Road closures due to the recent storm notwithstanding, I reached this little slice of heaven called Hahei on the Pacific side of the Coromandel peninsula. To control the inevitable masses of tourists, the city imposes a bus system that all visitors must use. It’s an efficient system that feeds the impeccable trail of 40 min with folks in 10 minute intervals.
Why is this location is so famous, you might wonder. This mystical location was used to film parts of The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian(2008). It served as the location where the Pevensie children re-enter Narnia, stepping through the iconic limestone rock arch onto the beach, where they later discover the ruins of Cair Paravel.
A 40-minute trail with ample seating along the way, connects the shuttle bus drop off with the cove. One of the joys of solo travel is the ability to stop and take it all in at will. Along the way, I observed the many types of footwear hikers used. From the properly outfitted Europeans with sturdy shoes, to locals in trail-rated flip flops, I saw the full range of options until – wait – a Japanese girl walked in fuzzy fur slippers and mid- ankle socks in Hello Kitty design!
My Coromandel trip then continued to the Hot Water Beach where natural hot springs under the surface of the sand bubble up, creating the perfect setting to dig a hole and lounge. Alas, I lacked a proper shovel and decided that alone, it’s not so much fun after all, especially given how crowded it was on this sunny late season Saturday.
After a tasty lunch at a local cafe, I started my journey back toward Auckland, across mountains, through valleys, around hundreds of turns and hairpins in the roadway . I got to literally “drive my behind off” over these 2 days and I will forever cherish the memories of stunning scenery; curve carving (as much as my rented Toyota RAV4 allowed); and the warmth of New Zealanders.
New Zealand is a gem of a destination to be explored further, ideally with a customized program crafted by the Southern World experts through your trusted travel advisor. One thing is certain, I know in my heart that I will return to the land the Māori call Aotearoa again soon.
Planet Travel Blog 