Coromandel
Sunday, we left the Bay of Islands and drove to Coromandel. The drive took about seven hours total and I was ready to be out of the car by the time we arrived!! We did wind up passing back through Auckland and stopped at Dear Jervois for brunch which helped break up the trip a bit. Moving forward, the drives will not be as long between towns and I am most thankful for that!
Once we came upon the Coromandel Peninsula, the view was absolutely breathtaking. The road to Coromandel curves around the ocean and we stopped multiple times to take in the scenery.
We decided to get up at 5:15am on Monday morning to see the sunrise at Cathedral Cove. It is an hour drive and we arrived shortly after the sun started to rise. This area is one of the first in the world to see the sun rise given its location so far east. Once we arrived at the lookout point, it is a 45-minute walk to the Cathedral Cove Beach. Alex and I decided to view the sunrise at the viewing platform and postpone the walk for a little later in the morning. We first wanted to check out nearby Hot Water Beach, which we knew needed to be visited during low tide.
After our watching the sunrise, we drove to Hot Water Beach, popular for a patch of thermal water bubbling just beneath the surface of the sand at low tide. People come out with shovels and dig a hole in the sand where the pool will fill with hot water, sometimes scalding water! It was so funny to walk around and see people relaxing in their own "hot pools". There was a spot where the hot water was running down into the ocean and Alex and I stood there for quite some time enjoying the cool ocean water mix with the hot thermal springs. Both of us felt this was an experience we will not forget.
See the steam rising from the sand?!?!
We then drove back to Cathedral Cove and hiked the 45-minutes to get down the beach. Most of the walk is along the cliffs and the area is dotted with small islands. Cathedral Cove is known for its rock arch which connects one side of the beach with the other.
On the way back to Coromandel, we stopped for lunch at Mussel Kitchen. Alex and I shared a bowl of Thai-curry mussels, corn fritters, and french fries. Even after all of our time traveling, we still have not learned how to not over order! It was delicious and we left stuffed!
Coromandel was such a beautiful, stunning area. The contrast between the bright green farmland, pristine sandy beaches, and turquoise water made for amazing viewpoints and pictures. We only had two nights here and I feel like I could have stayed and explored longer!
