10 minute read
ROAD TRIP - A JOURNEY THROUGH WAIHI
Whitianga to Tauranga
Whitianga to Waihi via SH25 - 1hr 42min, 106km
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SIDE TRIP Waihi to Te Aroha Drive inland via Paeroa - 35min, 41.5km
Waihi Beach to Mt Maunganui via SH 2 and Tauranga - 55min, 62km
Mt Maunganui to Tauranga via Totara St & SH2 - 56min, 62km
© AA Traveller 2021
The eastern seaside township of Whitianga in the middle of the Coromandel Peninsula is the ideal point for starting your exploration of the stunning Mercury Islands – the seven islands east of Ōpito Bay – a divers’ delight they are also heavenly for keen boaties. After time spent enjoying this part of the peninsula, make your way south to the historic gold-mining town of Waihi, where you’ll still find an operating gold mine today. If you’ve a touch of gold fever, head to the Waihi Gold Discovery Centre to learn more about the town’s history and visit the mine’s gargantuan pit and rim which has to be seen to be believed.
There’s more gold, of the metaphorical variety, to discover further south in the beautiful Bay of Plenty community of Mt Maunganui. Here you’ll find a busy harbour, bustling shops,excellent eateries and a generous stretch of pristine white sand.
Your final stop, just 15 minutes away, is Tauranga. Head down to the waterfront where you’ll find bars, restaurants and family fun, plus impressive exhibits of colourful street art.
Waihi Beach
© Tourism Bay of Plenty
HIGHLIGHTS
HOT WATER BEACH Just 30 minutes from Whitianga, this stretch of golden sand is fed by mineral springs. At low tide visitors can dig their own spa pool. Take a shovel or hire one from the nearby store to dig a warm well.
Hot Water Beach, Coromandel
© Matt Crawford
WAIHI BEACH A coastal walkway from Waihi Beach to Orokawa Bay skirts the headlands at low tide and sweeps under shady pōhutukawa trees. If less excursion is required, The Secret Garden is a Baliinspired oasis just steps from Waihi Beach with a café and pagodas. Open summer only.
WHANGAMATĀ Some of the best surfing and swimming can be had a Whangamatā’s very beautiful ocean beach. Learn to surf here, or hire a stand-up paddleboard, join a kayak tour or trek in the nearby Coromandel Forest Park.
CLIMB MT MAUNGANUI No trip to Mt Maunganui is complete without a walk to the summit of maunga. The walk can be challenging, but the views make it worthwhile. Sunrise and sunset are especially magical. There is also an easier track around the Mount’s base.
Mt Maunganui
Mt Maunganui
MOUNT HOT POOLS Fully refurbished in April 2021. Located at the base of The Mount, sink into hot salted pools of varying degrees.
GOLD DISCOVERY CENTRE, WAIHI An interactive journey of discovery through Waihi’s rich gold-mining history through to modern times. You’ll even have the chance to go ‘inside the fence’ and view the still-operating gold mine up close.
MCLAREN FALLS PARK, ŌMANAWA, TAURANGA A family-friendly spot located 20 minutes from Tauranga in the Kaimāīs. McLaren Falls Park boasts beautiful waterfalls, stunning lakes, tall trees and wildlife. If it’s dark enough, keep an eye out for glowworms on the waterfall track.
CATHEDRAL COVE With its rock archway, beautiful beach and marine reserve, travel here on foot, or by kayak, a glass bottom vessel or zippy 10-person motorboat. To name a few!
Cathedral Cove
@ Adobe Stock
GEMSTONE BAY SNORKEL TRAIL Found along the track to Cathedral Cove and brimming with sea life, making it a great place to snorkel. The water is speckled with information panels attached to four buoys.
HUNGRY?
INCOGNITO, WHANGAMATĀ The one the locals are reluctant to share!
TAY STREET BEACH CAFÉ, MT MAUNGANUI Situated across from the dreamy Tay Street surf beach.
THE EPSY CAFÉ Offers some of the best harbour views in Whitianga.
OBR, MT MAUNGANUI Cosy and intimate, you can expect personal service plus there’s an entirely separate menu for celiacs.
