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Read To Travel

One Day in the Coromandel

NZ Walk to Cathedral Cove

While living on Waiheke Island, I wanted to take a weekend trip to the Coromandel Peninsula for months. Until my May road trip I had only previously made it to Thames, the entry town, to hike the Pinnacles for a weekend.  When the time to visit finally arrived, I zipped around the Coromandel in just one day.  After sleeping roadside in Thames, I headed up the western coast to go for a jog in Coromandel Town, nestle into a cafe chair and read for a bit.

Unfortunately, the weather decided to be less than ideal for the day and I explored the area beneath looming clouds and chilly air.  That didn’t make me any less excited to finally visit the famed Hot Water Beach and picturesque Cathedral Cove.  Next, I drove to Hot Water Beach in Whitianga to relax in the sand and breathe the fresh air on the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula.  Groups of all ages dug with shovels nearby to reach the thermal water and create small pools to kick back in. The day was rather chilly, so I opted not to rent a shovel and dig alone, but it looked like a great way to warm up.

NZ Hot Water Beach

NZ Cathedral Cove 1

Next, I followed signs to Cathedral Cove. Having only ever seen pictures of this beautiful place, I was super eager to finally rest my eyes on it in the flesh.  I didn’t realize it would be about a 45 minute walk from the parking lot down through the bush to the cove’s entrance.  The unexpected work made it all the more worth the prize. The walk down to the beach was pretty easy and within minutes I knew I needed to return to this place in the future on a sunny summer day.

Cathedral Cove is an open, cavernous rock archway connecting two separate coves. The archway serves as an entrance to a beach fit to be in a James Bond film.  Something about it feels really grand and special, like a true piece of Mother Earth’s creativity that modern day humans are learning to appreciate in awe.  It is definitely the perfect spot for a nice swim, a picnic, and a good game of football.

NZ Cathedral Cove 2

NZ Cathedral Cove 3

Tara Higgins

Tara Higgins

Tara loves all things London and wants to spend the rest of her life reading books in beautiful places. She can often be found nestled up in a bookshop, drinking a pint at the pub, or searching for the best pizza slice in town.

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