Tours/Auckland/Cathedral Cove Day Trip from Auckland
Viator · group up to 9 pax

Cathedral Cove Day Trip from Auckland

5.0(11)Auckland1 hour
VIATOR5.0(5)TRIPADVISOR5.0(6)

Description

Your day will begin with a pick up from your central Auckland hotel in an air conditioned minivan. Then there is a scenic 2-hour drive to the small Coromandel town of Tairua. From here, take a 15-minute guided hike to the summit of Mt. Paku, a small volcano with amazing views of the Coromandel coastline. Then after a short drive, proceed with your small group to complete a 1.5-hour walk to the magnificent Cathedral Cove, with the option of visiting the other coves along the way. You will spend at least 30 minutes enjoying the beach and coastline at Cathedral Cove. After the walk back and another short drive, spend some time dipping your toes in the unique natural hot springs at Hot Water Beach (exact timing depends on the tide schedule). Lunch will be from a boutique café at Hot Water Beach or Hahei Beach (own expense) before returning to Auckland around 6pm.

Tour Options

Cathedral Cove Day Trip from Auckland
  • Pickup included

Itinerary

30 min

Dip your feet in the natural hot spring water that comes out onto the beach.

Admission included45 min

After a short 30 min walk, enjoy the spectacular scenery of Cathedral Cove. White cliffs, off shore islands, and soft sand.

30 min

After a long drive, get your blood moving with a short 10-minute hike to the top of an extinct volcano. Enjoy the magnificent views from the top, including beaches, old volcanoes, and offshore islands.

Highlights

Bottled water
Hotel or port pickup and drop-off
Driver/guide
Transport by minibus
Air-conditioned vehicle

What's included

Included
Bottled water
Hotel or port pickup and drop-off
Driver/guide
Transport by minibus
Air-conditioned vehicle
Not included
Food and drinks

Pickup Locations & Times

We will message you the day before the tour to tell you which vehicle to look out for and the exact pickup time

Traveller Ratings

5.0
11 reviews
5
11
4
0
3
0
2
0
1
0

Important Information

  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
  • Not recommended for pregnant travelers
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
  • Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately

Reviews(11)

T
Tour48951013587
January 15, 2026
Cathedral cove

I was unfit took my time walking back was hard next time I would take boat When we got there the sight was worth the walk we rested and we walked back

H
Hannah_L
November 28, 2025
This was an incredibly...

This was an incredibly special day for my partner and I. Harriet picked us up and we instantly hit it off with her. She is a fantastic person to chat with, hike next to and an awesome driver (lots of windy roads) The beaches themselves are stunning. The day was the perfect length for what we did. It might be the best day we have had in New Zealand so far. Please do not hesitate to book this tour!

M
Monique_M
November 2, 2025
Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach

Cathedral Cove is a great spot that you should definitely see. Probably one of the best spots we saw on our trip. Hot Water Beach was fun too. It’s a bit of a drive getting there, but it’s worth it. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes for the trek up and down the hill.

K
Kasey_J
March 18, 2025
The BEST day of my trip!

I loved everything about this tour! Harriet was so friendly and also very knowledgeable. We had the best day walking to the beaches, playing in the water, eating delicious food, and taking in the amazing New Zealand scenery. Voltours will be my go-to for future trips!

Operator response

Thanks so much for that review! It was great to meet you and spend the day exploring Coromandel - I'm glad you had a fun time. Hope to see you again on future trips to NZ, Harriet.

J
Jose_G
January 21, 2020
Auckland holiday

Great experience. Guide was knowledgeable and made it a fun day. Recommend this guide. Also went to hot beach. Interesting nature phenomena

D
drgomie1
January 18, 2020
Paku point, Tairua, Cathedral cove, Hot Beach

Mike was very knowledgeable of the history of the people and the area. He was also a very good conversationalist which made the trip interesting. It was a long day and we’ll worth it. Highly recommend. The views were amazing.

W
WalkieTalkie
January 1, 2020
Breathtaking Views

This is a review of a day trip to Cocomandel Peninsula offered by Voltours in Auckland. Cathedral Cove is a long way from Auckland, but the gorgeous views are worth the long travelling time. Our guide and driver, Mike, was right on time picking us up, and we had a great day visiting Hot Water Beach (quite an experience), Cathedral Cove and Mt. Paku (walked up to the top for breath-taking views). Thank you, Mike!

1 people found this helpful
A
angecharlie
July 4, 2018
see cathedral cove , gem cove and stingray bay(steep)

Storms knocked out the glass bottom boat but the hike to the destination while not easy was easily worth the ups and downs. As seen in the Narnia Movie, a nice warm spot for a winter day. Double up with a hot water beach after if you can. Pretty romantic even with your college age children.

P
pascale L
June 27, 2018
Worth the drive and walk down

It says 45 minute walk, but really it may be 20 - 25 minutes. It is worth it. The view and walk is spectacular. Bring your bathing suit if you want to swim as the water is so clear and it would be a nice day to swim there. We did not as we did not know you could swim. I loved this walk. There is a longer walk after this that you can do. I did not do this. If you are there in the NZ winter, remember that the day is shorter. There were people starting to head down at about 430pm and it was going to get dark. This would be a waste of time. Definitely a must.

3 people found this helpful
A
Annie K
February 22, 2018
The most beautiful beach!!!

This beach is amazingly beautiful! It's a bit of a trek getting down there but so worth it. I loved it and wished we could have stayed longer but we were on a limited time schedule.

You might also like...