The people of Coromandel know they live in one of the most beautiful and serene parts of New Zealand

Perhaps it's the geography of The Coromandel 这激发了一种慢节奏的生活.  这个半岛伸入太平洋, as if trying to seek isolation and break away from the mainland, seemingly seeking separation.

这是岛屿和半岛的典型情况, a more individualistic way of life and self-sufficient identity is pervasive.  The people of Coromandel know they live in one of the most beautiful and serene parts of New Zealand, and they're all too happy to not be a part of the cogs that turn nearby Auckland, though they are healthily reliant on its regular output of office workers, finance execs and other high-flyers spending long weekends away on their patch.  Kiwis from all over the country flock to the Coromandel over longer holiday periods, such as Christmas, 来适应温暖的气温, the beach life, 享受典型的圣诞烧烤大餐.

You will literally feel yourself slow down as you enter the Coromandel.  The local tourism board even claims it is 'good for your soul'.  A few days or weeks here and you will find yourself agreeing. 

If you have the luxury of time to explore the Coromandel, your experience will be tenfold.  但如果你只有几天的时间, it's still possible to dip your toes into the Coromandel way of life and come away feeling restored. 

Here are our suggested highlights if you only have a few days.

Hot Water Beach

Located between Tairua and Whitianga, is possibly one of the most famous parts of the Coromandel.  A river of hot water burrows under the beach making it a subterranean natural spring waiting to be discovered - which it is, every day, 在退潮时被热切的探险家发现.  If you arrive two hours either side of low tide you should find the water still piping hot. 还有什么比洗个热水澡更能恢复体力的呢? Well, not much. 所以深挖，深挖，放松. It's magical enough to keep the kids entertained while the adults soak up the therapeutic benefits of the hot geothermal water. Whitianga

另一个选择是在怀提安加定居, 这里是水星湾地区的主要聚居地和中心, and take a boat to Cathedral Cove.  The glass bottom boat is a two hour cruise and gives you a clear, but dry, 海底的观景窗.  海狗在五月到十月被发现, penguins all year round, and visiting dolphins and orcas will occasionally stop by to say hello.  其他航海选项可以让你在一天内打包好, taking you on a tour of the Mercury Bay coastline stopping at Hot Water Beach, Cathedral Cove, Hahei Beach and many more.除了繁忙的码头和游船, Whitianga is a charming town with plenty to offer in its own right.  其中最吸引人的是美丽的艺术画廊 Mercury Bay Museum, a winery and 'The Lost Spring' geothermal hot pools and spa, perfect for testing out that good for your soul theory.Coromandel Town

Those looking for a historical context will be delighted with Coromandel town.  19世纪60年代淘金热的重要地点, the town still bears the hallmarks of its pioneering days with a museum in the School of Mines, old Court House, stamper battery, and more.  There is also a thriving artistic community in the town, with a plethora of studios and galleries exhibiting hand-crafted goods, weavings, iron work, oil paintings and sculptures to name but a few of the mediums.The stand-out attraction here, and perhaps of the whole peninsula, is the Driving Creek Railway  爬山穿过重新种植的贝壳杉林. The railway was the brainchild of local potter and conservationist Barry Brickell who wanted to find a way to retrieve the natural clay and wood of the area for art, but also to restore the forest to its former glory after near catastrophic over-foresting by over-zealous British colonists.  This labour of love has since spawned a tourist attraction that you simply won't find elsewhere in New Zealand. 土木工程的壮举和富有洞察力的独创性, the viaducts, tunnels and viewing platforms make the railway a scenic and joyful experience.

The beauty of the Coromandel, or rather, 科罗曼德尔众多美景之一, is its seemingly limitless scope for exploration and relaxation. 如果你这辈子只能来一次这个地方, you won't forget it easily, and if you get the chance, 你可以保证你会回来看更多.