This is the crown jewel of day one in Coromandel! It’s literally a hidden paradise. You do have to walk a bit to get there (nothing intense, but the path is rocky, so don’t attempt it in flip-flops), but once you arrive it honestly feels unreal. No cafés, no buildings, no crowds - just white sand, clear water, and nature everywhere! Make sure you bring water and snacks, because there’s absolutely nothing there… and that’s kind of the whole point. It feels wild and untouched, like you’ve discovered a secret beach! If you’re only going to put in the effort for one beach in Coromandel, this should be it! ✨

After our last stop, we headed back to our amazing Airbnb - and just in time for sunset! 🌅 Honestly, nothing beats picking up a bottle of New Zealand wine and sipping it on the wooden deck while watching the sky change colors over the water. Such a peaceful, perfect way to slow down after a full day of exploring! A little reminder that Coromandel isn’t just about the stops - it’s also about moments like this ✨

Luke’s Kitchen is such a solid stop if you’re around Kuaotunu and feeling hungry! This one was also recommended to us by our amazing host, Carol, so we instantly knew it would be good - and it definitely delivered! It’s known for great pizza and really good-quality food, with a relaxed, laid-back vibe that fits the Coromandel perfectly. Ideal for a casual lunch or dinner after a beach day, especially if you don’t feel like anything fancy. We had the pizza, deer ribs (oh my god, unreal), and fries with homemade tomato sauce and aioli - I can 100% recommend all of it. The ribs in particular are out of this world! 😱

Waiau Falls is an easy, low-effort stop and a really nice change of scenery after the forest walk. It’s just a short walk from the car, and you’ll find a pretty waterfall with a calm pool at the bottom. If the weather’s warm, it’s a great spot to cool off with a quick swim or just sit and enjoy the surroundings! Also amazing for pictures!

This is most likely where you’ll arrive from the airport by train, and honestly - it’s a great first impression! The station building itself is really nice from the outside, super modern and impressive. Inside, you can head straight into the underground walkway, which is huge and kind of a world of its own, full of shops, food spots, and places to wander around. Even if you’re not buying anything, it’s absolutely worth checking out! 🛍️

Starting the day right! It is a great spot in Whitianga for breakfast or brunch and was also recommended to us by our host, Carol - which usually means it’s a good one! It’s especially known for its carrot cake and avocado toast, both of which are super popular, plus really good coffee and a relaxed, welcoming vibe. It’s the kind of place that works perfectly for a slow morning before heading out to explore more of Coromandel! If you’re staying in Whitianga, this is a solid café to have on your list!☕️

After arriving at Whangapoua Beach, you’ll quickly notice something important - there are basically no cafés or shops around… except for this one gem! And honestly? It’s 100% worth the stop! This tiny local store serves amazing homemade meat pies, and the fries with homemade aioli are to die for - exactly what you want after a long drive from Auckland! 🥧 Simple, comforting, and hits the spot in the best way. 🍴 Perfect for: • Late lunch after the drive • Beach snack stop

We started the morning at The Espy Café, another spot recommended by our amazing host, Carol - and once again, she was right! 🍰☕️ It’s a great place for breakfast or a relaxed morning coffee, with good food, solid coffee, and a really nice, laid-back vibe. Perfect for easing into the day before heading out to explore more of Coromandel. If you’re staying in Whitianga, this is a lovely café to start your morning! ✨

Cathedral Cove is definitely one of the most popular spots in Coromandel - not a hidden gem by any means 😅 That said, if it’s your first time in Coromandel, it’s kind of one of those places you just have to see at least once! The rock arch, the beach, and the scenery are undeniably beautiful, even if you do end up sharing it with other people. My advice: go early in the morning if you can, before it gets busy. It makes a huge difference and lets you enjoy the place a bit more peacefully.

Honestly, this is one of the best beaches in Coromandel, so you’re starting the trip strong! ☀️ It’s a long, wide stretch of sand with a super relaxed, local vibe - not crowded, not overhyped, just really beautiful. Such a good place to slow down after the drive and ease into the Coromandel mood! It’s also really well set up: there are public toilets, an outdoor shower, a small kids’ playground, and a campground right by the beach, which makes it an easy and comfortable stop even if you end up staying longer than planned.

