What To Do In & Around Whitianga, The Coromandel
- Helen
- Mar 17, 2019
- 6 min read
Updated: Jun 6, 2019
Whitianga is a charming small seaside town on the east coast of The Coromandel, in the historic Mercury Bay region.
The town itself is a lovely place to spend time and has plenty to keep you entertained but it is also a good base from which to explore the surrounding area.
A very popular holiday destination with New Zealanders, as well as backpackers and other visitors from overseas, why not visit Whitianga yourself to see why?
Having spent a week in Whitianga on a fantastic house-sitting opportunity, I had time to live locally and enjoy all the town and surrounding area had to offer.
Whitianga certainly won me over and I found it was a place that was friendly, relaxed, beautiful and a perfect size with enough happening to prevent boredom whilst allowing a slower pace of life to take hold.
Here, I will share with you all there is to see and do in Whitianga itself and just a little further out of the town.
Read on to see why you must not miss this part of New Zealand on your travels!
What To Do In & Around Whitianga, The Coromandel
Visit Mercury Bay Museum
The most popular museum in The Coromandel is the Mercury Bay museum which is found in Whitianga.
Mercury Bay has a rich history, dating from the time the explorer Kupe discovered New Zealand before the first canoe migrations (said to be around 950AD).
Later, in 1769, Captain James Cook first sighted New Zealand from his ship, The Endeavour and it was he who named the area Mercury Bay after observing the transit of the planet Mercury across the face of the sun here.
The museum has exhibitions providing artefacts and information about this rich maritime history, alongside exhibits about Kauri timber (with Kauri trees widely found in the area), Maori artefacts and more recent history of the region.
Fun and interesting - definitely worth a visit.
www.mercurybaymuseum.co.nz
Take In The Art Galleries
Within Whitianga there is a strong arts scene, with various art galleries and craft workshops located around the town.
The galleries offer a range of locally and nationally crafted products - perfect for picking up some gorgeous and unique souvenirs or gifts.
Within local workshops there are also opportunities to see the crafts people at work or even to get involved in your own creations!
Spend Time At Buffalo Beach
Perhaps not the most beautiful beach in the whole of the Coromandel (but there is very strong competition for that award!), the beach located in Whitianga is still a long stretch of sandy coastline, looking out to the turquoise waters of the ocean and not a bad place to spend a morning or afternoon.
There is a long stretch of board walk as you head north out of the town that runs all along the beach and is perfect for a stroll.
Fishermen are often found along the beach here casting out their lines and if you want a spot for a sun-bathe or some beach games then you could do much worse.
If you are in Whitianga in the evening I also highly recommend watching the sunset from Buffalo Beach.
Admire The Boats At Whitianga Marina
Whitianga has a stretch of estuary where several boats can be seen bobbing on the water, having laid down their anchors, adding to the spectacle of the setting.
Within the town you will also find Whitianga Marina with up to 191 yachts and other vessels to admire - a great area to wander along or to sit and look out upon.
Indulge Yourself At The Lost Spring Thermal Spa
If you are looking for some luxury, pampering and indulgence (and who isn't?) when you are in Whitianga then look no further than The Lost Spring.
The attraction of Lost Spring is their geo thermal pools which fill with warm mineral waters from 667 meters under the ground.
These natural thermal pools reach temperatures of between 30 and 41 degrees Celsius.
Set within luxurious surroundings and with full spa and massage facilities, alongside a restaurant, this is truly a place to unwind and leave any stress or worries at the door.
www.thelostspring.co.nz
Enjoy Kayaking, Diving & Other Water Based Fun
As a true beach-side and holiday location, Whitianga offers a good range of water based activities.
Here you can spend a day kayaking the calm waters or try scuba diving to discover the unique sea creatures or ship wrecks lying off shore.
With plenty of other water sports also available, if water sport is your want then Whitianga will provide!
Take The Whitianga To Ferry Landing Ferry
One thing you really should experience on your stay in Whitianga is the small passenger ferry that runs a continuous service throughout the day between Whitianga and Ferry Landing just across the water.
The ferry service has been in operation here since 1895 and can be seen drifting from side to side of the estuary throughout the day and evenings.
A fun thing to do and experience, it is also worth visiting the Ferry Landing side of the water and exploring from there the walking paths that will take you to Flaxmill Bay, Lonely Bay and Cooks Beach (all beautiful areas of coastline) and up to Shakespeare Cliff with it's lookout over Mercury Bay.
This is the area that first caught the eye of Captain Cook on his ship, the Endeavour, in 1769 and there is much testimony to this in the area.
Inland from Ferry Landing is another great look out that gives sweeping views back over the estuary and to Whitianga.
Ensure You Don't Miss Cathedral Cove & Hot Water Beach
Two sights not to be missed from Whitianga are the unique and breathtaking experiences of visiting Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach.
I have provided a full guide to visiting these in a separate post so do check that out and please ensure you keep these on your itinerary!
Explore The Long White Sand Beaches North Of Whitianga
Travel north of Whitianga and along this stretch of the peninsula you are spoilt for choice in terms of long white sandy beaches with turquoise waters that will leave you speechless.
First and foremost, I would recommend a trip to New Chums Beach which is accessed from the northern end of Whangapoua beach, about a 20 minute drive from Whitianga.
New Chums beach is not accessible by road and involves a bit of a climb over some of the rocks along the shore line to reach it, but the secluded beach when you get there is more than worthwhile.
The entire long sandy beach at New Chums is lined with native forest and the beach here is rarely busy. New Chums has won awards for being one of the world's most beautiful beaches and it is easy to see why.
The only point of note about New Chums with it's secluded location is there are no toileting or food and drink facilities at the beach, so go prepared!
Located between New Chums beach and Whitianga you will also find Matarangi beach and closer to Whitianga again lies Kuaotunu bay.
Both these beaches are also worth taking the time to visit - much easier to access than New Chums, with beach-side parking available to both, yet both still offer long golden stretches of sands, turquoise waters and stunning views out to the horizon and the surrounding cliffs and hills of the adjacent coastline.
At both Matarangi and Kuaotunu beaches you will also find places to buy food and drinks, including ice creams (very important on a warm day!).
Refresh In Whitianga With Plenty Of Food & Drink Establishments
Visiting Whitianga will not leave you struggling to find somewhere to suit your needs in terms of food and drink.
Whitianga has a wide selection of bars, restaurants and cafes to suit any budget and cuisines from around the world are on offer.
Along the water-front are a good selection with views out to the harbour and ocean but within the town itself are many more great options.
Finally.... Just Relax On Coromandel Time!
In New Zealand there is a saying that in the Coromandel, life is lived on, 'Coromandel time'!
The culture in this part of the country is certainly laid back and relaxed. Life is not to be lived at a fast pace in the Coromandel.
So... when you visit, don't be rushing about- just take life as it comes, adopt a laid back way of life and accept that things can and will happen when they happen... it's Coromandel time after all!
I hope this has persuaded you that Whitianga is well worth a visit when you plan your travels to or around New Zealand.
The whole region here is certainly full of natural beauty and gives the rest of the country something to compete against (and in New Zealand that is saying something!).
Whitianga is both a great place in itself to spend time and also a terrific base from which to explore more of what The Coromandel offers. Don't miss it!
**To make my travels possible and affordable I do so through international house-sitting, using both Trusted Housesitters and Kiwi Housesitters**
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