Whitianga & the Coromandel Peninsula

Whitianga is a beautiful coastal resort town, some two and a half hours from Auckland. It is situated on the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula, one of New Zealand's favourite holiday areas and offers a full range of visitors' services and attractions, including safe swimming, fishing, sunbathing, boating, horse riding, windsurfing and sightseeing. Local cuisine could be as simple as fish and chips or as elegant as Crayfish Mornay. Cafes and restaurants make the most of the seafood that can be easily caught in the surrounding waters.

The Coromandel Peninsula lies east of Auckland, on the other side of the Hauraki Gulf. An impressive, heavily forested mountain range runs right up the middle of this peninsula - it’s bordered on each side by kilometres of spectacular coastline. On the west coast, there’s a never-ending parade of beaches, coves and harbours lined with pohutukawa trees (a red flowering native of New Zealand) . The eastern side of the Coromandel is furnished with an amazing collection of white sand and surf beaches.

The Coromandel's fascinating history is evident in gold mining relics, logging dams and ancient Maori pa (fortified village) sites. The past can also be found in the charming colonial architecture and historical buildings preserved in several towns around the region. The coastal nature of the Coromandel makes it a brilliant choice if you like to fish, surf, dive, swim or wander along beaches. For contrast you can head for the hills and hike the trails in the forest.

(©Tourism New Zealand)

Travel Times

From Whitianga	Time	Distance
AUCKLAND	3 hrs	202 km
COROMANDEL	50 min	44 km
HAHEI	45 min	38 km
HOT WATER BEACH	45 min	37 km
TAIRUA	40 min	42 km
THAMES	90 min	90 km
WHANGAMATA	90 min	83 km