Pauanui Beach

While I stayed in Tairua, I decided to drive the twenty or so kilometres to Pauanui and take a walk along the sand dunes above the shoreline.

Coromandel Beaches

Forget the region’s famous Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach choking with tourists. Just close your eyes and point your finger blindly at the coastline along the Coromandel Peninsula and you’re bound to land on a perfect beach.

Endangered Dotterel

Around the undulating sections of Hot Water Beach, areas were fenced off. There were even signs forbidding dogs during nesting season ending in March. These regions were spotted with grass that sometimes broke away and rolled along the beach.

Port Fairy

The small coastal town of Port Fairy in western Victoria, offered two beaches: one rocky where surfers gliding in on perfect surf; the other with a sandy beach and tiny waves.

Hot Water Beach

Hot Water Beach, not far north of Tairua on the Coromandel Coast, was where people took a spade to dig in the sand. Once they had a deep enough hole filled with thermal water, they sat and soaked up the warmth.

Bay of Martyrs

West of Peterborough, Victoria was Bay of Islands Coastal Park. If the Twelve Apostles didn’t exist, this would be the place to see multiple stacks.

Hahei Beach

With white sand, pristine aqua waters and stacks dotted off shore, this was an ideal beach. The long stretch ended at Tutaritari Reserve.