The Mercury Bay area of the Coromandel Peninsula is an area of stunning beaches and bays. Azure blue waters roll onto clean white sands, while protective arms of bush clad hills shelter the bays and further enhance the scenic splendour of the area. Mercury Bay is a very popular holiday destination and during the summer months the population swells considerably. For the rest of the year a relaxed, away from it all, atmosphere prevails.

Whitianga is the main settlement of Mercury Bay, an attractive township with a deepwater harbour. The wharf in the centre of town is the departure point for fishing enthusiasts, charter boats and scenic cruising. If taking your own craft, Mercury Bay has several launching ramps. An enjoyable excursion for young and old is the ferry crossing across the river to Ferry Landing. Passengers alight at the oldest stone wharf in Australasia.

A short walk up the hill from the ferry leads to Front Beach then on to Flaxmill Bay. You can hire a bike and explore further to Cooks Beach and beyond. There are many fabulous beaches, walking tracks and great scenery to take in.

For golfers there is an 18-hole golf course 3.2km south of Whitianga, a 9-hole course at Purangi near Cooks Beach, and an 18-hole course at Matarangi, 21km north of Whitianga. A short distance north of Whitianga is Wharekaho Bay where there is a fine stand of Pohutukawa trees. One of these is a gnarled old specimen that exactly fits a description in the journal of explorer Captain Cook written in 1769.

The famous 309 Road connecting Whitianga to Coromandel Town is a mostly gravel road, very scenic with lots to see and do along the way.

An unusual square Kauri tree is located on the Tapu - Coroglen Road. In the spring the yellow flowers of the Kowhai tree break the green of the forest while the red blossoms of the Pohutukawa tree provide a flaming brilliance at Christmas time.

Hahei & Cathedral Cove

Cathedral Cove - Accessible only on foot or by boat, famous Cathedral Cove is one of the “must visit” sites on the Coromandel Peninsula. The track begins at the northern end of Hahei.

The Cathedral is a gigantic arched cavern that penetrates the headland between two coves. It gives an air of grandeur to the whole of the beach. The headland is the site of an ancient Maori pa (fortified village). The beach is sandy with a pohutukawa backdrop—a perfect place for a picnic followed by a swim. Offshore a little way is a large pinnacle of pumice breccia known as "Te Hoho".

Hot Water Beach

Some volcanoes develop huge underground reservoirs of superheated water. Over time, this water will escape to the surface — cooling on the way.

There are two fissures at Hot Water Beach issuing water as hot as 64˚C (147˚F) at a rate as high as 15 litres/minute.

This water contains large amounts of salt (NOT salt water), calcium, magnesium, potassium, fluorine, bromine and silica. There are other hot water springs nearby but the location of these two springs on the beach make them unique.

The hot springs are only accessible at low tide, however more often than not two hours each side of low tide, will still provide you with an opportunity to dig your own spa.

For more information visit our regional Tourism website:

www.thecoromandel.com