Don’t miss this spot - just a few minutes walk from Kuaotunu Beach! ✨ The views from here are amazing - you get a beautiful lookout over Kuaotunu Beach, which makes it a perfect place for photos! It’s one of those spots where you suddenly see the beach from above and go wow! There’s also a huge, really beautiful tree right there that’s amazing for photos too. Overall, such a nice place to stop for a few minutes, take some pictures, and just enjoy the scenery before continuing the drive 🚗

It’s an easy, short walk through a beautiful forest and an amazing place to see New Zealand’s famous kauri trees, which are considered a real national treasure. Some of the trees here are incredibly old, and walking among them feels pretty special! The whole area is quiet, shady, and super peaceful - perfect for slowing down a bit and adding a different side of Coromandel nature 🌿

Opito Bay Beach was our last stop of the day, and it couldn’t have been a better one! A gem of a place! It’s a beautiful, calm bay with a super peaceful vibe - perfect for slowing down after a full day of exploring. Such a nice place for an evening walk, a quiet swim on a calm day, or just sitting on the sand and taking it all in. If you time it right, it’s also a great spot for sunset, making it a really relaxed and scenic way to wrap up the day before heading back!

What a gem! ✨ You can park near the end of Matarangi Drive and reach the beach with just a short walk via the access path. The beach itself is wide and open, with soft golden sand and a really peaceful atmosphere. It feels clean, quiet, and spacious - the kind of place where you can properly relax and enjoy being by the ocean. If you come outside of peak season, it’s especially nice, as it can feel almost empty and incredibly serene. Overall, it’s a beautiful, low-key beach that’s well worth stopping for if you’re exploring this part of Coromandel. 👆🏻 Just make sure to bring some snacks and drinks with you, as there isn’t much around nearby.

We stayed at Mermaid Waterways in Whitianga, and honestly, it was such a good choice! It’s an Airbnb with a few private, suite-style rooms, each with its own bathroom and private terrace, so it feels really quiet and personal. The host, Carol, is an amazing communicator and gave us tons of great recommendations on what to do and where to eat in Whitianga! There’s also a small shared kitchen with plenty of snacks - fruit, toast and spreads, cereal, coffee, tea, yogurt, and milk - which is perfect if you want a simple breakfast without going somewhere fancy. The best part though? It has direct access to the river! You can go for a swim, take a kayak out, or just sit by the water and relax with an amazing view - especially nice in the morning or at sunset. I’d 100% recommend staying in Whitianga in general! The location is super convenient, plus there are great cafés and restaurants, a supermarket, and everything you need nearby, which makes the whole trip way more relaxed.

Another popular spot to have some fun in a very Coromandel way and wrap up the trip before heading back to Auckland - Hot Water Beach ✨ The idea is simple but pretty cool: at low tide, you can dig your own little hot pool in the sand and relax in naturally heated water. It’s definitely more of an experience than a “quiet beach,” but it’s still worth checking out, especially if it’s your first time here! Just make sure to check the tide times before you go. If you don’t have a shovel, you can usually rent one nearby. Our host Carol even provided us with a handy little guide for the low tides, which made it super easy!

Kuaotunu Beach is a really beautiful stop with a more local, laid-back feel. It’s a long, open beach with a slightly wilder vibe than some of the more sheltered bays - perfect for a walk, fresh air, and just taking in the coastal scenery. It never feels too busy or overhyped, just genuinely nice! There are plenty of parking spots, and right nearby there’s a small village with a general store, a great café, and even a cool pizza bar, which makes it an easy and convenient stop if you feel like grabbing food or a coffee! 🍕 A great place to stretch your legs and enjoy the coast before moving on to the next highlight✨

Our final stop to grab a bite on the way back to Auckland was Johnny’s Tairua, and it hit the spot perfectly! ✨ We grabbed amazing burgers and fries in the cozy little town of Tairua - simple, casual, and exactly what you want after a few days of beach-hopping. Such a good takeaway stop to refuel for the drive home! 🍔 They also sell super cute local- and NZ-themed stickers, and of course I couldn’t resist grabbing one for my car back home 😀 A low-key, satisfying way to wrap up an epic Coromandel trip!

A great little stretch-your-legs stop on the way to Coromandel! While the track itself isn’t anything special unless you’re keen for a longer forest walk, the lookout right next to the track entrance is absolutely worth stopping for! You’ll get a peaceful forest atmosphere and a beautiful view - perfect for a quick break, fresh air, and a few photos 📸 Good to know: There’s a small parking area on the side of the road near the entrance that fits a few cars, making this an easy and convenient stop without any extra detours.

