Hahei and Whitianga are exceptionally popular parts of the Coromandel in summer, with their gorgeous white-sand beaches and turquoise waters. The good news is those attractions are still there in winter – just without the crowds! We had a lovely girls’ weekend away there in August, and were blessed with lots of sun on the empty sands. An extra treat was spending some time soaking ourselves in the amazing Lost Spring hot pools in Whitianga!
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New Zealand’s Coromandel Peninsula is one of its most stunning areas, with gorgeous white sand beaches encircling native bush. It’s very popular with Kiwis, particularly in the summer, but a little less prominent on the tourist radar. After New Years in the Bay of Islands, we headed down to Mount Maunganui and Coromandel for a few days of sun and relaxation – here’s our favourite spots! And don’t forget to check out my top tips for exploring New Zealand at the end of the post.
A year ago, I was on top of the world.
My sister Zoe and I spent a weekend climbing the Pinnacles mountain range on the Coromandel Peninsula in New Zealand. It was perfect summer weather, and the views from the very top of the mountain were spectacular – even if our position was slightly precarious! I really appreciated this time spent with my sister – she is both hilarious and awesome company. It was also great to get out into the bush and relax for a couple of days away from work and the city. Wherever you are in New Zealand, you’re never very far from a great walk – be it in bush, up a mountain, or along a gorgeous coastline.
Beautiful native forest
Zoe with the Pinnacles behind her
For anyone spending time in the Coromandel, make sure you check out this hike. It follows original trails first used by packhorses through beautiful native forest, and can be done in a day. Even better is to spend a night at the Department of Conservation Hut so that you can catch the first rays of sunrise or the last rays of sunset from this stunning viewpoint. If you’re really lucky, you may hear or even see some kiwi!
The Coromandel Peninsula is located in the North Island of New Zealand, about one and a half hour’s drive from Auckland. The nearest town to the Pinnacles is Thames. For more information on the Pinnacles hike and the hut, click here, and for more on the beautiful Coromandel Peninsula, click here.
When I’m travelling I will often associate a destination with a particular colour in my mind, whether it is the azure blue of the lagoon in the Cook Islands or the red roofs of Italian towns.
Capture the Colour is a photoblogging challenge run by TravelSupermarket that asks you to post five of your favourite photographs in the categories of red, blue, green, yellow and white. Bloggers with photos that I have seen and particularly like include Selena of Oh the Places We Will Go and Sarah of The Two Scoops.
My favourites of my own photographs are:
Green
I took this photo in Vang Vieng, Laos. I spent a morning mountain-biking and caving in the beautiful countryside before participating in the infamous river tubing in the afternoon. I would love to go back to spend more time exploring the area around Vang Vieng – it was magical.
White
This is a picture of a lifelong dream (almost) brought to life. I have always been a huge theatre nut and seriously considered drama school rather than law – what might have been! I love Shakespeare and on a whirlwind trip of Europe, even just making it to the outside of the theatre was a massive achievement. Now that I live here, I am looking forward to seeing one of my favourite plays onstage soon!
Yellow
The Coromandel is one of the most beautiful regions in New Zealand, particularly in summer. I visited Hahei post-New Year celebrations this year and loved spending time relaxing on the beach with friends. Even on the grey days, kids were always playing on or in the water, making up games and generally having a great time.
Red
A shot from my recent trip to Florence. To my mind there is nothing more quintessentially Italian than terracotta roofs. I also love the beautiful pink, green and white marble detail on the Campanile (bell tower).
Blue
This photo remains one of my favourite photos that I have ever taken. The sight of Rangitoto Island and the beautiful Hauraki Gulf always uplifts me and I know that I’m lucky to have lived near it for so long.
If you’d like to enter Capture the Colour the rules are pretty easy – upload your five photos that represent each of the colour categories in a blog post, and then let them know by twitter or email that you’ve entered. The full terms and conditions are here.
I hope you liked my colour photos. What colours do you associate with certain places?
