Photo courtesy of coromandelbeaches.co.nz
Photo courtesy of coromandelbeaches.co.nz
MATAPAUA BAY - Kuaotunu Peninsula, Whitianga

Matapaua Bay is situated in a sheltered sandy bay on the Kuaotunu Peninsula.
The beach offers limited facilities including limited parking.
The beach is popular with sunbathers, swimmers and snorkellers.
Location: Kuaotunu Peninsula, access from Optio Bay.
Hours: 24
Price: free.
OTAMA BEACH - Whitianga

Otama Beach is one of the most untouched beaches in the Coromandel.
The beach has few facilities but offers a beautiful white sand beach which is backed by a nature reserve and rolling sand dunes.
Location: End of Black Jack Rd, Rd 2, Whitianga.
Hours: 24
Price: free.
Photo courtesy of GandalfTheWhite, panoramio.
​KUAOTUNU BEACH - Whitianga
Kuaotunu Beach is situated in the coastal village of Kuaotunu.
The beach is famous with surfers for it blackjet reef and offers a white sand beach with good facilities such as a kiosk, cafe & gallery, camping ground and toilets.
The beach is popular for swimming, sunbathing, boogy & body boarding.

Location: Kuaotunu.
Hours: 24
Price: free
Photo courtesy of Whitianga Visitor Centre
​OPITO BAY - Opito Bay, Whitianga
Be prepared for a trip to get to Opito Bay which is situated well off the beaten track.
The bay offers a white sand beach and a lot of privacy given its situation.
There are limited facilities available.
Location: Opito Bay, between Matapaua Bay & Otama Beach..
Hours: 24.
Price: free.
Photo courtesy of alwaysonvacation.com
RINGS BEACH - Between Matarangi & Kuaotunu
​
Rings Beach, situated between Matarangi & Kuaotunu offers a quaint small beach with white sand and a picturesque setting.
Access is by a gravel road on either side of the beach.
The beach has limited facilities and is popular with sunbathers and swimmers.
Location: Between Matarangi & Kuaotunu.
Price: free
Hours: 24.
Photo courtesy of Whitianga Visitor Centre
Photo courtesy of Michael C, Flickr.
Photo courtesy of Michael C, Flickr.
WHANGAPOUA BEACH - Whangapoua Village
Whangapoua Beach is situated on the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula, a 25 minute drive from Coromandel Town and on the same coastline as Matarangi & New Chums Beach.
The beach is popular for swimming, surfing and boogy boarding.
The beach has limited facilities.
Location: Whangapoua Village
Price: free
Hours: 24
MATARANGI BEACH - Matarangi
​
​Matarangi beach is located on the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula and offers a white sand beach which covers a distance of 4.5km's. The beach is popular with New Zealanders and tourists over summer, while Matarangi offers a variety of shops including a shopping centre, cafe and golf course.
The beach offers limited facilities. Beautiful on that summers day.
Location: Matarangi.
Price: free
Hours: 24
Photo courtesy of Wotif.co.nz
OPOUTERE BEACH
- Between Whangamata & Pauanui.
Opoutere Beach is situated in the locality of Opoutere between Whangamata & Pauanui, to the east of state highway 25, south of Pauanui and north of Whangamata.
Very popular with New Zealanders in summer the beach offers white sand and a forest of ancient Pohutukawas over a distance of 5km's.
Sun yourself in the sun, swim, surf or stroll along the beach or throughout the forest. Worth a look on that sunny day.
The beach has limited facilities.
Location: Opoutere.
Hours: 24.
Price: free.
Photo courtesy of APN, Grab One.
Photo courtesy of Piotr Zurek, wikipedia
Photo courtesy of Piotr Zurek, wikipedia
​NEW CHUMS BEACH - Wainuiototo Bay
New Chums Beach was voted one of the Top 20 Beaches in the world in 2006 by The Observer. You'll have a walk of about 30 to 40 minutes to get there with beautiful views as you come up to the saddle. There is a lagoon to wade through at the northern end of Whangapoua Beach which leads onto the track leading to the saddle where you'll first glimpse New Chums beach. The scenery is beautiful with large Pohutukawas and native fauna fringing the beaches white sands.
Here you can enjoy a leisurely walk, search for sea life, swim or surf.

