3 Best Sights in Coromandel and the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand

The Cathedral Cove rock arch is possibly the most visited feature in Coromandel. The two-hour return walk is steep, and the water at the cove is usually calm and clear, so good for swimming and snorkeling. To get there, travel along Hahei Beach Road, turn right toward town and the sea, and then, just past the shops, turn left onto Grange Road and follow the signs. In the height of summer the parking lot at the trailhead is closed and a shuttle bus (NZ$5 return) takes you from Hahei Village. Or you can walk from the northern end of Hahei Beach, adding a 20-minute climb. Another option is to jump on the Cathedral Cove Water Taxi that buzzes from Hahei Beach to Cathedral Cove in a few minutes. Or you could paddle there with Cathedral Cove Kayaks. A good plan is to visit outside peak summer holiday season, January in particular.

For great views over the Bay of Plenty, drive a couple of minutes north of Katikati on State Highway 2 to Lindemann Road. The lookout is signposted at the turn off. Drive 3½ km (2 miles) to the road's end and the lookout. The road is good but narrow in parts; you'll find a map embedded in rock to help orient you. If the weather is clear you might see volcanic White Island to the south. Self-contained campervans can stop here overnight.

The headland at the south end of Hahei Beach is the site of two former Māori pā (fortified villages). Although no trace remains of the defensive terraces and wooden spikes that once ringed the cliffsides, the stunning outlook, which made it an ideal defensive site in years past, remains. At high tide, the blowhole at the foot of the cliffs adds a booming bass note to the sound of waves. To reach the actual pā site, follow the red arrow down the hill from the parking area at the end of Pa Road. After some 50 meters (164 feet), take the right fork through a grove of giant pohutukawa trees, then go through a gate and across an open, grassy hillside. You can also pick up the trail onto the headland from the southern end of Hahei Beach at mid- to low tide.