This is the crown jewel of day one in Coromandel! It’s literally a hidden paradise. You do have to walk a bit to get there (nothing intense, but the path is rocky, so don’t attempt it in flip-flops), but once you arrive it honestly feels unreal. No cafés, no buildings, no crowds - just white sand, clear water, and nature everywhere! Make sure you bring water and snacks, because there’s absolutely nothing there… and that’s kind of the whole point. It feels wild and untouched, like you’ve discovered a secret beach! If you’re only going to put in the effort for one beach in Coromandel, this should be it! ✨

After our last stop, we headed back to our amazing Airbnb - and just in time for sunset! 🌅 Honestly, nothing beats picking up a bottle of New Zealand wine and sipping it on the wooden deck while watching the sky change colors over the water. Such a peaceful, perfect way to slow down after a full day of exploring! A little reminder that Coromandel isn’t just about the stops - it’s also about moments like this ✨

Luke’s Kitchen is such a solid stop if you’re around Kuaotunu and feeling hungry! This one was also recommended to us by our amazing host, Carol, so we instantly knew it would be good - and it definitely delivered! It’s known for great pizza and really good-quality food, with a relaxed, laid-back vibe that fits the Coromandel perfectly. Ideal for a casual lunch or dinner after a beach day, especially if you don’t feel like anything fancy. We had the pizza, deer ribs (oh my god, unreal), and fries with homemade tomato sauce and aioli - I can 100% recommend all of it. The ribs in particular are out of this world! 😱

Waiau Falls is an easy, low-effort stop and a really nice change of scenery after the forest walk. It’s just a short walk from the car, and you’ll find a pretty waterfall with a calm pool at the bottom. If the weather’s warm, it’s a great spot to cool off with a quick swim or just sit and enjoy the surroundings! Also amazing for pictures!

This is most likely where you’ll arrive from the airport by train, and honestly - it’s a great first impression! The station building itself is really nice from the outside, super modern and impressive. Inside, you can head straight into the underground walkway, which is huge and kind of a world of its own, full of shops, food spots, and places to wander around. Even if you’re not buying anything, it’s absolutely worth checking out! 🛍️

Starting the day right! It is a great spot in Whitianga for breakfast or brunch and was also recommended to us by our host, Carol - which usually means it’s a good one! It’s especially known for its carrot cake and avocado toast, both of which are super popular, plus really good coffee and a relaxed, welcoming vibe. It’s the kind of place that works perfectly for a slow morning before heading out to explore more of Coromandel! If you’re staying in Whitianga, this is a solid café to have on your list!☕️

After arriving at Whangapoua Beach, you’ll quickly notice something important - there are basically no cafés or shops around… except for this one gem! And honestly? It’s 100% worth the stop! This tiny local store serves amazing homemade meat pies, and the fries with homemade aioli are to die for - exactly what you want after a long drive from Auckland! 🥧 Simple, comforting, and hits the spot in the best way. 🍴 Perfect for: • Late lunch after the drive • Beach snack stop

We started the morning at The Espy Café, another spot recommended by our amazing host, Carol - and once again, she was right! 🍰☕️ It’s a great place for breakfast or a relaxed morning coffee, with good food, solid coffee, and a really nice, laid-back vibe. Perfect for easing into the day before heading out to explore more of Coromandel. If you’re staying in Whitianga, this is a lovely café to start your morning! ✨

Cathedral Cove is definitely one of the most popular spots in Coromandel - not a hidden gem by any means 😅 That said, if it’s your first time in Coromandel, it’s kind of one of those places you just have to see at least once! The rock arch, the beach, and the scenery are undeniably beautiful, even if you do end up sharing it with other people. My advice: go early in the morning if you can, before it gets busy. It makes a huge difference and lets you enjoy the place a bit more peacefully.

Honestly, this is one of the best beaches in Coromandel, so you’re starting the trip strong! ☀️ It’s a long, wide stretch of sand with a super relaxed, local vibe - not crowded, not overhyped, just really beautiful. Such a good place to slow down after the drive and ease into the Coromandel mood! It’s also really well set up: there are public toilets, an outdoor shower, a small kids’ playground, and a campground right by the beach, which makes it an easy and comfortable stop even if you end up staying longer than planned.