​Location: Wainuiototo Bay.
Hours: 24.
Price: free
​
HAHEI BEACH - Whitianga
Hahei beach offers long stretches of white sand and views to the craggy islands. The beach is very popular with New Zealanders and tourists and has life saving services during summer and school holidays. Definitely worth a visit. For the adventurist there is a 15-minute walk up to Te Pare, a Maori pa site which offers splendid coastal views.
​Location: Hahei, Whitianga.
Hours: 24.
Price: free.
Photo courtesy of Destination Coromandel
Photo courtesy of Shaun Timmers, Flickr
Photo courtesy of Shaun Timmers, Flickr
Photo courtesy of Shaun Timmers, Flickr
WHIRITOA BEACH - Coromandel​
Whiritoa Beach is a small beach village offering beautiful scenery and a laid back beach experience. The beach is popular with surfers for its offshore sandbar breaks, but you can still enjoy a safe swim in the lagoon at the northern end of the beach. You'll also find the Waimama Bay track here which starts at the northern end, crosses the farmland and winds down to Waimama Bay, another beautiful spot that’s great for a picnic or swim. The return trip is around 60 mins.

Location: Kon Tiki Road, Whiritoa
Price: free
Hours: 24
Photo courtesy of Whitianga Visitor Info Centre
Photo courtesy of better holiday.com
Photo courtesy of Peter - Sliverstream Falls
Photo courtesy of Whitianga Visitor Info Centre
CATHEDRAL COVE - Hahei, Whitianga​​
Cathedral Cove is one of the Coromandel's best known spots. A picturesque beach, golden sand, clear waters and attractive rock and fauna make this a must do while in the Coromandel. The hole in the rock allows you to walk to the other side of the beach, this is only open at certain times of the day due to the tide. There is also a rock out in the bay which is frequented by many swimmers you can swim out to. This beach is not monitored by surf lifesavers.

Location: Grange Rd South, Hahei. The walk takes 1.5 hrs.
Price: free
Hours: 24 
Web: ​http://www.wonderwalkers.co.nz/default,684,cathedral-cove-walk.sm
Coromandel Peninsula - situated on the western edge of the Hauraki Gulf - is the stuff of kiwi holidays. White sand beaches, pohutukawa-lined coves and lush rainforested hills.
The Coromandels 400km of coastline offers unspoilt beaches for those idyllic summer holidays providing the perfect settings for many a marine based activity.
Throughout the region you'll find many ancient Maori village sites giving evidence to New Zealand's earliest Polynesian settlement. It was Captain Cook's visit to the region in 1769 to observe the transit of the planet Mercury across the face of the sun, which commemorated the names of beaches such as Mercury Bay and Cook's beach.
It was Cook's observations of the area that lured early European settlers to come and mill the many Large Kauri trees throughout the region.
With the discovery of gold in the region in the late 1800's a gold rush began, yielding 16 million tonnes of gold ore between 1862 and 1952. The region is well known for its walking tracks which trace the valleys and inclines of the areas rainforests and historic gold mining sites which are riddled throughout the area. Here you'll observe historic relics of a time once was.
The north island's Coromandel offers a multitude of beautiful beaches, of these Cathedral Cove offers iconic limestone archways and pristine golden beaches, with the cove offering an idyllic location for swimming, picnics and snorkelling. A return walk of two hours is required to get there or else a guided kayak trip is available.
Hot water beach offers underground thermal activity where you can dig a hole in the sand and relax in hot thermal water during low tide.
The Coromandel offers a sunny and laid back climate providing a year round holiday destination for visitors. The region is extremely popular with Kiwi's who flock to the region in the summer and enjoy the beaches, climate, regular events and festivals offered.
"The Coromandel offers a multitude of beautiful beaches, of these Cathedral Cove offers pristine golden beaches"
Coromandel Peninsula Sights
Whitianga, Hahei, Thames, Tairua, Pauanui, Whangamata, Waihi.
David Wall
