The Coromandel
WHITIANGA
Whangamata & Waihi
All of these holiday hot spots will put you in a bare feet and toes in the sand kind of mood. TAIRUA TO WHIRITOA MAP To Whitianga, Coromandel
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Waipapa Island Te Ororoa Point
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SAILORS GRAVE HISTORIC RES Twin Kauri Track
Te Karo Bay
The Aldermen Islands Shoe Island (Motuhoa)
Tairua COROMANDEL FOREST PARK
Mt Paku 179m
Tairua Golf Club
Pauanui The Lakes Golf Resort
Mt Pauanui 387m Watchman Rock
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acles
Hikuai A
H IK U
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TL E M SET
Lakes Resort Golf Course
Penguin Island Rabbit Island
Ohui Historic Phoenix Goldmine
Opoutere
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To Thames, Hauraki Plains
Ruahiwihiwi Pt
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PACIFIC OCEAN
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OR
Wharekawa
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wa W h ar ek ar b our r euk aw a H ar r bao HWah
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25A
Slipper Island (Whakahau)
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IR Onemana HIT I P Whitipirorua Point
T A IR UA R D
Whangamata PO RT
Whangamata Golf Club-Titoki
Hauturu Island Whenuakura Island
Whangamata Golf Club-Williamson
Parakiwai
Waiharakeke
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WA I
FOREST PARK
COROMANDEL FOREST PARK
ATA RD GAM
ECOROMANDEL
AN WH
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Whiritoa 25
Otonga Point To Waihi, Tauranga
MAP REFERENCE
Diving Golf Tramping
5km
hitianga town centre has a lively mix of cafés and shops, as well as a small ferry that scoots to Ferry Landing within minutes. From here you can venture to Cooks Beach or rent an e-bike and zip up the coast to Hahei, Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach. If more time on the water is desired, small cruises and banana boats sail to Cathedral Cove, skimming across the dazzling Te Whanganui-A-Hei Marine Reserve. Cruise to the secret bays of Aldermen and Mercury islands, or if it’s the right week in September, the Whitianga Scallop Festival will be in full shucking mode. For take-home keepsakes, Whitianga’s Bread and Butter Gallery has a retina-pleasing selection of prints, ceramics and jewellery. A five-minute walk from central Whitianga leads to relaxed Buffalo Beach. Norfolk pines flank the promenade and The Lost Spring Thermal Pool complex is just steps away. A little further north is Lonely Bay, a golden nugget of beach that’s seldom busy.
The quintessential Kiwi surf town of Whangamata boasts the typical white-sand beach and laid-back main street, while nearby Waihi has prospered from mining over the centuries but it’s the beach that now shines brightest. Tackle some waves or watch the surf pros from the shore. Just across from Waihi Beach is The Secret Garden, an oasis of lush greenery reminiscent of Bali. Plant yourself in a hidden corner or a wooden pavilion with strong coffee and a good book. Try a traditional Balinese massage or, if it’s summer, lie back and enjoy live music. TOP TIP: One kilometre offshore from Whangamata lies Whenuakura Island (Donut Island). This little nugget of tropical splendour has two small beaches at its centre, which is in fact a collapsed blowhole. Entry into the cove is via a 12-metrehigh cave which emerges into the small lagoon. To get there, go with a certified kayaking company and treat the island with respect to ensure it’s preserved for the future. ABOVE: Mercury Islands © Jamie Wright
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