Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Sleeping & Eating
Hot Water Beach Top 10 Holiday Park
(
HOLIDAY PARK
$
07-866 3116;
www.hotwaterbeachholidaypark.com
; 790 Hot Water Beach Rd; campsites from $18, dm $30, units
$70-200; )
Bordered by tall bamboo and gum trees, this is a very well-run holiday
park with everything from grassy campsites, through to a brand-new and spotless back-
packers lodge, and stylish villas with arched ceilings crafted from New Zealand timber.
Hot Water Beach B&B
( 07-866 3991;
www.hotwaterbedandbreakfast.co.nz
;
48 Pye Pl; r $260)
This hillside pad has priceless
views, a spa bath on the deck, and attractive living quarters.
B&B
$$$
Hot Waves
(8 Pye Pl; mains $12-26; 8.30am-4pm, to 8.30pm Fri & Sat Dec-Feb)
In summer everyone wants a
garden table at this excellent cafe. It also hires spades for the beach ($5). Ask about occa-
sional Sunday-afternoon music sessions from 1pm.
CAFE
$
Getting There & Away
The Hahei bus services Tairua Bus Company (
Click here
)
and Cathedral Cove Shuttle
(
Click here
)
stop here, but usually only on prebooked requests.
SAFETY
Hot Water Beach has dangerous rips, especially directly in front of the main thermal section. It's one of the four
most dangerous beaches in NZ in terms of drowning numbers, although this may be skewed by the huge number
of tourists that flock here. Regardless, swimming here is
not
safe if the lifeguards aren't on patrol.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Tairua
POP 1270
Tairua and its twin town Pauanui sit either side of a river estuary that's perfect for wind-
surfing or for little kids to splash about in. Both have excellent surf beaches (Pauanui's is
probably a shade better), but that's where the similarity stops. Where Tairua is a function-
