Whitianga - North Island, New Zealand

The beautiful coastal town of Whitianga is home to the famous Buffalo Beach and is a hub of activity in the period from Christmas to January when the place is swamped with holidaymakers from all over the country.

Whitianga serves as a good base to make half day and day long trips to more beaches located along the eastern shores of Mercury Bay. These are accessible by ferries from the Ferry Landing from where buses are available. You can also hike to these idyllic beaches along scenic coastal routes.

Two stunning locations around the bay are the Cathedral Cove, a remarkable geological wonder and the Hot Water Beach, famous for its hot water springs bubbling beneath the sand. The Cathedral Cove Marine Reserve is a protected area reputed for snorkeling and scuba diving.

There are boat trips that run to the volcanically formed Mercury Islands, 25 kms across Whitianga. The gorgeous blue water, white sand beaches and sparkling waterfalls, combined with plenty of marine life such as bottlenose dolphins and whales, make them a very visited destination.

The main road in Whitianga is Albert St which then continues as the Buffalo Beach Road. The Esplanade is another premier street branching off to the wharf and the ferry. All the action in Whitianga takes place on these three streets.

The Visitor Centre is on the corner of Albert St and Blacksmith Lane. All buses halt in front of the visitor centre. The Whitianga Airport is 4 kms south of the town centre with flights from Auckland and Great Barrier Island landing here.

The passenger ferry to the Ferry Landing leaves the Esplanade and is the gateway to the tour of beaches on the eastern shores of Mercury Bay. From the Ferry Landing, there are shuttle services running to Cooks Beach, Hahei and Hot Water Beach.

Whitianga Accommodation

Whitianga provides a wide array of accommodation options to suit all budgets. There are motor lodges, beachfront resorts, motels, hotels, backpacker hostels and B&Bs (bed and breakfasts). There are nice accommodation options available near Hot Water Beach and Hahei.

You are well advised to book in advance during the summer season. The rush is at its peak during January when accommodation gets filled up two months in advance. The motels and campsites hike prices in the period between Christmas and January.

Whitianga Activities

Whitianga's fantastic location provides easy access to sights and sounds in its vicinity like the trips to Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach and ferry rides to the Ferry Landing and bus rides to other beaches of Mercury Bay.

Whitianga offers excellent bone carving courses by the end of which you end up creating a beautiful pendant. The Mercury Bay Museum gives an insight into the colonial history of the region and a few Maori artefacts.

At the Ferry Landing, the Shakespeare Lookout is the first place of interest. From the Lookout, the sea resembles the Bard's profile. There are panoramic views of Cooks Beach to the east and Buffalo Beach to the west. There are well-marked tracks leading to the popular family destination of Cooks Beach.

Four kms from Cooks Beach to the southeast is the popular Hahei Beach community. It provides easy access to Cathedral Cove, Gemstone Bay and Cathedral Cove Marine Reserve, famous for snorkeling and scuba diving. Hot Water Beach is another popular destination where you can rent spades from the store and dig your own hot pool on the beach at low tide, and also rent equipment for surfing lessons.

There are scenic boat trips out into Mercury Bay and sighting dolphins along the way is quite common. The most popular is the Scenic and Sounds trip which goes to Cathedral Cove, the marine reserve, blowholes, sea caves and waterfalls. There are great boat trips from Hahei.

There are guided sea kayak trips that run from Hahei. If you are not a fan of marine activities, then you can go on a horseriding jaunt about 8 kms north of Whitianga at Twin Oaks Riding Ranch.

There are good eating choices in Whitianga, the majority of the best eating places are on the Esplanade.

LooknbookNZ can organise your Whitianga accommodation and Whitianga activities bookings and allow you and your family/friends to enjoy the beachgoers pleasures that Whitianga has on offer.