Location

TE PUIA is located at Hot Water Beach, New Zealand.

Hot Water Beach is located on the eastern seaboard of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes south of Whitianga. You can easily walk around the small village of Hot Water Beach from the central location of Te Puia Lodge.

This is a location steeped with New Zealand history. It has one of the earliest known Maori pa (fortified village) sites that was the home of the Ngati Hei tribe. The pa was named Te Puia, because of the hot springs that are exposed on the beach at low tide. This unique feature on our beautiful ocean beach attracts visitors from all around the world. Pick your spot at low tide and after a bit of digging with a spade you will have your very own hot spa pool on the beach.

Many beautiful beaches and landmarks are nearby making the house a great base to explore from. The Coromandel region features some of New Zealand’s best beaches. With around 400km’s of coastline and over 100 offshore islands, it is one of New Zealand’s favourite marine playgrounds for diving, fishing and surfing. There are also many excellent bush walks throughout the local area.

Walks and Tracks

The Coromandel is a walker’s dream – with a centre dominated by a range of jagged mountains and its fringes scattered with picturesque coves and beaches. The mountains are remnant of the Coromandel’s volcanic past and are largely covered in regenerating native bush recovering from the pioneering past. Many of the walks in the area are steeped in gold mining and kauri logging history. From short walks nearby to day trips in northern Coromandel or an overnight stay at the Pinnacles hut. The Coromandel has something for everyone!

• NORTHERN COROMANDEL WALKWAY
  The stunning walkway is from Fletcher Bay to Stony Bay located at the very top of the peninsula. The walk provides great views of the coastline and offshore islands (Great Barrier Island, Cuvier, Mercury Islands, etc.). Visitors have the option of doing the walk return (6- 8 hours walking time) or joining an organised tour, who collect visitors from Coromandel Town, drop them at Fletcher Bay and pick them up at Stony Bay and return them to Coromandel Town. This is an excellent way to experience the rugged beauty of Northern Coromandel!
• KAURI GROVE WALK
  8km along the 309 Road from Coromandel you will find parking space on the right side of the road. The walk is on the left side of the road. These Kauri trees have been protected over a hundred years and are truly magnificent. The track is well formed with footbridges and boardwalks, an excellent easy walk for tree lovers taking only 10-15 minutes.
• NEW CHUM BEACH
  Hidden away from the masses and the intrepid traveller will find ‘New Chum Beach’, voted as one of the world’s top 10 beaches. New Chum beach embodies ‘The Coromandel good for your soul’ This protected beach has no buildings, no roads, no infrastructure or camping – it is a jewel in New Zealand’s coastal crown. From the north end of Whangapoua beach, cross the stream to begin your walk along the rocky shoreline and over the headland. The 1km long Wainuiototo Bay, or New Chums Beach, is approximately 30-40 mins walk via the Mangakahia Dr track over the saddle through spectacular nikau forest and huge Pohutukawa. There is a public toilet at William Mangakahia Lagoon Reserve. There is a staunch following with local’s and visitors alike keen to see the beach remain as it is forever. Find out more at www.preservenewchum.org.nz