THE FALLS RETREAT, KARANGAHAKE Accommodation with an excellent on-site bistro handily located along the Hauraki Rail Trail.
DOMAIN COTTAGE CAFÉ Dive into this cute cottage in the Te Aroha Domain between trekking to the Mt Te Aroha summit and soaking in the legendary Edwardian hot pools next door.
THE NOURISHED EATERY in Tauranga is the cutest plant-based hangout in the city.
ARTS, CULTURE & HERITAGE
KATIKATI Mural town Katikati has around 60 pieces of art depicting people and events which have shaped the area. Guided mural tours are available on weekends, or wander around town independently, any time.
HAIKU PATHWAY Along Uretara Stream in Katikati, discover more than 40 poems carved into river boulders.
FERRY LANDING Learn more about one of New Zealand’s oldest pā sites, as well as the oldest stone wharf in Australasia, built in 1837.
MERCURY BAY MUSEUM Māori artefacts, pioneer history,maritime marvels in this quirky and well-loved seaside museum located in Whitianga.
THE LITTLE GALLERY In the small coastal town of Tairua. Showcasing affordable, quality artwork from local artists.
SPIKES BRICKS AND MODELS MUSEUM A trove of LEGO creations in Waihi. Every room has an inventive theme.
WAIHI ARTS CENTRE AND MUSEUM They’ve been digging up gold in Waihi since 1878. Get the full intel on their underground mining history at this splendid museum. There’s also an art gallery and theatre.
TAURANGA
While you’re there, get out on the water. Diving trips, fishing charters, kayak and yacht hire are all on the menu. Spend time exploring the islands, observing marine life.
Tauranga has an eclectic mix of restaurants and cafés as well as museums, art galleries, heritage sites and outstanding parks and gardens. Take advantage of the city’s playful qualities, too; try blokarting, a guided kayaking tour at night, surf lessons or swimming with dolphins.
Tauranga City waterfront
© Katie Cox
THINGS TO SEE AND DO
Tauranga Farmers’ Market
Pāpāmoa Beach
Tauranga Art Gallery
Mt Maunganui Hot Pools
Harbour cruise
National Jazz Festival
Camping at Papamoa Beach
© Bay of Plenty Tourism
BEACHES
• Hot Water Beach
• Tairua
• Buffalo Beach
• Cooks Beach
• Hahei
• Pāuanui
• Ōpoutere
• Whangamatā
• Waihi Beach
• Mt Maunganui
TOP WALKS
ŌPOUTERE BEACH WALK Located 10km north of Whangamatā, this large sand spit beach is a bird paradise where dotterels and oystercatchers come to breed. Walk the 20-minute track to admire these unique New Zealand birds.
WHITIANGA TOWN WALK Walk around the town and stop at historic points of interest. Start at Whitianga Wharf and follow the signs along The Esplanade, along Buffalo Beach, past some excellent historic buildings till you return back to where you started.
MT PAKU SUMMIT WALK, TAIRUA Take a half-an-hour climb to the top of this twin coned volcano for the best panoramic views of Tairua and its surrounds. Check out the educational signs around the lookout that will tell you more about the history of the area.
SHAKESPEARE’S CLIFF TRACK This short track is located between Cooks Beach and Flaxmill and leads to a vantage point with memorable views of Mercury Bay.
Mercury Bay, Whitianga
© Adobe Stock
SIDE TRIP to TE AROHA VIA PAEROA
These two treasure troves of townships are on a section of the Hauraki Rail Trail. It will take you 15 minutes to travel this way by car or two to three hours if you go by bicycle. It doesn’t matter which you choose though, because either way, you’ll pass through lush Waikato countryside and enjoy views of the Hauraki Plains, the Kaimai-Mamakū Ranges and Mt Te Aroha along the way. If you’re on a bike, your main problem is the collateral you’ll inevitably collect at either end – both of these towns are known for their amazing secondhand shops – but on the plus side, if you’re heading south you can rest your weary legs, once you arrive, in Te Aroha’s famous mineral hot pools nestled at the base of its namesake mountain.
