Hahei, Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach

Hahei is a small settlement situated on the east coast of New Zealand's beautiful Coromandel Peninsula and is home to world famous Cathedral Cove.

There are approx. 400 permanent residents and the population peaks over the Christmas /

New Year period to approx. 8,000 people.  With it's soft pink sand beach, safe swimming waters and spectacular diving and fishing, Hahei is a very popular holiday destination.

Cathedral Cove Bed and Breakfast is located in the heart of Hahei. We are within an easy, flat, 2-3 minute walk of Hahei Beach and village - with a small general store, cafe, ice-cream/pizza parlour, gift shop, real estate office and restaurant.

Hahei Beach is an attractive beach fringed with pohutukawa trees and drifts of pink shells at the northern end. 

The coastline to the north and the offshore islands form the boundaries of a marine reserve.  At the southern end of Hahei Beach, the Te Pare Historic Reserve is the site of an ancient Maori pa (fortified village).

Cathedral Cove - Usually accessible only on foot or by boat, world famous Cathedral Cove is one of the “must visit” sites on the Coromandel Peninsula.  At Cathedral Cove a gigantic arched cavern passes through a white rock headland to join two secluded coves. The cathedral-like arch gives whole area an air of grandeur. The beach is sandy with shady pohutukawa trees along the foreshore - a perfect place for a picnic and a swim.

A little way off the beach at Cathedral Cove is a large pinnacle of pumice breccia rock known as 'Te Hoho' and over centuries it has been sculpted by the wind and water.

In early 2011, the Cathedral Cove archway suffered a serious rockfall. 

Nearly 10 months later, under the supervision of independent geotechnical experts, work was undertaken to remove some of the loose rock from the external faces of the arch. Check out their abseiling video footage at Cathedral Cove!

As this is a natural feature, caution is still advised when entering the archway.

Cathedral Cove Walk - The official walk starts from the carpark on Grange Road and is approx. 1.5hrs return.  The track also has access to the snorkel trail at Gemstone Bay and Stingray Bay. 

From our home, the walk to Cathedral Cove will take approx. 50 minutes each way.  For your walk, we suggest a good pair of walking shoes, sunhat, sunscreen and a bottle of water.  In the summer months (Nov-Mar), don't forget your pack your bathers!

Cathedral Cove Marine Reserve (Te Whanganui-A-Hei) - Established in 1992, it covers nine square kilometres and is New Zealand’s sixth marine reserve.  This site was chosen for a marine reserve because of the rich and varied habitats associated with the coastline and outlying islands. Reefs of hard rock, soft sediments, intricate caves and underwater arches provide homes for complex communities of plants, crustaceans, molluscs and fish.  Sheltered from the worst of the southerly winds, Cathedral Cove Marine Reserve gives visitors an opportunity to learn from and enjoy an unspoilt marine environment, as there is no recreational or commercial fishing allowed in this area.

Gemstone Bay Snorkel Trail - Four marker buoys, with handles and information panels, have been strategically placed within the bay to encourage visitors to explore the amazing underwater environment.  Snorkellers can hope to see snapper, red moki, over-sized crayfish, sponges, corals, stingrays and much more! 

Snorkelling equipment (including wetsuits) is available for hire locally.

Hot Water Beach - Some volcanoes develop huge underground reservoirs of superheated water. Over time, this water will escape to the surface — cooling on the way. There are two fissures at Hot Water Beach issuing water as hot as 64˚C (147˚F) at a rate as high as 15 litres/minute. This water contains large amounts of salt (NOT salt water), calcium, magnesium, potassium, fluorine, bromine and silica.

There are other hot water springs nearby but the location of these two springs on the beach make them unique. The hot springs are only accessible at low tide and two hours each side of low tide will provide you with an opportunity to dig your own spa. Get your Hot Water Beach Low Tide Timetable.

Other Local Beaches

Cooks Beach, Shakespear Cliff, Lonely Bay, Flaxmill Bay and Ferry Landing are all within 10minutes drive of Cathedral Cove Bed and Breakfast.  From Ferry Landing, you can take a short (3-5mins) passenger ferry to Whitianga, the largest township on the eastern side of the Coromandel Peninsula.