A guide to Cathedral Cove – New Zealand must do

There are many incredible locations to visit in New Zealand, but one spot we’ve returned to many times is Cathedral Cove. This naturally formed archway is the most popular tourist destination on the Coromandel Peninsula, and rightfully so.

In fact, Cathedral Cove is so beautiful and special that it has been chosen as one of the filming locations for The Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian.

The Cathedral Cove walk is already part of the treat, and the cove itself truly is the cherry on top of a massive and jaw-droppingly beautiful scenery cake. In this blog post, we’ll tell you all about it, how to get there, when to go, and all the other things to expect when visiting Cathedral Cove.

Words can’t fully describe the beauty of Cathedral Cove, you really have to see it for yourself. The walk, beautiful scenery, and perfect beach make it one of the most rewarding day trips in the country, and on a nice sunny day we’re sure you want to stick around the whole day. It is one of the absolute highlights of New Zealand’s North Island.

Cathedral Cove Accommodation

The closest accommodation to Cathedral Cove is in the small town of Hahei. Since Hahei accommodation is limited you might want to consider staying near Hot Water beach or even Whitianga if you’re looking for more facilities.

 

How to get to Cathedral Cove

Cathedral Cove is accessible via the Cathedral Cove track or via water with a boat or by kayak. The Cathedral Cove walk is a beautiful 2.5 km long walk (one way) that takes you from Hahei beach, along the coastline, to Cathedral Cove.

Cathedral Cove by water

If you don’t feel like walking or are looking for a different kind of adventure, there is also the option to go to Cathedral Cove by kayak or boat. It is a fabulous experience and you’ll be able to see the coastline from a different perspective and maybe even stumble upon a dolphin and visit a sea cave!

Cathedral Cove Kayaking

Book this 3h kayak tour that will show you beautiful rock formations, take you through sea caves, and then to Cathedral Cove before returning back to Hahei beach.

Cathedral Cove boat tours

Alternatively, you can get to Cathedral Cove with one of the boat tours available, like in a glass bottom boat, on a catamaran, or combined with a diving & snorkeling session. Boat tours start from Whitianga, Cooks beach and Hahei beach.

Book your boat tour:

• Morning Glory Chilled out Sail from Whitianga (avoids crowds)
• Glass Bottom Cruise from Whitianga
• Cathedral Cove Boat Tour from Hahei (incl. sea cave)
• Cathedral Cove Cruise Tour from Whitianga (stops at several bays)
• Cathedral Cove Chilled out Sail

Cathedral Cove water taxi

If you’re short on time then the Cathedral Cove water taxi is the perfect solution for you. The water taxi departs from Hahei beach every 30 minutes. The boat ride only takes 10 minutes and costs $15.

 

Cathedral Cove Walk

Cathedral Cove Track starts at Hahei Beach

Hahai is a small town on the Coromandel peninsula with a beautiful beach, and honestly not much else apart from the tourists that Cathedral Cove brings in.

From the Hahei Beach Car Park start walking northwest over the beach. After about 150 meters you’ll see a path going up into the forest, this is the start of the Cathedral Cove track. The beginning of the track is pretty steep and can get muddy after rainfall, so watch your step to not slip or trip over the roots. Once you make it out of the forest the path flattens out and rewards you with beautiful ocean views for most of the way.

About a kilometer in, you get to the Cathedral Cove viewing deck. Ironically enough you can’t see Cathedral Cove from here, but the view is still pretty spectacular. Continue on the path that from here on forward is paved all the way to Cathedral Cove.

 

Sidetracks from Cathedral Cove walk

A bit further in from the viewing deck, there is a sign pointing to a short side track that leads to Gemstone Bay. This bay gets its name from the gemstone-like rocks that are visible in the crystal clear water and is a great spot for snorkeling.

Another 10 minutes down the path there is another side track that leads to Stingray Beach. You guessed it, this rocky beach gets its name from the stingrays that often swim in the water here.

We’ve said it before in other blog posts, but we’ll say again here that in New Zealand they’re either really good at giving places very descriptive names, or really suck at coming up with original names.

 

Beautiful views along Cathedral Cove track

Shortly after you pass the turn-off to Stingray Beach you get to a clearing that gives you a stunning ocean view over a vibrant green grassy saddle and Motueka Island in the distance. There is also a bench here that you can sit on to take a rest and admire the view.

Don’t rest too long though, because you’re almost at your destination. Another 10 minutes through the forest and down the stairs, and you’ve arrived at Cathedral Cove.

 

Cathedral Cove Beach

Once you step onto the sand you get rewarded with the absolute highlight of the day; the insanely picturesque Cathedral Cove and its adjacent near-perfect beaches, the massive archway that gives passage from one side to the other. The impressive Te Hoho Rock is visible in the water on the other side of the archway.

The archway floods at high tide so make sure to check the tide times and cross back in time.

The beaches at Cathedral Cove are simply amazing and the surrounding scenery is stunning. They’re the type of sandy beaches that you can just lay on the whole day to work on your tan while admiring the view, and then take a short swim in the water to cool down every now and then.

