Coromandel Experiences

Situated on the North Island, Coromandel boasts a beautiful Forest Park and some stunning coastline. But it’s much more than just trees and sand. So sit back and let us guide you through our top things to do in Coromandel.

Things to Do in Coromandel

For fans of snorkelling, beaches and geology, Cathedral Cove is a must visit destination while in Coromandel. The beach is white and the ocean crystal clear making it perfect for snorkelling and swimming. Gemstone Bay even has a snorkelling trail marked by buoys that tell you about the wildlife below. With a sea cave and lots of kayaking and sea tour opportunities to boot, Cathedral Cove never fails to impress.

Ride The Rails and Take in the Views

Driving Creek Railway is a real gem and one of the best things to do in Coromandel. It was created by conservationist and potter Barry Brickell in the 1970s to supply his pottery workshop with materials. It’s still going strong today, but now it carries passengers as well as clay. Barry’s narrow-gauge mountain railway winds you through a beautiful Wildlife Sanctuary Trust and forest regeneration project, past unique jaw dropping vistas and, of course, to the stunning potteries that live now side by side with the railway’s own engineering workshop.

When it comes to seeing the beautiful countryside of New Zealand, one of our favourite options is the Hauraki Rail Trail. This is a traffic-free cycle route that follows old railway lines, and relics of these bygone days can still be seen at the side of the trail. The route itself takes you through some stunning scenery, including the Karangahake Gorge, one of the “14 wonders of New Zealand”. Complete with a great bike hire station and sumptuous food and drink stops, this three-day cycle trail is a wonder in and of itself!

Dig Your Own Hot Tub at Hot Water Beach

When talking about Coromandel, it’s impossible to leave out Hot Water Beach! Just down the coast from Cathedral Cove, Hot Water Beach is a great surf destination, and is so named due to a hot water spring that lies just beneath the surface of the sand at low tide. Get your tide-timing right and you can dig yourself your very own hot tub to relax in. Perfect to sooth those muscles after your surf.

Hunt for Gold at the Waihi Gold Mines

We’ll finish off with a brief mention here for Waihi Gold Mine. We love this place – it’s enormous! And although none of us have a secret passion for mining, the way the tours and the award winning interactive visitor experience engage you, a few of us are starting to develop one! It’s a really fantastic day out that will feed your mind as well as your senses, and might just leave you with gold rush fever.

Ready to Visit the Coromandel?

If you’d like to find out more about our recommended experiences in Coromandel, or to talk about the many other things there are to do there, we’d love to help. Our knowledge is based on many years of experience of actually living and spending time here and we’re confident that we can give you the knowledge, the inspiration and the inside track on how to make your visit to Coromandel as good as can be!

We specialise in planning tailor-made itineraries focused on your personal interests. Want to have a chat about Coromandel holidays? Our team are always on standby ready to answer any questions you may have. Talk to someone now by calling +44 (0) 1636 813 544. Alternatively, email us or use our handy contact form to request a call back.