Coromandel Town Overview

At the close of the 60s, most Kiwi hippies traded in their bell-bottoms for slacks and their peace signs for business cards. Others, however, headed to Coromandel (pop. 2000), where they continue to groove in harmony with art and nature. Ambitious visitors undertake treks along the coast or into the interior, while the less ambitious toast the sweeping green hills.

Transportation And Practical Information. Transport services change rapidly and vary considerably by season—check with the visitors center for schedules. InterCity runs to Whitianga (1hr.; daily 11:10am; in winter M-F and Su; $18, backpackers, students and seniors $15), continuing to Thames (1hr.; daily 7:30am; $30, backpackers $26, students and seniors $24). Coromandel Discovery (☎0800 668 175) goes to Fletcher’s Bay and the Coromandel Walkway (pickup after walk at Stony Bay) daily in the summer and on the weekends in winter (2-person min.; departs 9am, returns about 5:30pm; $90). 360 Discovery (☎0800 888 006) runs a ferry from Auckland that lands at Hannaford’s Wharf in Te Kouma, 8km south of Coromandel (2hr.; 4 per week; $49, $82 round trip, backpackers, students, and seniors $44/75). Although Let’s Go does not recommend it, hitchhiking to Thames is reportedly easy, and slightly more difficult to Whitianga. The SH25 road that turns off past the fire station on Tiki Rd. sees more traffic than the 309 Rd. Hitching north in winter is difficult.

The Coromandel Information Centre is at 355 Kapanga Rd. (☎866 8598; www.coromandeltown.co.nz. Open daily 9am-5pm.) The DOC field office, in the same building, will not issue passes or permits. Internet access is available at the Information Centre for $6 per hr. Other services include: BNZ, at Tiki and Kapanga Rd., with a 24hr. ATM (open M-F 10am-3pm); the police, next to the visitors center (☎866 8777); the post office, 190 Kapanga Rd. (☎866 8865. Open M-F 8:30am-5pm.)

Accommodations. It’s a good idea to book ahead for the summer, when each bed in town is filled. Travelers planning to camp in peak months should be prepared to deal with crowds. Alternatively, homestays spring up during the holiday season.  The Lion’s Den (BBH) , 126 Te Tiki Rd. (☎866 8157). This laid-back hostel bests the rest with a friendly host and a communal feel. Free vegetables from the organic garden, homestays in the Hippie House, and savory, home-cooked seafood on request ($16). Dorms $25; doubles $50. Cash only. Anchor Lodge (BBH) , 448 Wharf Rd. (☎866 7992; www.anchorlodgecoromandel.co.nz). The newest hostel in town sits right across from the water. This relaxed group of bungalows surrounds a heated pool and spa. Free road bike use. Dorms $20 (linen $1); doubles $55-65; motel rooms $110-165. MC/V. Long Bay Motor Camp (☎866 8720), 3km from town at 3200 Long Bay Rd. Take your tent to remote Tucks Bay with beautiful views and escape the motoring masses. Kayaks $10 per hr. Metered showers. Reception 7:30am-7:30pm. Tent and powered sites $15. 2-person cabins $65, $15 per extra person; 2-person bunkhouse $45. MC/V. Tidewater Tourist Park (YHA) , 270 Tiki Rd. (☎866 8888; tidewatr@world-net.co.nz). Explore on a mountain bike ($20 per day) or kick back and enjoy the bay from the standard YHA hostel. Sauna $5 per 30min. Kayaks $20 per day. Reception 7:30am-9:30pm. Dorms $23; twins $48; doubles $52; 6-person cabin $180. Tent sites $12.50. MC/V.

