Coromandel Island

Our next destination is the Coromandel Peninsula. From Thames, a coastal road leads to Coromandel Town, where we will stay overnight. We drive along the sea in the evening sun, passing small towns with beaches. Finally, we arrive at a campsite a bit outside of the village and experience a beautiful sunset. At night, we can enjoy looking at the starry sky (we've never seen so many stars at once!). The next day, we head to the two famous hotspots on the east coast. Hot Water Beach - here, you can dig a sand pit and enjoy the hot water at low tide (it's really hot). Since Patrick is not a fan of mud and can't be convinced, I can only briefly put my feet in and burn them half... but since the beach is very crowded anyway, we don't need to stay too long. Then we go to Cathedral Cove. The parking lot at the beginning of the trail is completely crowded, so we go back to the village and park there. Then we walk for another half an hour to the beach. We walk along the coast through a small forest. Every now and then, when the trees become sparse, we have a great view of the cliffs. When we arrive at the beach, it's crowded here too. The water is very cold, but it's perfect for refreshing. The sand is light and soft, and the sea is turquoise. A beautiful beach.