NATURAL WONDERS
LEISURE ISLAND While on Main Beach in Mt Maunganui, you’ll notice a small isle attached to the beach. Known as Moturiki Island (or Leisure Island), access is via a small man-made path. Once over, walk to the energetic blow hole.
SHAKESPEARE CLIFF Reached via Maramaratotara Track. The walk starts by heading up to Whitianga Rock where you’ll pass an ancient pā site. Follow the path until you get to the lookout, where the views are breathtaking.
NATURE WALK HOFFMAN’S POOL Information panels will introduce you to the native flora while the pool, in Kauaeranga Valley, is perfect for a summer swim.
DOLPHIN WATCHING AT MT MAUNGANUI Get up close to these charming creatures in their natural habitat with a tour out of either Mt Maunganui or nearby Tauranga. Keep your eyes peeled for acrobatic dolphins of the common or bottlenose varieties.
KAIATE FALLS, PĀPĀMOA A 30-minute drive from Tauranga takes you to Kaiate or Te Rerekawau Falls and at the bottom you’ll discover a glorious waterhole.
Do it all or nothing at all. This particular corner of the world is as much about outdoor and underwater pursuits as it is a golden place to relax and reset.
GET ACTIVE
KAYAK TO WHENUAKURA ISLAND Also known as Donut Island, off Whangamata, a little cove of tropical splendour hides inside a collapsed blowhole. Hire a kayak and follow your guide to access the 12m-high cave and exotic lagoon.
CYCLE THE HAURAKI RAIL TRAIL This easy yet rewarding four to five-day cycling adventure starts in the seaside town of Kaiaua and heads south across the Hauraki Plains all the way to Waihi and Matamata.
Hauraki Rail Trail
© Andy Belcher
TRY SURFING There are few safer or more agreeable places to learn how to surf; you’ll find surf schools at Pāuanui, Matarangi, Whitianga, Mt Maunganui, Pāpāmoa Whangamatā and Waihi.
Surfing in Bay of Plenty
© Bay of Plenty Tourism
DIVE INTO THE DEEP There is spectacular diving to be found in Mercury Bay. Off the coast of Whitianga and around the protected marine reserve at the base of Cathedral Cove near Hahei.
Diving near Cathedral Cove
© Matt Crawford
HIKE UP MT TE AROHA Divert to this township southwest of Waihi for natural hot springs: housed in an Edwardian complex dating back to the 1880s. Enjoy a 1km/four-hour hike up the mountain which begins at Mokena Geyser.
HIKE KARANGAHAKE GORGE Absorb gold mining relics, steel bridges and a 1km rail tunnel.
FAMILY FUN
WHITIANGA BIKE PARK There are plenty of well crafted tracks to ride on Moewai Rd, including a pump and skills tracks, as well as more advanced riding.
BLOKARTING Have a go at this seriously fun wind powered toy in Pāpāmoa. Small and easy to manoeuvre, get down to Baystation for a quick tuition and then enjoy 30 minutes of tarmac sailing.
BEGINNER’S SURF The swell is usually smaller in Pāpāmoa than Mt Maunganui and the crowds are fewer. Ideal for beginners, go and see the guys at Hakanini Surf School.
KŪAOTUNU KIWI SANCTUARY On Waitaia Rd, the Kūaotunu Kiwi Sanctuary is doing exciting things for our native creatures and the Waitaia Track, a 2km loop, is an excellent way to see the birdlife.
WHITIANGA PLAYGROUND Right beside the Whitianga Wharf, you’ll find a perfect playground with swings, slides, monkey bars, and a big yellow ship known as The Jolly Roger.
MILL CREEK BIRD AND ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS Home to over 400 birds, as well as mini-horses, donkeys and reptiles. Play in the playground, enjoy the café and have your picture taken with a real macaw.
GIANT L&P BOTTLE L&P stands for Lemon & Paeroa, a uniquely Kiwi soft drink. This big brown statue of the iconic bottle must be one of the most photographed icons in New Zealand.
HOT POOLS IN TE AROHA After all that driving you’ll need to relax those shoulders. Head to Te Aroha Mineral Spas at the foot of Mt Te Aroha. There for the past 140 years, they famously soothe aches and pains with their natural healing properties.