Food And Nightlife. Coromandel’s restaurants are small in number but high-quality, with some verging on gourmet. 4 Square, on Kapanga Rd., is a good place to stock up on groceries. (Open daily 7:30am-7:30pm.)  The Success Cafe 3, 104 Kapanga Rd. (☎866 7100). More restaurant than cafe, this excellent little eatery has outdoor seating and a covered deck for both coffee and meals. Order wine to complement your meal, or bring your own bottle ($3 corking fee). Mussel chowder $9. Local fish $24.50. Open daily 8:30am-late. AmEx/MC/V. The Pepper Tree Restaurant and Bar 4, 31 Kapanga Rd. (☎866 8211; peppertreerandb@xtra.co.nz), town center. Specializes in fresh seafood like mussel spring rolls ($14). Dinner menu $23.50-32.50. Open daily 10:30am-9pm. AmEx/MC/V. Umu 2, 22 Wharf Rd. (☎866 8618; umucafe@xtra.co.nz). Umu offers several specialty pizzas ($11.50-25), vegetarian dishes, and all-organic produce in a sleek pseudo-Swedish setup. Open daily 9am-9pm. AmEx/MC/V. Driving Creek Cafe 2, 180 Driving Creek Rd. (☎866 7066; www.drivingcreekcafe.com), 3km north of town before the railway. Pancake breakfast ($12), organic veggie garden, and pottery sales that no earth-friendly traveler can resist. Organic tofu burger $13.50. Internet $2 for 15min. Open M-Tu, Th-Su 9:30am-5pm. Closed in winter. MC/V. Star and Garter Hotel 2, 5 Kapanga Rd. (☎866 8503). The hip (and only) night spot for Coromandel dwellers, this old-time saloon serves food from both Umu and Pepper Tree, sports Internet ($8 per hr.), and has a pool table and rear patio seating. Local beer on tap (handles $6). Open daily noon-1am. MC/V.

Sights And Outdoor Activities. Coromandel town displays pottery, weaving, sculpture, and woodwork of local artisans on nearly every corner. The Weta Design Studio, 46 Kapanga Rd., is the best of the local shops, offering reasonably priced curios. (☎866 8823. Open daily 10am-6pm; in winter 10am-5pm.) Besides crafts, Coromandel town’s biggest attraction is the Driving Creek Railway, 3km north of town. Begun as a pet project in 1975 to extract clay and kiln fuel from the surrounding hills, the railroad has become the passion of owner and potter Barry Brickell. The ever-lengthening track snakes through glowing forests, tunnels, and bridges. (☎866 8703; www.drivingcreekrailway.co.nz. $20, seniors $18, children $11. Train departs 7 times per day in summer 10:15am-4:30pm. In winter 10:15am, 2pm.) North of town, visitors can pan for their own gold ($5) at the Coromandel Gold Stamper Battery, 410 Buffalo Rd., while learning about the gold-mining industry that was once the pillar of the peninsula. (☎866 7933. Open M-Tu and Th-Su 10am-4pm. $10, children $5.)

The arts and crafts-oriented community of Coromandel draws much of its inspiration from the area’s natural surroundings. The 309 Road, branching off 4km south of Coromandel and ending in Whitianga, may be a budding artisan’s best venue. Although the unpaved road is winding and narrow at times, it’s passable by car; just go slowly around the bends and keep to your side of the road. The most eccentric attraction on the peninsula is the Waiau Waterworks, 9km from Coromandel town, with engineered, water-powered kinetic sculptures and activities. (☎866 7191; www.waiauwaterworks.co.nz. Open daily 9am-5pm. $10, children $5.) One hundred meters past Waiau Waterworks, the Castle Rock Trail (1hr. round-trip), the best tramp in town, yields 360˚ views of the peninsula. The trail is of medium difficulty, though the last 100m are steep. The Waiau Falls, set in a glade 7.3km from Coromandel, is a good place to cool off after a dusty ride. Be sure to make it up to the Waiau Kauri Grove, about 15km from Coromandel. Walk for 10min. to join other astonished visitors in the cathedral of soaring trees that once covered the peninsula. The daring who push just a bit farther make it to High Zone , several hundred meters after the end of the 309 Rd.

Mussel Barge Snapper Safaris offers group and casual outings on their 11m catamaran. They also run Coromandel 8 Wheel Argo, an adventure tour exploring the old mine roads off 309 Rd. (☎866 7667. Fishing trips $40. 3hr. 8-wheel argo $40-150, depending on numbers. Cash only.) The Mad Fisherman also indulges aspiring anglers for 5hr. outings. (☎866 8103. $50. Cash only.)