Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Mercury Bay Estate
(
www.mercurybayestate.co.nz
;
761a Purangi Rd, Cooks Beach; platters $18-35, wine tasting $8-12)
Repurposed
timber and corrugated iron feature at this rustic but chic vineyard en route from Ferry
Landing to Cooks Beach. Local artwork is for sale, and seafood, cheese and charcuterie
platters team well with wines like the excellent Lonely Bay chardonnay.
WINERY
$$
PUB
The Pour House
(
www.coromandelbrewingcompany.co.nz
;
7 Grange Rd; 11am-11pm)
Home base for the Coromandel
Brewing Company, this pub and bistro features its five beers alongside regular guest taps
from other Kiwi craft breweries. Platters of meat, cheese and local seafood combine with
decent pizzas in the beer garden, and our favourite brew is the Cloud 9 Belgian-style
wheat beer. Reduced hours outside of summer.
Getting There & Around
Tairua Bus Company (
Click here
) has bus connections to Hahei. In the height of summer
the council runs a bus service from the Cooks Beach side of the ferry landing to Hot
Water Beach, stopping at Hahei (adult/child $3/2). Another option on the same route is the
Cathedral Cove Shuttle
(
027 422 5899;
www.cathedralcoveshuttles.co.nz
; up to 5 passengers $30)
.
Cathedral Cove Water Taxi
( 027 919 0563;
www.cathedralcovewatertaxi.co.nz
; return/one way adult $25/15,
child $15/10, every 30 min)
Has water taxis from Hahei to Cathedral Cove.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Hot Water Beach
Justifiably famous, Hot Water Beach is quite extraordinary. For two hours either side of
low tide, you can access an area of sand in front of a rocky outcrop at the middle of the
beach where hot water oozes up from beneath the surface. Bring a spade, dig a hole and
voila
,
you've got a personal spa pool. Surfers stop off before the main beach to access
some decent breaks. The headland between the two beaches still has traces of a Ngati Hei
pa
.
Spades ($5) can be hired from the
Hot Water Beach Store
(Pye Pl;
9am-5pm)
, which also has
Hottie's Cafe attached.
Near the beach,
Moko
(
www.moko.co.nz
; 24 Pye Pl;
10am-5pm)
has art, sculpture and jew-
ellery with a modern Pasifika/Maori bent.
