Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Go Kiwi
( 07-866 0336;
www.go-kiwi.co.nz
)
Has daily Auckland City-International Air-
port-Thames-Tairua-Whitianga shuttles year-round, with a connection to Opoutere and
Whangamata. From mid-December to Easter it also runs Ro-
torua-Tauranga-Waihi-Whangamata-Whitianga and Coromandel Town-Whitianga
shuttles.
InterCity
(
www.intercity.co.nz
)
Has two routes to/from the Coromandel peninsula: Auck-
land-Thames-Paeroa-Waihi-Tauranga and Hamilton-Te
Aroha-Paeroa-Thames-Coromandel Town. Local routes include Thames-Coromandel
Town-Whitianga and Whitianga-Tairua-Thames.
Naked Bus
(
www.nakedbus.com
)
Buses on the Auckland-Tauranga-Mt
Maunganui-Rotorua-Gisborne route stop at Ngatea, where local associate Tairua Bus
Company continues on to Whitianga.
Tairua Bus Company
(TBC; 07-808 0748;
www.tairuabus.co.nz
)
Local buses on the
Thames-Tairua-Hahei-Whitianga-Coromandel Town route and a
Hamilton-Cambridge-Te Aroha-Thames-Tairua service.
CAR
Car is the only option for accessing some of the more remote areas, but be careful to
check hire agreements as there are plenty of gravel roads and a few streams to ford. Most
of them are in good condition and even a small car can cope unless the weather's been
particularly wet.
ESSENTIAL WAIKATO & COROMANDEL PENINSULA
Eat
Coromandel bivalves - mussels, oysters and scallops are local specialities
Drink
Local craft beer from Hamilton's Good George (
Click here
)
Read
The Penguin History of New Zealand
(2003) by the late Michael King, an Opoutere resident
Listen to
The Waikato-influenced sounds of Kimbra, the Topp Twins and the Datsuns
Watch
The birds at Miranda the Firth of Thames
Festival
The Coromandel Peninsula-wide
Pohutukawa Festival
(
www.pohutukawafestival.co.nz
)
Go green
Off-the-grid tepees at Solscape (
Click here
)
Area code
07
