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Travel Guide Pick your beach according to your holiday location and enjoy
Fish n chips on the beach, picnics, reading a book, water sports or exploring nearby tracks Coromandel Peninsula is the ideal summer holiday destination. At all times be water safe, take insect repellent and water. For the well known favourites, Cathedral Cove, Hot Water Beach just might have some competition in the stakes, ‘where is the best beach in the Coromandel Peninsula?’
Cooks beach at Purangi An iconic white sandy beach supporting a vibrant summer holiday community. A crescent shaped beach with shallow water is an ideal walking, swimming or kayaking destination. Cooks beach has Shakespeare Cliffs on the west and the sheltered Purangi Estuary to the east.
The area is rich in history with Kupe landing in 950 AD and Captain Cook in 1769. There are historic pa (village) sites and walking tracks. Sheltered bays lead to the sandy beaches of Front Beach and Flaxmill Bay with native bush reserves offering trails and shade from the summer heat.
Purangi Regional Reserve has toilets and a boat ramp launching into the calm estuary water.
Walkers will be intrigued by the Shakespeare Reserve walkway down to Lonely Bay where white sand is replaced by crushed shells and massive limestone boulders.
Driving from Whitiangi travel 35km around the picturesque harbour. The 3 km white sandy beach is in the locality of Hahei. Hahei is a starting point for many visitors intent on exploring Cathedral Cove. Check best bits travel tips Guide to best beaches for more Coromandel beach destinations. Cooks Beach is signposted on the aerial route State Highway 25.
You have the option of catching the Whitianga Ferry to Ferry Landing and walking. It is a moderately challenging 1 ½ hour walk with outstanding views of the Coromandel Peninsula. Ferry Landing, Stone Wharf is the start for several coastal walks to nearby beaches. The walking tracks involve a number of steep steps and descents.
Maramaratotara Bay @NingalooFERRY LANDING BEACHES & WALKS
Whitianga explore beyond. Catch the Ferry across the harbour and in less than 5 minutes is another quieter summer holiday spot lined with mature pohutukawa trees.
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The wharf makes for a great spot for photo of the Whitianga marina.
The stone wharf is the oldest wharf in New Zealand and Australia. Built in 1837 from stones sourced from the nearby cliffs. Ferry Landing witnessed the first permanent European settlement on the Coromandel.
Ferry Landing to FRONT BEACH
FRONT BEACH is an uninspiring name for a sandy gem nestled among pohutukawa trees.
You do not need to book passage on the WHITIANGA FERRY TO FERRY LANDING. Sailing 365 days a year and on demand and the average sailing time is 5 minutes.
Lonely Bay beachLonely Bay Beach is definitely remote. This is likely due to the steep track down to the beach and the fact the beach is not a safe swimming area for inexperienced swimmers due to sudden swells. Yet the drop death gorgeous beach is worthy contender in the beach beauty pageant contest.
Tiny, secluded, pristine with very few footsteps on the soft white sand flecked with crushed shells. The towering cliffs, dense native bush and gnarly beautiful ancient pohutukawas gracing the scene add to the charm of Lonely Bay Beach.
Wedding parties might interupt your solitude as Lonely Bay Beach is a popular photographer’s venue. The picturesque limestone boulders have witnessed many brides perched on the boulders for the perfect shot.
The track to Lonely Bay Beach starts at the Shakespeare Cliff Reserve. Shakespeare Cliff Reserve is past Cooks Beach on Purangi Rd. The road becomes narrower and is unsealed gravel. Beach access is via a steep unrailed track and good footwear is advised. And you are going to have to climb back the track afterwards. Of course any beach rivalling the well known Cathedral Cove in the good looks status has to be worth the effort getting there.
Shakespeare Cliff Reserve headland is one of the Coromandel’s photogenic locations for landscape views. Shakespeare Cliff Reserve has picnic tables with pohutukawa groves, public toilets and plaques detailing the history of the area. The reserve at Shakespeare Cliff is mobility friendly, but the track down to Lonely Bay is not and requires a decent level of fitness. Allow 30 minutes return from Shakespeare Cliff to Lonely Bay.
Find out more about Whitianga and for well known Coromandel beach hot spots, Cathedral Cove, Hot Water Beach and Hahei.
Kuaotunu Beach during low tideThe hub of Kuaotunu is Kuaotunu Village with its cafe, Luke’s Kitchen, Gallery, Grocery store and the best bit, Ice Cream Store.
