Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - Bay of Islands/Cape Reinga or Coromandel Tours ?

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Bay of Islands/Cape Reinga or Coromandel Tours ?

Which trip choose among Bay of Islands-Cape Reinga/Cap Brett and a day trip to Coromandel Peninsula for admire splendid beaches and scenary ? We have little time to disposition and have to made a choice.

The Cormandel is nice, but not spectacular. Cape Reinga has fantastic beaches. Personally, I like the Bay of Islands. There are all sorts of wonderful boat tours that you can take through the islands.

Monia - My wife and I spent three weeks in Australia & New Zealand three years ago and the Bay of Islands was our favorite New Zealand stop.

I liked the Coromandel over Bay of Islands - I found Bay of Islands beautiful but too crowded. If you are a beach person, you will probably prefer the Bay of Islands but Hot Water Beach on Coromandel is excellent. Just MHO.

Hi Monica Well you are prposing to see some very fine parts of our country but if your time is short and you want to see beaches and scenery why not stay closer to home? My guess is that you are working out of Auckland. Could I suggest that you take a trip to the West Coast beaches, about 40 minutes out of the city - wild, black sand beaches with great scenery, ganet colony - I would recommend Muriwai Beach. On the way you can stop at winery like Coopers Creek or even treat yourself to lunch at the Matua vineyard and the Hunting Lodge. You can continue on to Warkworth and out the Sandspit from where you can take a boat trip to Kawau Island, very bit as good as the Bay of Island - great Island walks, wonderful scenery. The next day it is out on the gulf - remember this is America's Cup country and you can get out on the water. Take a ferry trip to Waiheke Island - more beaches and wine. The Gulf is full of great islands to visit and walk over and all within 1 hour of the city. You will see a lot more of the country than a long ride in a bus. Enjoy it. By the way if you want to see real sand beaches then the only place is the Bay of Plenty, only 2 hours south of Auckland and right at the foot of our lawn! Kerry