit the Haruru Falls
• Learn about NZ history where the historic Waitangi treaty was signed
• Cruise through the "Hole in the Rock"
• Visit the lovely town of Kerikeri
• Check out the world famous Hundertwasser toilets in Kawakawa
• Buy some authentic Kauri clocks in the famous Clock Factory
• See the 2000 year old Kauri trees in the Waipoua Kauri Forest
• Drive along the 90 mile beach during low tide
• Sandboard down huge sand dunes
• Eat the famous NZ fish and chips at Mangonui
• Go on a wine tour and taste some local wine
• Finally, visit Cape Reinga, the tip of the North Island of NZ - the departing place of the spirits in Maori legend

Luckily for us, we managed to do most of the above. Of course, am sure when I return there will always be something new and exciting for us to do.

Wonder who would drink Cat's pee on a Gooseberry Bush?!

Some of the local wines.

Love this beautiful red tree.

The dolphin cruise.

Mobile helipad

The famous Hole in the Rock

Our cruiser could pass through it when the tide settled.

The superb view from the Waitangi treaty grounds

The reflection of the grounds in the window of the Marai

The entrance to the Marai

The treaty grounds

The Longview vineyard where we bought some delicious Chardonnay

The famous Mangonui Fush and Chips

Beautiful and Picturesque Paihia

Would you eat this?