There is over 10 km of beach with plenty of room for everyone. The intertidal zone and estuary create very safe paddling areas for smaller kids. For more ideas about what to do scroll through What’s so great about Kuaotunu.
Access is via Black Jack Road, starting from State Highway 25 at Kuaotunu, which is sealed up to the start of Otama Beach. It continues as a gravel road further east towards Opito Bay. Walking track largely follows the gravel road, be careful as there are a number of blind corners. Otama Beach has a scattering of holiday homes and a few permanent residents.
Opito beach, take the weight off your feetOpito Bay is remote and not busy. The shallow clear water invites you to take a swim. The beach is accessible via Kuaotunu on a gravel winding road. The sandy beach is shaded by mature pohutukawa trees. There is a track (over 200 uneven steps) to a historic pa site where terraces and pits are evident in the land contours.
Crayfish Bay is accessible via a short side track that crosses private farmland. Kids will enjoy the low tide rock pools at the edges of the bay. Kuaotunu is approximately 20 minutes drive from Opito Beach.
Walking tracks Coromandel describe access
The only way to get to Opito Bay is via the Kuaotunu Village, following Black Jack Rd, through Otama Beach (which is a stopover all of its own) continuing along the gravel road another 20 minutes to get to Opito Bay. At the northern end of the beach you can see Skippers Ridge – along with nearby Sarah’s Gully – both sites of archaeological excavations in the late 1950s, which first found evidence of early Polynesian settlement in the North Island.
Another significant historical site is the pa at the southern end of the beach. To take in the full experience, park at the northern end of the beach at the Skippers Rd reserve, making your way along the beach to the southern end where there is another public reserve and toilet. Just past the reserve continue along the beach to ascend the 196 steps up to the pa site where you get sensational views across Mercury Bay.
You can carry on back down to the beach and around to Crayfish Bay, a small horseshoe-shaped bay. The walk is approximately three hours without stops and features regularly in the ECHO Walking Festival, which is held in April every year.
Otama Beach, a crowded summer day, CoromandelOtama is a crescent gold sandy beach at the southern end of the Kuaotunu Peninsula. It is isolated with a few holiday homes. Another popular wedding location due to its lack of crowds. Gnarly pohutukawa trees for shade, crystal blue shallow water. Another glorious beach on the scenic Black Jack Hill Rd. There is an estuary at the southern end of the beach for kids to paddle in. Toilets are located at the eastern part of the beach in the local reserve.
Fletcher Bay campsite @DOC / Chris TwemlowThe beach is largely a campsite located on the beachfront in a farm setting. The campsite and beach is administered by DOC. Fletcher Bay is remote, accessible via a winding gravel road at the top of the Coromandel Peninsula with views of the Hauraki Gulf, Great Barrier Island and Mercury Island.
Access: Unsealed road from Colville. There is a ford (water crossing) between Port Jackson and Fletcher Bay that can be difficult to drive across at times of heavy rain. The beach is a great day trip from Colville. For further details check Fletcher Bay conservation campsite.
Located 64 km north of Coromandel Town
Waikawau Bay Beach sunriseThe cliffs are wind and weather beaten with crumbling rocks littering the beach. Care is needed and do not get too close to the cliff faces. The beach is only accessible at low tide. High tides bring the surf close to the eroding cliff faces.
Waitete BayAnother beach and another gravel road to a glorious location. The shallow shoreline creates a safe swimming beach. There are great beach walks exploring low tide rock pools. There is a compostable toilet near the beach entrance. The islands facing the beach are the Motukawao group of Islands and on the right the Moehau Range.
The beach is on the western side of Coromandel Peninsula, past Colville near the top of the peninsula. Locals use tractors to launch boats from the beach. There are holiday beaches, and a few permanent residents in this idyllic setting.
@Long Bay Motor CampA classic beach swing is attached to mature pohutukawa trees. The beach is 12 minutes drive from Coromandel Town. The local council positions a pontoon in the shallow waters for summer water bombing and diving. There is a boat ramp and toilet facilities. For walking buffs Long Bay Kauri walk is popular. Park at Long Bay Campground (seaside).
Clean your footwear on arrival and departure at the shoe-cleaning station to help prevent the spread of kauri dieback disease. Visitors doing this walk there is a toilet just outside the main entrance to the Camp Ground. The loop easy track passes a 1,200 Kauri tree and can continue on to Tucks Bay.