Sights and Attractions

• CATHEDRAL COVE MACADAMIAS
  Take in the beautiful surroundings as you walk around the orchard of Macadamia, New Zealand Native & Fruit trees. Visit the orchard shop to purchase a range of macadamia products and seasonal produce. Or take a guided tour, followed by sampling the range of macadamia products.
• COROGLEN FARMER’S MARKET
  Local produce and crafts at Coroglen Gumtown Hall. The market is held on Sunday mornings from 9.30am – 1pm (between Labour weekend in October and Queen’s Birthday weekend in June).
• WHITI FARM PARK
  Close encounters of the animal kind! Feed and interact with friendly farmyard and other exotic animals. Unique machinery and games are dotted around to inspire, intrigue and educate. An affordable, fun filled, day out for ALL the family. Picnic, play, explore and enjoy.
• FUN ZONE PAINTBALL & ADVENTURE FAMILY PARK
  If you are seeking an action packed holiday, try paintball set in beautiful native bush near Whitianga. They have two fantastic paintball fields plus archery for beginners, paintball/air rifle target shooting and kids quad bike rides.
• WHITIANGA BIKE PARK
  Whitianga Bike Park offers about 3 hours riding at various grades. There is a BMX track, a PUMP track, a DIRT track and a Skill Zone, plus a BBQ picnic area. Whether you are there for mountain biking or walking there are trails to explore. Half day and full day rides. All free to use.
  You can get a copy of the Whitianga Bike Club trail guide from the Whitianga Information Centre.
• TAKE THE FERRY
  Drive to nearby Ferry Landing and catch the ferry for a short but picturesque cruise to the other side – Whitianga! Whitianga is a well-equipped beach town with shops, a cinema, lots of cafes and restaurants to choose from and a whole raft of activities and fun for the family. Passenger ferry only (no cars).
  Ferry Timetable: 7:30am – 7:30pm
• BIRDWOOD SPRINGS MINI-PUTT
  With 18 challenging holes Birdwood Springs provides fun and recreation for all the family. The theme of the park is based on a series of popular childrens books, the latest being ‘Kee-Wee Saves Birdwood Springs’.
• GOLF
  Nearby Purangi Golf Course offers 9 holes. Also on the Peninsula are Mercury Bay Golf Course, 18 holes and Lakes Resort Golf Course in Pauanui, also 18 holes.
• MERCURY BAY MUSEUM
  A perfect rainy day activity for the kids! The museum houses exhibits about the Polynesian navigator Kupe, Maori Artifacts, the Endeavour and James Cook, HMS Buffalo (sunk 1840), Kauri Timber and Kauri Gum, the old Dairy Factory in which the Museum is housed, early settlers records and photographic collection, Natural History displays and the History of Fishing display.
• THE LOST SPRING
  Experience the magic of Whitianga’s luxury Day Spa and Geo-Thermal Pools. Nestled in the heart of Whitianga, the pools of the Lost Spring are surrounded by tropical and native bush. Relax in the pools and be waited on by friendly staff. Let The Lost Spring Day Spa pamper you with massages and treatments in luxurious tree-top therapy rooms. Cafe/restaurant on site. 14 year olds and over only.
• THE WATERWORKS
  Showcasing the best of quirky Kiwi ingenuity – there is nothing like this in New Zealand or the world! Liquid fun for the whole family! Visit the beautiful gardens full of 70+ quaint and quirky contraptions created by Chris. A unique experience where you can laugh and play with interactive toys made with all sorts of everyday items. There is a café, picnic areas and free gas BBQ’s. Situated near the Coromandel Town end of the 309 Road. Open 9-5 all year, later during summer.
• COROMANDEL TOWN
  With its relaxed, laid-back lifestyle, Coromandel Town attracts talented artists and craftspeople from around the country – inspired not only by the tranquil atmosphere, but also by the spectacular natural surrounds. The discovery of gold at Driving Creek in 1852 brought a boom to Coromandel Town, and the area has continued to flourish while retaining much of its history from those times.
• DRIVING CREEK RAILWAY AND POTTERIES
  A truly unique destination with a one hour train ride taking you through dense replanted Kauri forest on NZ’s only narrow gauge railway. You will find artistic surprises on the way and get superb views from the Eye-full Tower. Pottery and sculpture for sale. Magnificent engineering, unique art and great family fun! Trains run daily at 10am and 2pm with many extra trains over summer and on holidays. Bookings are advisable.

Beaches

Many beautiful beaches and landmarks are nearby making Te Puia a great base to explore from. The kilometres of coastline in the Coromandel region feature some of New Zealand’s best beaches for swimming, surfing, water activities or simply enjoying the scenery. With around 400kms of coastline and over 100 offshore islands, the Coromandel is one of New Zealand’s favourite marine playgrounds. Within 15 minutes drive you can visit, Cooks Beach, Purangi Estuary, Shakespeare’s Cliff, Flaxmill Bay, Front Beach and Ferry Landing. Heading south you will find Sailor’s Grave, Tairua and Pauanui. Or head north to enjoy Coroglen, Whitianga, Simpson’s Beach, Kuaotunu, Otama, Opito, Whangapoua and New Chums and Coromandel town.

For a great day trip that is only a 5 minute drive don’t miss Hahei and Cathedral Cove. From the stunning lookout above Hahei or using the track from the northern end of Hahei Beach, a scenic walk takes you to one of New Zealand’s ‘must see’ destinations, Cathedral Cove. The 2 hour return walk also gives access to Gemstone Bay, Stoney Bay and Mare’s Leg, all part of the Te Whanganui-a-Hei Marine Reserve. Park at Lees road or shuttle from the carpark at the entrance of Hahei village. Hahei Beach is also excellent for swimming and family fun. Diving, snorkelling/kayak gear hire and guided tours, water taxi and scenic boat tours are also available.

