Holidaying at or near any of these beautiful Coromandel beaches is well worth the drive for a break away from everyday life. Coromandel is a holiday hot spot in New Zealand’s North Island is sprinkled with beautiful white sand beaches; each accompanied by a cute town and draped with the clear blue ocean waters of the Pacific Ocean you would be forgiven for thinking you were on an island paradise.

The Coromandel in New Zealand’s North Island is a popular holiday destination for kiwis every summer. Beach towns like Pauanui, Hahei, Whangamata, and Whitianga draw in thousands each summer with their festivals, weekend markets, and the abundance of beaches and hikes.

These 4 Coromandel beaches are all within an hour’s drive of each other so can all be visited in a single weekend, depending on how much sunblock you have.

Finding Coromandel Accommodation

Obviously before you start exploring the coastline of the Coromandel you’ll probably need to find some accommodation in the Coromandel. We stayed at Hush Boutique just down the road from the Coromandel township. This little slice of paradise is perfect for couples or small families who want a bit of privacy and quiet during their stay, there are several wooden cabins dotted around which you can choose from to stay in and they all sit a fair distance away from each other so you aren’t sharing walls or even decking space. Hush Boutique has a full working shared kitchen which you can cook and prepare meals in and gives the feel as if you’re cooking in the rainforest.

The shared backyard offers a great little picnic spot and there are several backyard games on offer to play, as well as the boundary fence being shared by a couple of beautiful kunekune pigs!

If you would like to read more about Hush Boutique accommodation then check out my blog post! This is definitely a place we will be staying again.

Otama Beach

Otama beach is a short drive from Kuaotunu and 25 minutes North of Whitianga on the Eastern side of the Coromandel Peninsula. This is the beach you’ll hit on your way to discovering Opito Bay, another beautiful Coromandel beach mentioned next. The landscape surrounding Otama Beach is hilly and rugged, a dirt road leads you to this seemingly remote landscape, planting you in a time zone where time doesn’t seem to matter.

The day we visited Otama Beach the waves were relatively small, but still created an amazing scene when crashing against the rocks and cliff faces at one end of the beach.

Opito Bay

Opito Bay is a hidden paradise, and unless you know it exists you probably wouldn’t accidentally come across it. Our accommodation hosts at Hush recommended this as one of the best beaches in the Coromandel. are explicitly told to use our Google map directions; as you won’t find any directional signs for this picturesque beach.
Opito Bay was our favourite beach trip during our short stay in the Coromandel, the water was warm and the waves were just big enough to keep the swim interesting, but not enough to scare me out of the water.

The beach is sheltered and tucked away sitting lower than the surrounding roads and buildings. With plenty of low-lying trees, we found ourselves a great little private area on Opito beach bordered by several Pohutakawa. Parking is conveniently available directly above the beach on the grassy bank. Access to the beach is via a short flight of stairs. So depending on where you set up camp for the day you may only be a short walk back to your vehile, because let’s admit we always leave something behind.

New Chums Beach

New Chums Beach is a popular destination for people wanting a little slice of a remote paradise. With no houses or cars in sight and set along the edge of dense bush makes this is one of the North Islands’ most beautiful beaches. It’s no surprise why thousands of holidaymakers flock here every summer.
This popular Coromandel beach sits next door to Whangapoua township, but New Chums is only accessible by foot and during low tide.

The carpark at the end of Mangakahia road in Whangapoua is a short distance from New Chums beach entrance. Starting at the northern end of Whangapoua beach, make your way along the river inlet towards the bush. You’ll soon discover a steady stream of people either exiting or entering the bush before you. But you will need either steady shoes or tough feet thanks to the fair distance of rocks you have to walk over before reaching the New Chums walkway. I made the mistake of wearing my slides while trying to balance my camera bag on one shoulder. My left shin and several toes paid for it in the end, but it was well worth the trip.

Getting to New Chums Lookout

New Chums beach is probably one of the most popular Coromandel beaches, but not because of its white sand and clear blue water. The cliff-top view overlooking Wainuiototo/New Chums beach is hugely popular among those wanting a photo above a gorgeous white sand beach, or simply a cool photo to post to Instagram. And although the view from the top is incredible, the climb up to it isn’t so much. A warning sign posted at the beginning of the climb is the only form of protection between you and potentially injuring or killing yourself.

I made it halfway up to the top of the New Chums Beach lookout before deciding I had gone far enough. I love sharing exciting and new adventures with my readers, but I’d prefer not to encourage anyone to make this climb just for a photo. Hundreds of people a month climb to the top of the cliff safely, but I wouldn’t personally recommend anyone to do something I couldn’t do without the fear of impending death or serious injury.

If hiking to the very pinnacle of steep cliffs interest you, then you can easily Google pictures of New Chums lookout and make your decision based off someone else’s Instagram photo. Otherwise enjoy the beach for what it is rather than for a few likes on social media.

Whangapoua Beach

Whangapoua beach is the first white sand you touch before embarking on your intrepid journey to New Chums beach. Whangapoua is just as beautiful with a crisp white shoreline and beautiful clear blue water. This beach is a great option for anyone who many not be able to make the journey to New Chums but still wants to bask in the goodness of the Coromandel sunshine.

Access can be made to Whangapoua beach in several locations dotted along Mangakahia Road, with plenty of parking available at the northern end of Mangakahia Rd. During summer you will often find an ice cream truck perched at the entrance to the beach at this end serving real fruit ice cream.

Other Things to do in Coromandel

Driving Creek Railway Tours

If you love pottery, small trains and exploring nature then Driving Creek is the next tourist attraction you need to check out in the Coromandel. Driving Creek Railway Tours is one of the oldest and most beloved tourist attractions in the Coromandel with their pottery workshops, ziplining and train tours through native forest. Perfect for a family day out and during any weather conditions, their small cafe offers great coffee and their shop sells some amazing pottery by resident artists. If you want to find out more then check out my post on Driving Creek Railway Tours!

Coromandel Waterfall: Waiau Falls

Waiau waterfall is a great little waterfall just outside of Coromandel township; the rushing fresh waterfall makes for a nice change from the sandy saltwater beaches. Simple head south on state highway 25 then turn left onto 309 Road for about 6km, you will eventually come across a clearing in the road and a whole bunch of pigs and piglets; this is Stuart’s farm and he has a ton of pigs on his property that he keeps as pets. Feel free to stop for a picture; Stuart is a lovely man and will happily let you hold a piglet or two. Continue on 309 road and keep an eye out for a small carpark and sign for Waiau falls. The track to this Coromandel waterfall is short but I do recommend wearing closed shoes so you can make your way down the rocks without stubbing a toe.

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The Coromandel is one of the most favoured locations for Kiwis to holiday in the summer, and this list gives a small snippet into the very good reasons of why it’s loved so much! Take the opportunity to explore of New Zealand’s most loved holiday destinations this summer and explore the natural wonders of the Coromandel.