While most of our tiki tours were in the Auckland region, we did do a nice little day trip from Auckland to Cathedral Cove in the Coromandel a few days after Christmas (yes I’m that far behind with blogging…yikes!). Cathedral Cove had been our wish list for a number of months…mainly as it gets instagrammed the hell out of by most visitors to New Zealand so we decided to follow everyone else and visit.
Our little drive to Hahei took around two hours (it depends a lot on traffic leaving Auckland and then slow pokes in general on the twisty roads in the Coromandel…let’s call them tourists!). In Hahei, there’s an old fashioned bus at the park and ride (Kiwis will remember these buses from our school days…you will stick to the seats) which for a fee drops you at the start of the Cathedral Cove walk (you need to pay for this bus in cash).
We decided to walk the path to Cathedral Cove as that seems to be the rite of passage to visit…however there is a water taxi from Hahei Beach that takes you along the coast. Walking was good…we were on day one of a sugar detox for three days so we were all slightly delirious anyway so a 30 minute walk wasn’t going to kill us…
…until you release you are walking up hills using ten toe gear as you’re in your birkenstocks or jandals…we did stop a few times to take a few photos along the path…
…as the view is just…
…bloody….
…dreadful! New Zealand is sooooo disgusting at times!
^^^What goes up must go down at some point. The path is easy to walk along and there are stairs at the very end but you could walk it in jandals (flip flops) with no issues…I did spot an Amazonian women walking it in a gold bikini, gold tattoos and bare feet…first thing that went through my mind…she’s so English (she opened her mouth which confirmed my suspicion)…secondly, ouch her feet…and thirdly, the Kiwi in me wanted to smother her in sunblock!
There are a few look out points along the path where I spotted a few ladies pulling the old dame traveler pose; the back to the camera pose…you know the one, it’s in my instagram cliche post. I must be getting old as I was so proud to see our World War One Memorial Forest…which wasn’t included in any of the tourist brochures…Kiwi’s have a very strong bond with our World War veterans especially when it comes to Gallipoli…
…the trees!
Finally making it to Cathedral Cove with every Tom, Dick and Harry for every country in the world…beaches around Christmas time are extremely busy for obvious reasons…they’re bloody gorgeous and it’s super warm until a day or so before New Year’s when a cyclone washes away a number of camp sites (seriously why do people go camping at New Year’s in New Zealand…it always rains?!?)
^^^See every Tom, Dick and Harry….Cathedral Cove is seriously touristy now!
But we managed to get a few photos…
…without…
…every…
…tourist…
…visiting…
…New Zealand…
…in them! You just have to tap your feet and give them death stares and eventually they will move (or just wait patiently *coughs* Kiwi’s aren’t that patient)…I joke…I only tapped my feet…while Dad politely asked a young boy to move as he was in his photo…I love my dad so much.
It’s pretty easy to spot the tourists vs the locals…the tourists are the ones whom are red as lobsters…seriously only Miss Piggy looks good pink…a tip if visiting New Zealand, smother yourself in sunblock as you won’t get a great tan in New Zealand, you will only get sunburnt and then peel due to the hole in the ozone layer.
Cathedral Cove is a beautiful spot…and I would return but in winter when there will be less holidaymakers around. I was told that it’s become a victim of it’s own tourism marketing success story…it’s now so touristy that the feeling that you’re finding a secret spot is no longer there…and it’s true.
Mum had sore little trotters so we cheated and took the water taxi back to Hahei Beach…unfortunately the queues were looooong and the taxi how to do three round trips before we managed to get on it…
…the queue (wouldn’t it be wonderful if all taxi queues came with a view like this!)…
…Dad and I were sent to sit in the shade (where he continued to be a ninja photographer)…Dad got diagnosed the year before last with melanoma but they caught it early however he had another skin cancer scare when I was home but got the all clear earlier this year (Dad has got satellite dishes for ears but the best legs in the family) and mum wanted us both out of the direct sun….I managed to smother Lisa and Mum in sunblock while they stood in the queue.
^^I may have played in the sand while waiting!
After a rather long wait…it was almost an hour…we boarded the water taxi back to Hahei beach….Dad was at the front and holding onto his hat…
…once again the views by water taxi were stunning (if you walk or take the water taxi you will get to see the scenery that New Zealand is famous for!).
^^White Cliffs and Pohutukawa Trees!
Coming into Hahei beach takes your breath away…seriously I do think New Zealand gives Australia a run for their money with it comes to which country has the best beaches.
If you’re going to use the water taxi to head to Cathedral Cove then just look for these flags to buy your ticket (you can go one way and pay when you return to Hahei Beach as well, like we did…they take card payments on the beach)…
…the water taxi…I may have gotten an unexpected fanny wash due to a large wave crashing into me…the reason why I always carry a spare pair of undies in my handbag! Something you will learn to do when you’re in your thirties!
I picked myself up some new sand shoes while at Hahei as well.
I’m going to put it out there…I actually liked Hahei Beach more than Cathedral Cove…it just felt more like home…
…with one final glance back at Hahei Beach; it’s always good to look back regardless of what those stupid inspiration quotes say…we jumped into the car and headed back to Auckland.
Could you visit Cathedral Cove in a day from Auckland…totally!
We did…take a picnic as there’s nothing at the cove to eat or drink; however if you have magical flat white abilities like Rebecca you may get lucky…but just remember that it’s no longer a secret…every Tom, Dick and Harry knows about the place now so expect crowds especially during the summer holidays.
My travel tips for Cathedral Cove is to remember to pack water, a picnic, sunblock and cash!
If you have time…check out my other Tiki Tour New Zealand posts on Duder Regional Park, Hunua Falls, Howick Historical Village, Muriwai Beach & Piha, Hamilton Gardens and The Winter Gardens!
xx
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