Cathedral Cove is a must do hike that is fun any time of year. This walk on the Coromandel Peninsula is one of the best short walks in New Zealand.
The Coromandel Peninsula is a lovely part of New Zealand that has amazing beaches, offshore islands, rugged coastline, and rough bush. This area is popular to visit during the summertime and one of the highlights for travellers is the area around Hahei. The Hahei area is close to hot water beach and Cathedral Cove. This short walk is doable for anyone with moderate fitness and is worth the crowds because the beach with its massive arch is truly breathtaking.
Cathedral Cove Hike Highlights And Logistics
Highlights – World class white sand beach bisected by a massive arch, pohutukawas on the cliffs and views over the ocean dotted with many small offshore islands.
Location – Hahei on the Coromandel Peninsula.
Length Of Walk – 2.5 km or 1 hour and a half return.
Difficulty – Easy
Elevation Gain – About 80 m.
About The Cathedral Cove Hike
This hike starts from a small carpark just above Hahei. The small size of the carpark and popularity of the area mean that you most likely won’t find a spot here. Most people will park down the hill in Hahei. The walk from Hahei up the hill to the carpark and trailhead is about 1.5 km. If you have a friendly driver they could drop everyone off then park the car and meet everyone else at the start.
From the carpark there are amazing views out over the ocean and the trail begins winding along the clifftops through a mixture of Manuka, tree ferns, and other native and non-native trees. The main trail is paved the entire way to Cathedral Cove.
The trail goes up and down as it drops down one bay, then up and over to another one. There are three bays along this walk, each of which can be accessed by the main trail or a side trail: Gemstone Bay, Stingray Bay, and finally Cathedral Cove.
Halfway along the way is an unpaved side trail that heads to a huge Puriri tree. It’s a nice alternative way to go, gets you off the paved path, and avoids some of the crowd.
The last part of the trail drops down, down, and down some stairs to arrive on the sands of Cathedral Cove itself. The beach is nice and immediately you will see the iconic arch just to your left. It’s hard to not just head straight to the arch and walk under it, gazing out at the sea and a few offshore islands. That view makes the walk and crowds worth it every time.
My Insider Tips For The Cathedral Cove Hike
It is great to visit any time of the year. During the summer months and school holidays it will be very crowded. A benefit to going in summer is that you can take a swim to cool off. During the colder winter months you many not go for a swim, but there are fewer people.
The toilet down on the beach has one of the best views around. It is located on the southern part of the beach at Cathedral Cove and is up hidden in the trees. It is elevated and from the throne you can look out a plexiglass window to the amazing ocean and beach.
This little area has a lot to do. The first bay that you can drop down to off the main trail, Gemstone Bay, does not receive a lot of visitors. However, there is a self-guided snorkelling tour that you can partake in here. From the cove there are some buoys offshore that have interpretive information about the life in the ocean you may see. You can carry your snorkelling gear with you on the walk or take a boat to this spot.
Boats – there are a few ways to visit the cove by boat. You can walk one way and take a water taxi to the beach. Or you can take a glass bottom boat ride that visits the beach at Cathedral Cove as well as some other offshore islands. Another option is to hire kayaks and do some kayaking.