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North Island
COROMANDEL TOWN -
WHITIANGA (46km/29 miles, 1hour)
Take State Highway 25 to
Whitianga. Drive into the town from the north and divert to
Whangapoua - a 20-minute walk takes visitors to New Chums Beach,
one of the Peninsula's most beautiful, unspoiled golden sand
beaches.
Whitianga is a great beach holiday spot, with fish to catch and
shellfish to gather. The relatively sheltered waters of the bay
are great for all water sports.
Spend the afternoon in the Whitianga area, where activities
include:
- Visiting Whitianga Wharf,
the centre of the town's boating and fishing activity.
From there, take the ferry to Ferry Landing and Flaxmill
Bay and the minibus to Cooks Beach, Hahei and Hot Water
Beach
- Relaxing at attractive Hahei
Beach, with access to the spectacular Cathedral Cove
- Driving to Hot Water Beach
- for two hours either side of low tide, visitors can dig
in the sand for hot spring water and make their own spa
pool
- Spending a few hours making
a Maori bone carving under expert tutelage
- Indulging in a fun and
adventurous high ropes course at High Zone,
designed for all ages and levels of fitness
A walk along Buffalo Beach is a
perfect way to end the day in Whitianga. Overnight in Whitianga.
For more information on Whitianga visit www.whitianga.co.nz
For more information on Coromandel Peninsula visit www.thecoromandel.com
WHITIANGA - TAURANGA
(167km/104 miles, 3hours)
Depart Whitianga for Tauranga along the Pacific Coast
Highway, passing through the coastal townships of Tairua and
Whangamata with your Budget Camper. Be sure to take in
Whangamata's 'Ocean Beach' - mile after mile of white, sandy
beach, complemented by the azure blue waters of the Pacific.
Further south is Waihi, an historic goldmining town and one in
which there is still a working mine sourcing both gold and
silver.
Stop in Katikati to view the view the unique wall murals for
which Katikati is renowned. www.katikati.co.nz
Arrive in the Bay of Plenty region early afternoon and spend the
rest of the day exploring Tauranga and surrounds. This region
seems to have it all - a mild, sunny climate, some of the
country's most popular beaches and an abundance of orchards,
especially kiwifruit, avocado and citrus.
The clear pristine waters of the Bay of Plenty offer the ultimate
marine encounter, the opportunity to swim with, or just observe,
dolphins in their natural environment. Other oceanic based
activities include diving, game fishing, underwater photography
and surfing to name a few.
Afternoon activities and attractions in the Tauranga region
include:
- Wineries: sample
award-winning wines
- Adventure activities:
choose from a number of activities including skydiving,
parasailing and a dirt track luge
- Hikes and walking:
experience bush hikes in the Kaimai Ranges, or walk
around the base of Mt Maunganui or hike 1.5 km to its
volcanic cone summit
- Beach activities at Mt
Maunganui
- Mt Maunganui hot salt
water pools
OR take a trip to Te Puke
for the following activities and attractions:
- Kiwifruit Country: take
a commentated tour through a working orchard
- Te Puke Vintage Auto Barn:
wander around a display of more than 90 vintage and
classic cars
- 4WD U-Drive Hill Hoppers:
drive a purpose-built Suzuki Vitara 4WD car around a
three-kilometre track
- Longridge Park: enjoy
a range of adventure activities: jet boating, white water
rafting, 4WD touring
- Comvita Honey: buy a
range of natural health products
Overnight in Tauranga.
For those visitors able to stay additional days in the Bay
of Plenty region, options include:
- Fishing charters: a
variety of operators cater for fishing, scuba diving,
crayfishing (similar to lobster) and spear fishing, while
the marlin waters of Mayor Island (Tuhua) await
game-fishing enthusiasts
- Dolphin encounters:
experience the thrill of observing or swimming with
playful dolphins
- White Island: visit an
active volcano
For more information on the Bay
of Plenty region visit www.nztauranga.com
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