3 Best Sights in Coromandel and the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand

For great views over the Bay of Plenty, drive a couple of minutes north of Katikati on State Highway 2 to Lindemann Road. The lookout is signposted at the turn off. Drive 3½ km (2 miles) to the road's end and the lookout. The road is good but narrow in parts; you'll find a map embedded in rock to help orient you. If the weather is clear you might see volcanic White Island to the south. Self-contained campervans can stop here overnight.

From the pointy volcanic peak rising above the entrance to Tairua Harbour, you'll get views of the estuary, coastline, and offshore islands. The trail is short and steep, with handrails and stone steps along the way. It's suitable for people of most fitness levels, with a short scramble up some boulders before you reach the summit. Park on Paku Drive, next to the Paku Recreational Park. The walk takes around 45 minutes round-trip. 

The headland at the south end of Hahei Beach is the site of two former Māori pā (fortified villages). Although no trace remains of the defensive terraces and wooden spikes that once ringed the cliffsides, the stunning outlook, which made it an ideal defensive site in years past, remains. At high tide, the blowhole at the foot of the cliffs adds a booming bass note to the sound of waves. To reach the actual pā site, follow the red arrow down the hill from the parking area at the end of Pa Road. After some 50 meters (164 feet), take the right fork through a grove of giant pohutukawa trees, then go through a gate and across an open, grassy hillside. You can also pick up the trail onto the headland from the southern end of Hahei Beach at mid- to low tide.