Forest-clad ridges, rugged hills, beautiful beaches and a view of the ocean are the highlights of Rizauddin Ibrahim’s visit to New Zealand’s north island
THE Coromandel Peninsula on the north island of New Zealand is a small peninsular with two distinct coastlines. Its western coastline faces Hauraki Gulf while the east faces the Pacific Ocean. Between these coasts is theCoromandel Range where forest-clad ridges and rugged hills are the main features.
The peninsular, which extends out to the sea from the Waikato region, is a juxtaposition that evokes a sense of wanderlust.
Our jaunt to Coromandel Peninsula starts at Thames, a sizeable town that was booming in the 1860s due to the gold rush. Located at the mouth of Firth of Thames in Hauraki Gulf, the town spreads out to the shore from the foot of Coromandel Range. It is a perfect place to stay in when visitingCoromandel Peninsula. From here, most attractions are within one to two hours’ drive.
THE TAMED ROAD
Our self-drive tour in Coromandel Peninsula follows New Zealand’s State Highway 25, which loops around the peninsular. From Thames, we drive north on the road that runs along the shore. This road is known as Thames Coast Road.
The road winds along the shoreline and sits directly on the foot of Coromandel Range. We get the sea view on our left and the view of the forest on our right. It gives off an amazing effect of light and shadow as we drive along. Often, we drive along the bend through the shadow cast by the vertical cliff and vegetation, only to emerge in glorious sunlight that soon turns into a vista of the blue sea, beaches and pohutukawa trees.
We pass several small towns and villages that seem to be in a quaint state. It is a seducing drive. Even driving at a slower speed is not enough to soak in its beauty. So we make regular stops at beaches or towns to enjoy the view or simple to see the pohutukawa trees that line the road. Its gnarled buttress and twisted branches are worth admiring from close range.
We have a last look at the coast from the roadside vantage look out point in the area around Wilson Bay before the road turns inwards and starts to wind across the hilly terrain. Near Coromandel Town, we detour from State Highway 25 and turn into a smaller trunk road. This road is known as 309 Road.
THE UNSEALED ROAD
The 309 Road is 22km of unsealed gravel road which winds from the western side of Coromandel Peninsula to the eastern side, crossing theCoromandel Range. It is a dangerous and accident-prone road.
The only reason we are taking this road instead of the smooth State Highway 25 is the attractions along this route. One example is Waiau where the forest is crested with waterfalls and kauri trees.
Our first stop is Waiau Falls, a beautiful waterfall where the water from Waiau Stream crashes on a rock face into the pool below. A short drive from the waterfall is Kauri Grove, home to 13 mature kauri trees, which are native to New Zealand. The trees have been heavily decimated by logging. The grove is home to some of the last kauri trees left in the country, particularly inCoromandel Peninsula. Kauri trees have been logged since 1795 to build ships for the British Navy.
Here in Waitau, the trees can be seen closely, thanks to the well-defined track and boardwalk. The tallest and biggest tree in this grove has a wooden platform built around it. It is a ritual to hug this “chief” tree when visiting this place.
However, the most interesting thing about the grove are the Siamese kauri trees. These trees are conjoined at their lower trunks. They began as two separate seedlings that grew closely until their diameter grew and fused together.
HOT BEACHES
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The 309 Road takes us to the eastern side of the Coromandel Peninsula as we reenter the State Highway 25 to make our way to Whitianga. It is already late evening when we arrive at our lodge.
The following day, we head south and exit the highway at the peninsular’s eastern coast where Hot Water Beach is located. Underground hot springs emerge to the surface of this sandy beach. Unfortunately, it is high tide. The hot springs are accessible only during low tide. Nevertheless, the sight of the goldensandy beach that opens up to the Pacific Ocean is still picturesque.
We drive to Hahei where another beach awaits. Hahei is a small town with a white sandy beach. Its famous landmark Cathedral Cove draws holiday makers.
The cove is accessible either by water taxi from Hahei Beach or by hiking. We choose the 2.5km hike that offers a view of the sea on one side and pasture land on the other. There are also side trails to Gemstone Bay and Stingray Bay. Somehere along the trails, we have an almost unobstructed view of the Pacific Ocean and some islands.
On the last leg of our hike, we scramble down to the beach. The reward is magnificent! It’s the iconic cave tunnel. Delicately sculptured by wind and water, the cave tunnel or archway stands like an ancient cathedral. During low tide, visitors can walk to the other side of the beach where another amazing rock formation, Te Hoho, awaits.
Circled by trees and vegetation, the beach at Cathedral Cove is the scenic setting for the movie, Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian.
After a few hours in Cathedral Cove, including the hike back to Hahei Beach, we continue our journey to complete the loop drive around Coromandel Peninsula. We make one last pit stop at Tairua, a coastal town with Mount Paku dominating its background.
We ask a friendly local about it at the petrol station. He tells us that the mountain can be climbed and shows us the road to its base. Soon, we are on the track up the mountain. Despite its steepness, the climb is made easy with the stairs.
At the summit, we get a 360-degree view of Tairua town, the Pacific Ocean and several islands. We take our time enjoying the view before hitting the road to end our loop drive around the beautiful peninsular.
HOW TO GET THERE
A self-drive tour around New Zealand is the best way to discover the country. The roads are good and not busy. Most of the car rental companies have counters at the airport. Rental starts from around NZ$20 (RM58) per day. It is best to book online pre-arrival. Malaysians don’t require an international driving permit to drive in New Zealand as our driving licences are accepted.