On the Road in Coromandel Peninsula and the Bay of Plenty

Tip: Slow down! Some of the Coromandel's best bits aren't points A or B but what's stumbled upon in between. Lopsided signs advertising local artists beckon from gateposts; green-and-yellow DOC (Department of Conservation) signs point out short walks off the road; and those bags of feijoas, avocadoes, and oranges at that roadside stand will beat their grocery store counterparts in a taste test every time.

Caution: Coromandel's meandering, winding roads mean that locals tend to measure driving distance by time, not kilometers. Listen to them when they tell you it will take an hour to get from Coromandel to Whitianga, even though it's only 60 km (37 mi)—you'll drop down to 25 km per hour (16 mph) for every other dip and curve.