Why Cathedral Cove is a must-visit in New Zealand

Cathedral Cove is truly one of the iconic sights in the north of New Zealand and an absolute must-visit in The Coromandel. At the time of writing, Cathedral Cove is only accessible by boat, kayak or water taxi. Cathedral Cove is a popular tourist destination, with 300,000 visitors annually.

Hiking to Cathedral Cove is (temporarily) not possible

The world-famous hike has not been accessible since July 2023 due to storm damage. At the time of writing, there is still no known date for when this will be resolved. This is to the great frustration of the locals, as Phil, B&B owner of Hahei Bed and Breakfast (highly recommended!), where we stayed for 2 nights, also told us.

In July 2023, the path to Cathedral Cove was closed after damage was discovered to part of the path. The damage was caused by the erosion of the cliffs surrounding the path. The cliffs are made of sandstone, which erodes easily due to the action of wind and water.

The authorities have closed the path to prevent further damage from occurring. They are currently investigating the damage and developing a plan to restore the path. It is not clear when the path will reopen. The authorities have said that the restoration could take several months or even years.

The path is truly closed; there is no alternative. At the start of the path, you will therefore find a sign with photos of the storm damage.

Tip: check via the Department of Conservation website whether the route is now open.

By (speed)boat to Cathedral Cove & more

Luckily, there are still plenty of ways to get to Cathedral Cove! The most fun way is to do this by (speed)boat. Staying around Whitianga? Then there is a wide range of boat trips available.

We chose the Hahei Explorer Cathedral Cove Boat Tour from, you guessed it, Hahei. We gathered on the beach and set off in a small-scale boat.

Image via Hahei Explorer

The big advantage of a boat trip? You see much more than just Cathedral Cove with a guide! The Hahei Explorer is a one-hour boat trip that travels up to 14 kilometers and takes visitors to the coastal islands of the marine reserve, reefs, giant sea caves and bays, including the world-famous Cathedral Cove.

Booking a tour from Whitianga? Then the boat trip will take a bit longer, as it is a bit further away.

If you are very lucky, you might also spot dolphins along the way and perhaps even orcas. Our guide told us that he spots something about 1 in 30 boat trips. So don’t expect too much from this either.

Tip: wear shorts. You have to wade through the water to get into the boat. Also leave your valuables at home. These stay behind on the beach. You are not allowed to take bags,

In bad weather, the tour will be canceled and you will get your money back.

You also sail to the beautiful natural phenomena like Blowhole and Orua Seacave

Orua Sea Cave is a beautiful natural formation on the Coromandel Peninsula in New Zealand. It is a large sea cave. The cave was formed by a fault line running through the peninsula, and the waves have eroded the rock over time to create a large opening. The cave is approximately 30 meters long and 12 meters high.

We also saw lots of beautiful blue fish swimming here. You can easily enter it by boat. From here, you get the beautiful effect that you also have from the beach at Cathedral Cave. Only this boat trip will not let you disembark at Cathedral Cave. So this is your best chance to take an iconic photo for yourself!

Also cool: Blowhole. The Blowhole is a natural formation on the north coast of the Coromandel Peninsula in New Zealand. It is a cave eroded into the cliffs by the power of the waves. When the waves are high enough, the water can be forced through the cave, creating a spectacular water jet.

The cheapest way to get to Cathedral Cove

That is now clearly the water taxi. Yet you pay (at the time of writing) $80 return per person. That comes down to over €45 (depending on the exchange rate). For just 30 bucks more, you already have a (speed)boat. More information about the water taxi can be found here.

Prefer an active trip? Then you can also take the kayak. Personally, I haven’t looked into this. So I can’t give you any concrete tips. However, it can get very crowded on the beach at Cathedral Cove in summer. There are no facilities there. So make sure you bring enough water and snacks.

Staying in Hahei

Hahei is the closest to Cathedral Cove and is a holiday resort for New Zealanders. We were here in November 2023 and it was quite deserted then: all the holiday homes were empty. During the summer holidays (which start from Christmas), it will be completely different.

We ourselves stayed at Hahei Bed and Breakfast of Phil & Sue. This was our nicest B&B in all of New Zealand! You are received extremely hospitably and you are literally welcome in their living room. And the breakfast… that was truly fantastic! No wonder they get a 9.7 on Booking.com.

Other things to do in Hahei

• The Hidden Cove walk is a fun hike to do. You walk up a hill for fantastic views.
• Take a beach walk at sunset. You won’t see the sun rise on this side (but sunrise!), but it’s still lovely to walk here. We brought a salad and enjoyed our dinner here.
• Go for a bite to eat at The Church Bistro (more upscale, reservation necessary!) or The Pour House. At The Pour House you can get all sorts of things. From pizza to fish & chips at a good price. You order at the bar and they bring the food.