I love the Coromandel peninsula. It’s off-the-beaten track for most first-time tourists to New Zealand but it’s so beautiful it’s hard to understand why it gets passed by. I was fortunate enough to have a friend who used to live in Waihi Beach so I’ve spent some time there. He still has family there so hopefully they’ll let me come back! Of course, the Coromandel is also home to the famous hot water beach where you can dig yourself your own “hot tub” right in the sand.  If you don’t feel like digging, you can see and feel the hot water and steam rise out of the sand. Magical! There’s Kauri forests, bird sanctuaries and wonderful sandy beaches. This is where a lot of Aucklanders spend their holiday and there are bach’s everywhere. I definitely recommend the Coromandel.