The perfect beach for fish n chips from the well known chippie in town.
On the way to Oamura Bay you will pass the tiny beach of Kikowhakarere Bay. It is a tidal flat beach and a great place for toddlers to explore shallow calm water at high tide.
@Onemana Coromandel New ZealandAn original hidden gem in plain sight of Whangamata beach and resort. A mere 10 minutes from the crowded Whangamata beach is Onemana Beach. The beach is crescent shaped, gold sand with pohutukawa trees lining the shore, and at the other end, a large rocky area encouraging rock pool exploration and snorkelling. The baches hark back to the 1970’s beach vibe creating a classic summer holiday image. Offshore islands twinkle in the summer haze.
If you’re looking at holding your wedding ceremony here, please contact Thames Coromandel District Council to find out more about any consent requirements.
Just when you thought this beach couldn’t get any better, stroll down to the northern end of the beach to find a small waterfall cascading from the cliffs.
Location
Whangamata to Onemana
Pokohino BeachAccess is via a forestry road which is usually locked at 7.00 pm. The steep forest road to the secluded parking area feels very remote. Access to the beach is via a forest track through pine trees opening out onto the beach framed by an enormous mature pohutukawa tree. The beach track is steep and there are ropes to assist walkers on the steep sloping path. While you are puffing and want to catch your breath imagine the views.
The dense forest blocks the view almost until you have arrived at the beach. The beach track is approximately 20 minutes descent and your reward for the adventure is finding a beautiful beach. Exposed rock pools at low tide to explore and a hole in the cliff invites visitors to take a peak. Kayakers can appear from nowhere (Onemana beach). There are no toilets or public water facilities.
TIP
Your return is a steep clamber up the slope.
Te Karo BayIf you want to escape the crowds, head to Te Karo Bay, also known as Sailors Grave, which is just north of Tairua.
LONELY GRAVE
Look for a white picket fence and you will find the oldest sailor’s grave in New Zealand, Sailors Grave Memorial. In May 1842, 22 year old William Sampson, a sailor on board the British Navy ship HMS Tortoise, accidentally drowned in Te Karo Bay after the boat he was in overturned. According to the original kauri headboard “he drowned in the surf.” At low tide you can walk around the headland to Otara Bay. Remember to watch the tides for your return.
Whiritoa BeachAnother classic 1950’s vision of a beach holiday with a few baches and a tiny grocery store. It is another photographer’s haunt for its white crystal sand and canopy of gnarly Pohutukawa trees. There are cliff headlands at either end of the beach. While there are surf lifeguards in the summer season the beach’s steep slope creates a solid beach break resulting in sometimes dangerous swimming conditions.
Facilities: Car parking, Playground. Public toilets
Dotterel shorebird, Opoutere BeachA beach for nature and wildlife fans with its spectacular sandspit. Located at the entrance of the Wharekawa Harbour the shores and sand spit are home to endangered bird species like the New Zealand dotterel. Walk on the boardwalk to protect the wildlife. At the southern end of the beach, a DOC ranger is on duty for the bird’s breeding season. There are several walking trails.
Walk to Ohui rock pools or into the state forests to explore the heritage Phoenix gold mine site. Steeper climbs include Maungaruawahine Pa hill through native bush from Opoutere Road to the lookout vantage point on the top. There are still some stone ramparts that formed part of the Maori fortifications to be seen in some places near the summit. The beach is known for its surfcasting, and snorkelling around nearby Hikunui Island. The harbour is safe for sea kayaking.
The drive into Opoutere Beach and Coastal Reserve is via a 15-20 minute gravel road through pine forest, Opoutere Beach is a hidden gem in the Coromandel.
CHECK The Birds Of Opoutere
View of Pauanui town from Mount Paku, Coromandel PeninsulaThe seaside town of Pauanui is a beach of two halves. There is the calm estuary and the contrasting ocean surf beach. Ocean surf has safe swimming marked lifeguard flags in the peak summer season. Every year, the Pauanui Beach Summer Series Programme starts on Boxing Day and continues through to the end of January.
The summer series is managed by Pauanui Sports and Recreation Club and includes the annual Pauanui Triathlon, King of the Mountain, Market Day, mud run, family sports day, sandcastle competition, golfing and fishing events and the Miss Pauanui. For walks and what to do and see in the area check out What’s so great about Tairua and What’s so great about Pauanui
There is a sizable permanent community at Pauanui.
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