Mercury Bay Holiday Park

With mineral water underneath its fine sand, Hot Water Beach (half an hour’s drive) is a unique place to spend a day at a Pacific beach. Come low tide or two hours on either side, it’s possible to dig your own hot pool. Easterly swells are on-hand for surfers too. The Te Whanganui-A-Hei (Cathedral Cove) Marine Reserve (35 minutes) is a splendid scuba and snorkel spot. Between Hahei Beach and Cathedral Cove, there’s a one-hour trek to an arched cavern, a cove with shady Pohutukawa trees - picnic, anyone? Perhaps you’re after more peaceful beach strolls with big Pohutukawa trees or a nikau forest as scenery. That’s the case at New Chums Beach (40 minutes). Coromandel (50 minutes) is on the coast too, but there’s more than just sand. The Driving Creek Railway makes its ascent to the Eyefull Tower for views of Hauraki Gulf and Islands, passing by forests and pottery sculptures. A gold mining history museum also recalls the town’s mining past.