In the shallows in front of the beach on the southeastern side stands the Smiling Sphinx Rock, which supposedly looks like a smiling sphinx from a certain angle. We couldn’t see it but maybe you can, nevertheless, it adds to the scenery.

Deeper into the water there is another rock with a flat top. You might see people swimming to it to then climb on top and dive back into the water. This is certainly a lot of fun, but remember that it might not be safe to swim that far.

 

Best time to visit Cathedral Cove

The best time to visit Cathedral Cove is at low to mid tide. During high tide the archway floods and you won’t be able to walk through without getting seriously wet. Depending on the weather and swell it might also be dangerous to walk through at high tide. Check Cathedral Cove tides here before going.

When it comes to the weather, the best time to go to Cathedral Cove is in summer. Cathedral Cove is blessed with a beautiful sandy beach which is obviously much more enjoyable in summer. But summer is also high season, and during high season Cathedral Cove can get very busy. If you don’t mind the crowds, then summer is your time to go, but if you’d like to avoid the crowds we suggest going in the shoulder season, in May or September. You can still get warm and sunny days in these months and it won’t be nearly as busy.

To avoid the crowds during the high season, the best time to visit Cathedral Cove is either early morning for sunrise or in the evening and stay to watch the sunset from the beach. Sunrise and sunset are also the best times to take beautiful photos of this unique destination. We went here for sunset on a weekday in summer and had the whole cove to ourselves for most of the evening. Remember to bring a torch with you as the walk back will be in the dark.

Read next: Best Things to do on the Coromandel Peninsula

 

Getting to Hahei, the starting point for Cathedral Cove

Hahei is a small town not far from Hot Water Beach on the Coromandel Peninsula. The Coromandel Peninsula itself is a very road trip-worthy area full of pristine golden beaches, secluded bays, misty rainforests, and cliffside views.

The easiest way to get to Hahei is by car. If you don’t have a car available you can join a guided Coromandel tour or take a ferry from Auckland to the Coromandel, and then take a bus or taxi for the last part, or take a shuttle bus from any of the bigger surrounding cities like Auckland, Tauranga and Rotorua.

Getting to Hahei Beach and Cathedral Cove

Auckland to Cathedral Cove: It is 176 km from Auckland to Cathedral Cove and takes 2,5 hours. You can also take the ferry from Auckland to Coromandel followed by a shuttle or bus.

Whitianga to Cathedral Cove: It 36.5 is km from Whitianga to Cathedral Cove and takes 35 minutes. You can also take the ferry across Mercury bay and then take a shuttle.

Hot Water beach to Cathedral Cove: It is only 9.5 km from Hot Water beach to Cathedral Cove. The drive takes 12 minutes. Keep the tides in mind when visiting both since they’re both best around low tide.

Tauranga to Cathedral Cove: It is 151 km from Tauranga to Cathedral Cove and takes 2,5 hours.

Rotorua to Cathedral Cove: It is 215 km from Rotorua to Cathedral Cove and takes 3 hours.

Cathedral Cove Parking

Depending on the season, you have two or three options for parking:

• Cathedral Cove Lookout car park – During the low season only, from the 1st of May to the 30th of September, the parking lot at the end of Grange Road is open. This is where you find the Cathedral Cove viewing deck and where the official start of the Cathedral Cove track is located. This is the parking option with the shortest walking distance to Cathedral Cove, but parking here costs $15 for a maximum of 4 hours.
• Hahei Visitor Car Park – This large car park is located to the right just as you enter Hahei. Parking here is free year-round, but it is the furthest parking option from Cathedral Cove. During high season, from the 1st of October to the 30th of April, there is a shuttle service that departs from the Hahei Visitor Car Park every 20 minutes and drops you off at the start of the Cathedral Cove track. A return ticket for this shuttle service is $5.
• Hahei Beach Car Park – As the name suggests, this car park is located right next to Hahei Beach and it is the car park that we recommend using. It is free year round and a short walk over the beach followed by a dirt track connects to the start of the Cathedral Cove track.

 

Cathedral Cove New Zealand FAQ

How long does it take to walk to Cathedral Cove?

Getting to Cathedral Cathedral Cove from Hahei Beach takes about 45 – 60 minutes. The distance is 2.5 kilometers one way.

 

How hard is the walk to Cathedral Cove?

The Cathedral Cove track is of easy-medium difficulty. If you start from Hahei Beach, the first part will be over the beach, followed by a short but steep uphill climb and a dirt track that can get muddy, but then the track becomes paved and a lot easier.

 

Is Cathedral Cove accessible by wheelchair or stroller?

Only part of the Cathedral Cove walk is wheelchair and stroller friendly. There are steep stairs at the end of the track limiting access to the beach.

 

Is Cathedral Cove free?

Yes, visiting Cathedral Cove is free. You can also park for free at the Hahei Visitor Car Park or at Hahei Beach.

 

What kind of facilities are there at Cathedral Cove?

Other than a drop toilet there are no facilities at Cathedral Cove. If you know anything about drop toilets in semi-remote locations, you also know that using them is not something we’d look forward to because they are usually unsanitary to say it mildly. It’s best to use the toilet before starting the walk.

 

 

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