Don’t miss this spot - just a few minutes walk from Kuaotunu Beach! ✨ The views from here are amazing - you get a beautiful lookout over Kuaotunu Beach, which makes it a perfect place for photos! It’s one of those spots where you suddenly see the beach from above and go wow! There’s also a huge, really beautiful tree right there that’s amazing for photos too. Overall, such a nice place to stop for a few minutes, take some pictures, and just enjoy the scenery before continuing the drive 🚗

It’s an easy, short walk through a beautiful forest and an amazing place to see New Zealand’s famous kauri trees, which are considered a real national treasure. Some of the trees here are incredibly old, and walking among them feels pretty special! The whole area is quiet, shady, and super peaceful - perfect for slowing down a bit and adding a different side of Coromandel nature 🌿

Opito Bay Beach was our last stop of the day, and it couldn’t have been a better one! A gem of a place! It’s a beautiful, calm bay with a super peaceful vibe - perfect for slowing down after a full day of exploring. Such a nice place for an evening walk, a quiet swim on a calm day, or just sitting on the sand and taking it all in. If you time it right, it’s also a great spot for sunset, making it a really relaxed and scenic way to wrap up the day before heading back!

What a gem! ✨ You can park near the end of Matarangi Drive and reach the beach with just a short walk via the access path. The beach itself is wide and open, with soft golden sand and a really peaceful atmosphere. It feels clean, quiet, and spacious - the kind of place where you can properly relax and enjoy being by the ocean. If you come outside of peak season, it’s especially nice, as it can feel almost empty and incredibly serene. Overall, it’s a beautiful, low-key beach that’s well worth stopping for if you’re exploring this part of Coromandel. 👆🏻 Just make sure to bring some snacks and drinks with you, as there isn’t much around nearby.

We stayed at Mermaid Waterways in Whitianga, and honestly, it was such a good choice! It’s an Airbnb with a few private, suite-style rooms, each with its own bathroom and private terrace, so it feels really quiet and personal. The host, Carol, is an amazing communicator and gave us tons of great recommendations on what to do and where to eat in Whitianga! There’s also a small shared kitchen with plenty of snacks - fruit, toast and spreads, cereal, coffee, tea, yogurt, and milk - which is perfect if you want a simple breakfast without going somewhere fancy. The best part though? It has direct access to the river! You can go for a swim, take a kayak out, or just sit by the water and relax with an amazing view - especially nice in the morning or at sunset. I’d 100% recommend staying in Whitianga in general! The location is super convenient, plus there are great cafés and restaurants, a supermarket, and everything you need nearby, which makes the whole trip way more relaxed.

Another popular spot to have some fun in a very Coromandel way and wrap up the trip before heading back to Auckland - Hot Water Beach ✨ The idea is simple but pretty cool: at low tide, you can dig your own little hot pool in the sand and relax in naturally heated water. It’s definitely more of an experience than a “quiet beach,” but it’s still worth checking out, especially if it’s your first time here! Just make sure to check the tide times before you go. If you don’t have a shovel, you can usually rent one nearby. Our host Carol even provided us with a handy little guide for the low tides, which made it super easy!

Kuaotunu Beach is a really beautiful stop with a more local, laid-back feel. It’s a long, open beach with a slightly wilder vibe than some of the more sheltered bays - perfect for a walk, fresh air, and just taking in the coastal scenery. It never feels too busy or overhyped, just genuinely nice! There are plenty of parking spots, and right nearby there’s a small village with a general store, a great café, and even a cool pizza bar, which makes it an easy and convenient stop if you feel like grabbing food or a coffee! 🍕 A great place to stretch your legs and enjoy the coast before moving on to the next highlight✨

Our final stop to grab a bite on the way back to Auckland was Johnny’s Tairua, and it hit the spot perfectly! ✨ We grabbed amazing burgers and fries in the cozy little town of Tairua - simple, casual, and exactly what you want after a few days of beach-hopping. Such a good takeaway stop to refuel for the drive home! 🍔 They also sell super cute local- and NZ-themed stickers, and of course I couldn’t resist grabbing one for my car back home 😀 A low-key, satisfying way to wrap up an epic Coromandel trip!

A great little stretch-your-legs stop on the way to Coromandel! While the track itself isn’t anything special unless you’re keen for a longer forest walk, the lookout right next to the track entrance is absolutely worth stopping for! You’ll get a peaceful forest atmosphere and a beautiful view - perfect for a quick break, fresh air, and a few photos 📸 Good to know: There’s a small parking area on the side of the road near the entrance that fits a few cars, making this an easy and convenient stop without any extra detours.