Itinerary options for holiday makers basing themselves in New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland.
- Literally walking across the country on the Coast to Coast walkway
- Digging your own natural hot tub in the sand of a Coromandel beach
- Watching opposing ocean tides clash at New Zealand’s northernmost point
YOUR JOURNEY STARTS HERE
If you have 1 Day
There’s a reason Auckland is where most visitors begin their trips to New Zealand. If you have a day to fill, try one of these great activities:
- Go shopping. Check out New Zealand’s top fashion designers, including international names Trelise Cooper and Karen Walker, most of whom have shops on the block around High Street, the Chancery and Vulcan Lane.
- Take the Coast to Coast Walkway. A 16 km walk that will lead you past volcanoes, parks and harbours on your way from one side of the country to the other.
- Take a ferry to Tiritiri Matangi Island, just a short ferry ride from the city. Here, you can wander down paths and trails, trying to spot the endangered birds that live on the island.
- Take the ferry to Waiheke Island, and spend a day meandering around the many wineries, cafés and beaches.
If you have 3 - 4 Days
The Coromandel Peninsula is known around New Zealand as a fantastic holiday destination, full of golden beaches and lush forests. This is also one of the most mineral rich parts of the country, known for gold mining in particular.
Day 1 Enjoy a drive around the Firth of Thames towards Coromandel on SH25. You can stop at beautiful Orere Point, spend a night at the Orere Point TOP 10, and spend a leisurely day exploring before heading on to Shelly Beach TOP 10 Park, just north of Coromandel township. But take your time travelling, and stop by the little towns of Thornton Bay and Te Puru on your way. Enjoy the laid-back beach-town feel… definitely a change from Auckland. Stop in Waiomu to explore the Kauri grove: a 2.5 hour walk through a lush forest of Kauri (which can grow to be an impressive 50 metres tall).
Day 2 Hit the road after breakfast and head east on SH 25 past national parks and beaches. Stop in Kuaotuna (about 40 minutes from Coromandel), a stunning coastal village with a great swimming beach. If you’re not in the mood for a swim (or the weather is on the chilly side), try a trail walk of Waitaia Road to explore an abandoned gold mine.
From Kuaotuna, get back on the road and head to Hot Water Beach (almost an hour away). If you visit two hours before or after low tide, you can dig a hole in the sand that will fill with hot water bubbling up from a hot springs below. Your own natural hot tub! Ask locals about tide times and be prepared to stick around for a while waiting for the next tide.
When you’ve had your fill of lounging in the hot pools, get back on the road and keep going south. Finish your day in a comfortable motel unit at the Waihi Beach TOP 10.
Day 3 Spend the morning exploring the attractions around Waihi Beach, which include beaches, walks and the local gold mine museum. After lunch at a café in town, head south to Rotorua.
Rotorua is about 2 hour’s drive from Waihi Beach and is one of New Zealand’s biggest visitor attractions, known for its geothermal activity – that means hot bubbling mud pools and geysers aplenty. Whether you want to relax in the hot pools and spas, take in an authentic Maori cultural performance, or take advantage of the blood-pumping adventure sports on offer (bungy jumping in New Zealand is practically a rite of passage) Rotorua is a great opportunity for this.
Head back to Auckland (a three-hour drive) that day or spend the night or two at your choice of Blue Lake Top 10, Rotorua TOP 10 or Holdens Bay TOP 10.