How to enjoy a short 4-day visit to Coromandel with the kids
School holidays are coming soon and we are still not able to travel outside New Zealand! Except for the Cook Islands and possibly Australia, options available will be inside the country.
Our 4-day trip to Coromandel is a great example of a short family escape. It gave us the chance to spend some time together and to experience our beautiful backyard. We didn’t need a huge budget, so read along to get some ideas!!
“Our day-by-day trip to the Coromandel Peninsula”
“Day 1” A Road trip from Auckland to Hahei
So this is how we started our trip. We stayed 3 nights in Hahei Beach. We traveled from Auckland to Hahei for about 3 hours and a half, and after arriving at our accommodation we went for a short walk in the small village of Hahei and we checked out the sunset at Hahei beach.
We spend 3 nights at Hahei Resort, an ideal place to go with the kids, just few metres from the beach including different type of accommodation (cabins, camping etc.) The hot pool overlooking the ocean - as in the photo before - was a highlight of the resort!
“Day 2” Cathedral Cove & Hahei Beach
On day two of our itinerary, we explored Cathedral Cove. Options here are to either take a boat, kayak, or walk. We decided to walk this time; it is a 1.15 walk from the car park at the Hahei Village Entry Car park on the outskirts of Hahei beach. The walk is pretty easy in my opinion and you can definitely take the kids. Upon arrival, we finally relaxed and enjoyed the beautiful beach and climbing the big rocks. We brought some lunch and snacks and just spend the day here!
The kids were super excited to find these huge rocks; finally, some fun was waiting on the other side. These formations are actually pretty impressive...!
Did you know? ... "White cliffs along the Coromandel coast are made of IGNIMBRITE, a white, massive rock formed from pumice and ash that was erupted about 8 MILLION years ago. -
Because it is quite soft, it soon erodes, forming steep headlands between small sandy beaches".
“Day 3” Off the beaten track Matarangi & flavors of the sea
On Day 3 of our trip, we headed to Matarangi Beach a much-loved Kiwi seaside spot. There are many beaches worth a visit in the Coromandel Peninsula, some are among the most beautiful ones in New Zealand, but because we´ve been here more than once, we decided to visit Matarangi, which is one of our favorites.
This white sandy beach is perfect for everyone, swimming, surf, paddleboard... ideal to take the kids.
23 km's from Whitianga and Coromandel town... Is this safe family environment one of the world's best beaches? Some people say so!! This Off-the-beaten track beach is hard to beat!!
A yummy tip... at the end of the day a great relaxed eatery we love was waiting for us: Luke's Kitchen. We discovered this little restaurant 5 years ago, it has THE best pizzas ever (!!) and we go there every time we are in Coromandel.
“Day 4” Hot Water Beach & return to Auckland
So today we finally reached Day 4 of our trip and before heading back to Auckland, we visited Hot Water Beach. -Yeiiii!! - Said the kids!!!
I would be surprised if you haven't been here! This is a must-stop in the Coromandel area, especially with kids. These handmade hot pools must be visited during the “Low tide” when the underground hot spring can be found on the surface.
These days even better because it's not so crowded with tourists, although it gets so busy and it's hard to find your spot to dig your little own private pool!
My advice is: be careful it is indeed hot!!! ... It doesn't matter how cold it's outside!!
A bonus track! You can even be lucky and spot some dolphins... last time there was a bunch of them swimming near the beach, so beautiful.
So this Family Getaway ended here and we returned back to Auckland!! But more adventures would be waiting for us.
Thanks for reading & send me a message for any piece of advice!
xx Maria.
For more details about my beautiful swimwear during this trip check Bach Sisters website:
Long sleeve suit - One-Piece Swimsuit Guinea
