Why Thames

Every town on the Coromandel has its own personality, but Thames has it all.  Natural beauty, the sea, the bush, charming homes in a seaside setting, great shopping and restaurants, 4 historic museums that will give you a taste of what life was like in Thames gold-rush heyday, and much more.  No matter what the weather, there's lots to do for the whole family.  Without all the commercialism.

Nestled between the sea and the high mountains of the Coromandel Peninsula, Thames is one of New Zealand’s most charming towns. As the gateway to the Coromandel, it’s an ideal home base for exploring this spectacular corner of New Zealand. But there’s plenty to offer right in Thames itself.

Thames was founded in the 1860’s when gold was discovered in the Coromandel Peninsula. At one point, the town produced millions of dollars a year in gold and, with a population of 70,000, it was New Zealand’s largest city. When the gold rush ended, Thames settled into being a sleepy, rural community. The population dropped to its present 8,000, but the charm remained. Stately Victoria homes and quaint miners cottages dot the city streets -- giving Thames a character of its own. Today Thames has been rediscovered by those who want to enjoy all the best of the New Zealand lifestyle.

In early December Thames is buzzing with the Pohutakawa Festival. This two-week celebration commemorates the blossoming of New Zealand’s famous “Christmas tree”, which dots the shorelines of the Coromandel. The event features concerts, sports competitions, outdoor markets and craft fairs – a wide range of activities for everyone.

Why The Coromandel?

It all comes down to how to get the most out of your time here in New Zealand.  The fact is, the Coromandel Penninsula offers everything you can find in Northland (and most of New Zealand, for that matter), and you'll save the 2 days of driving.  No other place offers so much within an hour and a half of Auckland.  We've got miles and miles of spectacular beaches, our own Hole-in-Rock, not to mention Cathedral Cove, where the rocks form a walk-through cathedral-like arch.  We've got a marine sanctuary with crystal waters that you can explore in a variety of ways.  We've got New Zealand's second largest marine cave (big enough for several boats.)  We've got one of NZ's favourite surfing beaches.  And that's just the sea.

Featuring tall, rugged mountains plunging down to the sea, the Coromandel is a haven for anyone who treasures the environment – or who just appreciates natural beauty. Hugging the shore line or offering panoramic views of sea, forest, farmland and crystal coves, the drive around the coast is one of the most spectacular in the world (take it from us – and we’ve experienced drives like California’s Big Sur, Nova Scotia’s Cabot Trail and the Grande Corniche of France’s Cote d’Azur.) Two thirds of the peninsula is public reserve and is criss-crossed with dozens of hiking trails. Trails range from the short and easy to challenging tracks that run all the way up and down the peninsula. You can also link up with local environmental groups for eco-tours that include trips to kiwi conservation areas.

Plus there's the history.  Kupa, the leader of the first of group of Maori to inhabit New Zealand is reputed to have landed here.  Captain Cook made at least two famous landings.  Then came the gold rush of the 1860's, which turned Thames into New Zealand's largest city -- and a contender for its national capital.  If you're a history buff, you'll find plenty of places of interest to capture you're imagination.

Long the weekend and summer favourite retreat of Aucklanders, the Coromandel Peninsula is also an artist's haven, with galleries in every town -- and between them as well.  Plus there's plenty of interesting events, from the Homegrown and Scallop Festivals to the 1950's Beach Hop.

The Coromandel.  It’s a great place to visit if you want New Zealand in a nutshell when your time is limited – or to explore in depth if you really want to enjoy the best of New Zealand.

The Coromandel used to be covered with dense forests of thousand-year-old kauri, some of the world’s largest trees. These are the trees that inspired Peter Jackson’s depiction of the Ents in The Lord of the Rings. Although most of the kauri was logged out during the 19th and early 20th century, a few stands of these have been preserved. The best are only a short walk from the road and are the closest places to Auckland to view these giants.

Then there’s the sea. The Coromandel offers just about every way to enjoy the turquoise green waters that surround it -- from deep sea and shore fishing to kayaking to surfing to boat charters to setting up your umbrella on the sand. Hot Water Beach is not to be missed. Underwater springs bring thermal mineral waters to the surface. At low water, you can dig your own hot tub.

In the summer, whale and dolphin enter the Firth and often can be seen from the Thames shore. Rare sea birds from the Northern Hemisphere, many of them of endangered species, over-winter here and in January and February, you may be lucky enough to spot them with their chicks as you walk along the shore.

Add to this dozens of award-winning restaurants, hundreds of galleries and crafts shops featuring local artists, museums and fun tourist attractions such as Driving Creek Railroad and Wairau Water Gardens, and you have more ways to entertain yourself that you have hours in your vacation.