Food & Dining

If you’re eating in you can get general supplies from Hot Water Beach Top 10 Holiday Park or from Hahei General Store. The nearest major supermarkets are at Whitianga. If you would rather have somebody else do the cooking, here are our picks of the local cafes, restaurants and bars:

• COLENSO COUNTRY CAFE 895 State Highway 25, Whenuakite
  Colenso is an iconic country licensed café and gift shop set in a relaxing country environment with seating amongst mandarin orchards and herb gardens.
• THE POUR HOUSE 7 Grange Road, Hahei
  A beautifully crafted little brewery bar with a uniquely Coromandel flavour. Bar and eatery with the option to view the brewer at work and chat with him if he is free! These beers are only available in the Coromandel, you will not find them anywhere else!
• HAHEI BEACH CAFE 3 Grange Road, Hahei. Situated in the heart of Hahei, we invite you to enjoy our simple, tasty food and great coffee – all served in a relaxed atmosphere by our friendly staff.
• HOT WATER BEACH BREWING CO 1043 State Highway 25, Whenuakite
  Coromandel’s newest craft brewery & brassiere has opened its doors and put some stunning brews on the menu. Come and try the beer matched delicious food on offer.
• THE CHURCH RESTAURANT 87 Beach Road, Hahei
  The Church Restaurant is housed in the original church building from the early 1900’s. Specialising in Mediterranean style tapas, and boasting an exceptional wine list, it is a truly memorable dining experience.
• EGGSENTRIC CAFE 1049 Purangi Road, Flaxmill Bay
  Experience the taste and feel of the Coromandel with live music, poetry, films, local and national musicians, Irish nights, art exhibitions, sculpture garden etc. Licensed and BYOW. Also Eggsentric Xtras our ‘Really Good Food Store’. A Deli with fresh fish, meats, vegetables, charcuterie, cheeses, local produce and much more.
• THE COROGLEN TAVERN 1937 Tairua Whitianga Road, Coroglen
  Located in the beautiful rural town of Coroglen on the Coromandel Peninsula. An iconic Kiwi Pub known for their lovable local rouges and stonking summer band lineups. Join them for a brew, a chompin’ burger and a bit of cheeky banter.
• BLUE GINGER 1/10 Blacksmith Lane, Whitianga
  Evening dining, asian grocery & deli items, fresh sushi, noodle boxes, hand blended teas, coffee and smoothies for takeaway, frozen gourmet meals, picnic hamper & provedore services.
• LUKE’S KITCHEN 20 Black Jack Road, Kuaotunu
  Fresh tasty homemade wood fired pizzas, wraps and snacks in a relaxed laid back atmosphere. We often host impromptu live music from the locals. See the events pages for our summer scheduled gigs. 
• MERCURY BAY ESTATE 761A Purangi Rd, Cooks Beach
  Overlooking the vineyard and the sparkling waters of the Mercury Bay, Mercury Bay Estate’s cellar door offers wine tastings in a picturesque setting. Relax and enjoy a taste of wine with a delicious platter of local food matched to Mercury Bay Estate wines. 

Water Activities

There are a whole bunch of boat tours and water activities in our local area. The following are our top picks. Obviously all water activities are dependant on sea and weather conditions, so make sure you plan ahead to avoid disappointment.

• GLASS BOTTOM BOAT
  The Glass Bottom Boat allows you to see many beautiful landmarks only accessible by sea while it’s under water windows let you enjoy the abundant sea life of our local marine reserve. We thoroughly recommend this trip as the best way to check out our spectacular marine reserve, short of getting in the water. We also loved the captain’s entertaining commentary about our area’s rich history, and the geographical and marine features. Departs from Whitianga wharf.
• HAHEI EXPLORER
  The Hahei Explorer is the original Cathedral Cove boat tour to Hahei’s marine reserve, stunning volcanic coastline and magnificent sea caves. The tour is unique because you get to see all the highlights of this amazing coastline in one hour. They take only ten passengers per boat, departing right off the beach at Hahei. Voted the number one water activity in NZ on the AA 101 must dos.
• CATHEDRAL COVE DIVE & SNORKEL
  Cathedral Cove Dive is locally owned and operated by a well trained and friendly team with unmatched knowledge of the marine area. They have top quality aqualung scuba gear for sale or hire. Being situated right at Hahei, many of their dive sites are only a 10 minute boat ride away with the option of diving inside or outside the marine reserve.
  
• CATHEDRAL COVE KAYAK TOURS
  Experience our amazing coastline in the best possible way – up close and personal in a modern sea kayak. Cathedral Cove Kayak Tours depart from Hahei Beach using modern kayaking equipment with qualified guides to give you full instruction and assistance. The range of tours are designed for all levels and abilities with no experience necessary.
• CATHEDRAL COVE WATER TAXI
  For a bit of fun and a lot less walking, catch the water taxi to Cathedral Cove. Pick-up & drop-off every 30 minutes from Hahei or Cathedral Cove. No bookings needed – just wait on the beach by the yellow/black flag.