New Zealand: A Caravan Experience
Written By: SUSANNE LOMATCH
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Coromandel Coast
Day 5-6
Our first destination (and it ought to be yours as well) was the Coromandel peninsula.
Make sure to allot most of the day to driving from Auckland to the start of the peninsula
on the west side at Kopu/Thames, and then around the peninsula, as the road (R25) is a
narrow two-lane in some spots and there are many fantastic coastal features along the
way. If you can so arrange, a lunch at Coromandel Town at the northern tip and an
afternoon destination of Hahei are recommended. We set our sights on a caravan park at
Hahei, on the beach, and a stone’s throw from the famed Cathedral Cove trails. The day
started out rainy and windy, with turbulent seas, but cleared as we approached
Coromandel Town, a small sleepy fishing village with loads of charm. Fish and chips,
clam chowder and local Ohui Reserve Chardonnay (filled with crisp stone fruit) were
refreshing fare on a blustery day.
From Coromandel to the east coastal areas, the road climbs to a point and offers panoramic
views on both the west and east sides. Spiraling down toward Whitianga, the colored rock
formations off along the Pacific coast come into view. Driving inland and then toward the
coast again to Hahei, the skies continue to clear – a gift for our evening on the beach and
for hiking the next day. Cathedral Cove is one of the most photogenic places on the NI.
Accessible only by hiking trail or boat, many choose to get there via sea kayak as well.
The structure itself is a massive natural wash out of rock, shape reminiscent of a cathedral.
Several other amazing rock structures surround the beach area, including one that looks like
a tall schooner.
People-watching is part of the experience. The round trip hike is several
miles – requiring a few hours if you plan to take pictures or relax/play on the beach at the
Cove. Several trail cutoffs lead down to rocky inlets, one of which is quite popular for its
excellent snorkeling (the area is a marine reserve). The air and water were still quite cold
during our visit, but we watched a few divers clad in full wetsuits. The rocky water ingress
requires good footing, and best reached by boat, as the trail back up is steep.
Before leaving the area, we stopped at Hot Water Beach, another natural hot springs that effuses
directly into the Pacific – and whose pools change with the tides. Coromandel Photography.
The drive south was much longer than we expected – a constant roll up and down with
sharp turns – a workout in our diesel manual truck that lacked horsepower. As we
approached our next overnight caravan park at Tauranga, we came upon our first caravan
winery, Morton Estate, near Katikati. The tasting room is right off of the highway R2,
and despite 15 minutes from closing, we were warmly greeted by winery tasting staff.
The highlights: their excellent Chardonnays (filled with concentrated stone fruit, nougat
and a crisp oak bitterness that adds to the character) and a Sauterne-style dessert wine. As
we hit Tauranga and checked into a park on the bay, we discovered that our credit card
company had placed a hold on one of our cards. Worried that we’d been compromised,
we spent over an hour trying to locate an international calling card vendor (prepaid cell
phones being non-existent), to check in with our card company. Credit cards, especially
those that don’t charge an additional fee for international transactions in other currencies,
are indispensable. Daily charges during a fluctuating U.S. dollar toward the upside can
mean sizable savings. After finally reaching our card company, they informed us that we
were flagged for international charges (out of the ordinary, after not traveling overseas
for a few years) and that next time we should give them a heads up on international
travel. An over-reaction, given our credit rating, but it is hard to compete with an
automated fraud program. We shook our heads, muttered expletives and enjoyed a 2004
Morton Estate Black Label Hawkes Bay Chardonnay with some local NZ scallops, pan-fried in garlic butter for an inaugural caravan dinner.