Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Waikato & Coromandel Peninsula
Why Go?
Verdant rolling hills line New Zealand's mighty Waikato River, and adrenaline junkies can
surf at Raglan, or undertake extreme underground pursuits in the extraordinary Waitomo
Caves.
But this is also Tainui country. In the 1850s this powerful Maori tribal coalition elected a
king to resist the loss of land and sovereignty. The fertile Waikato was forcibly taken from
them, but they retained control of the rugged King Country to within a whisper of the 20th
century.
To the northeast, the Coromandel Peninsula juts into the Pacific, forming the Hauraki
Gulf's eastern boundary. The peninsula's east coast has some of the North Island's best
white-sand beaches, and the muddy wetlands and picturesque stony bays of the west coast
have long been a refuge for alternative lifestylers. Down the middle, the mountains are
criss-crossed with walking tracks, allowing trampers to explore large tracts of isolated bush
studded with kauri trees.
When to Go
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Beachy accommodation in Waihi, Whitianga, Whangamata and Raglan peaks across the
summer holidays from Christmas until the end of January. New Year's Eve in particular can
be very busy.
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Balmy February and March are much quieter around the Coromandel Peninsula with
settled weather and smaller crowds. Rainfall peaks in the mountainous Coromandel region
from May to September.
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The Waikato region can see summer droughts, but the southern area around Taumarunui
is often wetter and colder.
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If you avoid the height of summer school holidays (Christmas to January), accommoda-
tion is plentiful in the Waikato region.
»
Raglan's surf breaks are popular year-round.
