Hahei

Hahei is a tiny town with a smattering of cafés, a bar, an ice cream parlour and a general store. It has a fantastic swimming beach. On the southern end of the beach one end is the Te Pare Historic Reserve, which are the remnants of two ancient pa (Maori village) sites.

At the north end of the beach, there’s a walking track to Cathedral Cove, about an hour away by foot. Cathedral Cove is a big attraction in this area, so named because its massive arch gives the cove a dramatic, solemn, church-like air. Its Maori name is Te Whanganui-A-Hei. The cove is also a marine reserve, the first on the Coromandel, and makes a good diving and snorkelling spot.