Coromandel and Hot Water Beach

So after a couple of lack lustre days back in Rotorua we decided to head to up to the Coromandel it is a cluster of beaches on the north with amazing sights such as Cathedral Cove and Hot Water beach. The only problem was that the weather was horrific rain, wind and was bitterly cold – but sights have got to be seen no matter what the weather, and hopefully Hot Water Beach lives up to its name!

So we set of on our journey and head north – again! Heading north it is amazing how much terrain can change in such a short space of time from scenery that would not look out of place in the English Countryside  cut to palm trees and rainforest in the space of an hour – bliss – apart from the wind and rain and that. 

So after a 3 hour scenic drive we arrive at Waikato the small town at the heart of the Coromandel and check into the most luxurious of the campsites that we have visited – no Kiwi Paka – but still marble showers, a bath and a microwave it is seriously good. In the morning we wake and drive down to Hot Water Beach. The weather is not much better its stoped raining but the wind is prolific. We arrive at what we think is Hot Water Beach we can see no one around probably the weather.

Change of topic – I used the bathroom there and it was a toilet that just dropped into a hole no plumbing. Sorry no relevance it just really fascinated me for some reason.

Any way – back to the beach – so it’s windy and cold we are in swimming costumes on a deserted beach – why you ask? At Hot Water Beach you dig a hole in the ground and there is natural hot water like a Jacuzzi on a mild day I imagine this to be great fun. So we walk down the beach and finally see some people they have just given up digging so we pick a nearby spot and begin. From this pic you can probably tell you don’t have to dig deep to find your reward – however this we did not know.

We dug that hole for about an hour it was cold it was windy there was sand battering my eyes and my back – but that hole was deep it was actually as tall as me Adam had to help me out – it may not sound it but it was really fun. We did hit water but it was not hot – we were on the wrong part of the beach! Still there is definitely fun to be had digging a hole on a cold beach something I may keep in mind for England!

We then decided to test if the sea water was hot because to be honest I couldn’t get any more cold and it was. Not boiling but as warm as a nice bath – this was amazing and we spent a while warming up in the sea and eventually made our way back to the campervan.

Then we wanted to go and see Cathedral Cove so we set off on a 40 minute downhill muddy journey and then it rained. This journey scared the shit out of me – don’t do it in flip flops it was slippy and a very very steep hill. We finally reach the bottom and realise that the tide is too far in to actually go to Cathedral Cove which was – uurrm disappointing! So back up we climbed.

We then went for a leisurely stroll along a nearby beach that had amazing rock formations out at sea and was a beautiful place. At the end of the day it is needless to say that we were pooped.

Then a sad and exciting prospect it is the end of our Journey around New Zealand we drive back to Auckland hand back our Campervan and get charged $200 for a minute scratch – hate Wanderkreisen – spend one excruciating night sleeping in Auckland Airport and it is goodbye New Zealand and hello Sydney!!!

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