Nestled into the Coromandel Peninsula of the North Island, lie some of the most fantastic beaches New Zealand has to offer. Hahei is a treasure amongst these beaches and is perfect for a much needed day of relaxation and sun.
Gorgeous beaches of Hahei
After spending 10 days in the Cooks Islands and returning to New Zealand to begin my bus journey again, this was the perfect first stop. Hahei offers beautiful coastlines, gorgeous views, and hikes to some pretty amazing off the beaten path beaches! Cathedral Cove is a hike that is worth the effort as the scenery is hard to beat.
Hike en route to Cathedral Cove
Hidden beach!
Amazing…
Just down the road from Hahei is another little gem that you have to experience if you are in the area, Hot Water Beach. This beach is like no other that I have been to before. Because of a natural hot spring below the sand, you are able to dig a hole and create your own personal spa pool on the beach! You do have to be cautious as in some areas the water can be so hot it will burn you! Don’t worry though, you can always take a dip in the chilly ocean waters to cool off (highly recommended :)).
There are some great places to in Hahei and I would recommend staying for at least one night. There is a lot to do in the area to include sea kayaking, snorkeling, scuba diving, and of course just relaxing with a drink at the beach too! One thing that I have found that cannot be beat here are the stars! Head down to the beach once it is good and dark and just enjoy the views above you. We had an amazingly clear night, and it may be the best night sky I have ever seen! It was absolutely gorgeous….we saw several constellations AND shooting stars! Brilliant!
Tips:
- Cathedral Cove hike takes about 2 hrs roundtrip. Take a beach bag and some food and make an afternoon out of it
- Hot water beach depends on the tides, so check into the tide schedule before heading over
- You’ll need a shovel (spade) if you want to dig a hole at hot water beach, which I believe you can hire if you are staying at a local accommodation. Or else, you can borrow someone’s or just cozy up and share someone else’s hole!
- If you are visiting during the height of summer when school is out, I heard that these beaches and areas are much more crowded (especially hot water beach)
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