Around New Zealand: Hahei through to Mt Maunganui

Hahei through to Mt Maunganui

Day of trip = 30

Monday 28th January 2013

We head back down from the top of the Coromandel peninsula along a rather circuitous gravel road, keeping to the coast (this is a coastal camping trip didn't you know?). We stop for lunch in the beautiful Opito Bay, then through the surfy town of Whitianga to our next stop... Hahei.

We (rapidly and professionally) pitch our tent in the holiday park (a reasonable $20/pp/night), we have time for our now traditional 'roof-shout' - an excuse, as if we needed one, for a mid-arvo beer. We are then a short drive to Hot water beach. Not our usual private style, but we get the bonus of natural hot springs in the sand. Someone has already done the hard work of digging us a hot pool, right on the beach! Perfect way to spend a couple hours in the evening.

We spend the next day exploring Cathedral Cove - quite spectacular for the huge cliffs, carved out by the sea. Also only accessible by walking, so it keeps the tourists down (slightly).

Next stop is Mount Maunganui - New Zealands version of the gold coast. The campsite here is an expected $30/pp/night (close to the cost of a hotel, and we are providing our own room!). We are one of the only tents around - everyone else is grey haired with flash campervans! Still we have a few jobs to do in Tauranga and the walk up the Mount at night is pretty cool. The sea is still really warm for swimming. Thats about as positive as I can get...life sure is tough.

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