Holiday like a local – Summer in The Coromandel

Locals would say that it is summer in The Coromandel for half the year. The first signs appear late in November, as Pohutukawa flowers turn the tree-clad coastline a deep crimson.  The colours of the New Zealand Christmas tree announce the end of the school and work year, and the start of the long hot summer holidays.

Time to pack up the chilly bins, the togs and boogie boards, the new fishing rods and the best-seller paperback you’ve been waiting to read.  Everyone heads for their favourite spot, maybe a bach, a campsite, motel or apartment, at the beach, in the bush or up the valley. Summer means fishing trips to the end of rocky headlands, boating excursions to feed assembled friends, watching the kids at their endless body surfing in the rolling waves.

With such a long coastline, over 400km, it’s no wonder that getting out on the water is such a popular pastime. With a combination of safe swimming beaches and harbours, and thrilling surf breaks, there is a swimming spot for all conditions.  But boating is not just reserved for locals, out for a day of relaxation, bringing home their spoils for an evening barbeque.  If you don’t have a dinghy, a boat charter will deliver a magic day on the water, and something to take home or brag about.

Whether its fishing the more sheltered waters of the Hauraki Gulf or an offshore adventure to one of the barrier islands, Coromandel Fishing Charters will help you discover some of New Zealand’s finest marine environments. Running out of Coromandel Town, with easy access to the big snapper cruising the mussel farms in the bay, the two boats offer a fast comfortable ride. With full facilities on board, including a bathroom and kitchen, the boats have a roomy deck for playing and hooking that big one, and space for the extended family to enjoy the stunning coastal views.

As summer progresses, the darker blue water recedes, and the sea temperature rises steadily to reach 20-24 degrees C, about the same temperature as the air. A sea breeze is welcome in the afternoons, but the temperature is rarely above 25 degrees C.  Sitting in the shade on the deck of “Ruben Jack”, barbequing freshly-landed snapper, what could be a better end to a day at sea? For the more adventuresome, Coromandel Fishing Charters have all on board for an overnight or multi-day trip, with no set course apart from those dictated by tide, wind and whim.

Summer goes on into the New Year, with visiting friends, barbeques and fireworks.  It continues with hikes into the bush chasing cooling waterfalls and swimming holes, and picnics in the shade. For many, the heat of the summer is best spent in the cool green interior of The Coromandel, home to some great one-day and overnight walks. The Karangahake Gorge is a must-visit every summer. With the murmur of the Ohinemuri River as a soundtrack and the enticing shade of the native forest in the deep valleys and the old railways tunnels through the steep hills to explore.  Long a walkers’ paradise, the ongoing development of the Hauraki Rail Trail, one of New Zealand’s easiest Great Rides provides a relaxed way to get off the usual routes and delve into the stories of the region.

Starting your exploration of the Trail in Thames makes sense.  You can choose several directions form here. Ride south over farmlands with the Coromandel Ranges on your shoulder, as you experience the rural tranquility and homegrown delights that lie along the route to Paeroa.  With an E-Bike from Jolly Bikes in Thames, you will have the latest fun way to venture along this flat trail, and all you need for a half-day family excursion, or a multi-day end to end trail adventure.  Before you leave Thames, bike around to visit the heritage attractions, harking back to this town’s glory days when the discovery of several gold-rich reefs in 1867 created a town overnight and New Zealand’s first stock-market boom.

From Thames you can also head west, over the Waihou River, by the historic Kopu Bridge and on over the plains and marshlands to the Shorebird Coast, Miranda and Kaiaua. This newest section of the Hauraki Rail Trail offers yet another fascinating insight into this diverse region. The Shorebird Coast is a hive of activity.  As a wintering point for thousands of Arctic nesting birds, it is also a rare landform known as a Chenier Plain, and home to wetlands of international significance under RAMSAR, the oldest of the modern global intergovernmental environmental agreements. Wild nature up close.

And to finish off a day of activity, what better than a soak in one of the natural thermal springs found in The Coromandel.  If sharing a salty pool with sand in your togs is not your idea of a tranquil wind-down, skip Hot Water Beach and head to The Lost Spring in Whitianga. This is placing to leave the kids behind and head to the soothing waters for some personal time and rejuvenation. With its full day spa, restaurant and pool service, this tranquil hideaway in the middle of downtown Whitianga is a haven of luxury and indulgence.  From the moment you enter the tropical gardens surrounding the pools, a sense of calm descends, and you are immediately transported to an oasis of relaxation and pampering. That laid-back Coromandel holiday vibe, good for your soul.