Liv's Notes of Stuff

Just a list of things I am noting that would be good to see and do in the future sometime!

Coromandel:

• Whitianga Scallop Festival – http://www.scallopfestival.co.nz/ [Saturday 24th September 2011, 10am-5pm]

Next time would like to do one of those small boat tours that zip around the different pretty coves in and around Hahei / Cathedral Cove etc – Found two that looked good

• Cave Cruzer : Departs Whitianga, Snorkling etc, 2 – 2.5 hrs for $75
• Glass Bottom Boat : Departs Whitianga, Snorkling etc, 2 hrs for $85

Notes of places to stay and appropriate things to see/do for Brian’s Mum & Aunt’s visit here in the various places we will be tripping around to.

Coromandel Trip Section:

• #1 – Kaiaua Wine & Food Festival – http://www.kaiauawineandfoodfestival.co.nz/ [26 Feb] Coast Road on the way to Pauanui
• #2 – Pauanui – Staying with family.. Dinner & Breakfast – Nancy’s Birthday! [26th Feb]
• #3 – Day 2, Beaches & Cafe’s & Art Galleries – http://www.mercurybayartescape.com/colenso_cafe.html
• #4 – Coromandel Accommodation - http://www.celadonmotel.com/ – Back to the Celadon since it was so good before [27th Feb]
• Day 3, Coromandel site-seeing and on the Way home – Coromandel To-do – http://www.drivingcreekrailway.co.nz/, Water Gardens – http://www.rapaurawatergardens.co.nz – North of Thames, Thames To-Do – http://www.butterfly.co.nz/ – Maybe?

Information on places to stay in the Coromandel from a recent long weekend trip up there. Found 2 good places to stay.

• Celadon Motel [FABULOUS]  : Located in Coromandel Town this place was fantastically rustic and charming. Reasonable pricing ($120). LOVED it there. Would absolutely go back. I even wrote a review for them
• Summer Wine Cottages [GOOD] : This place is just out of Whitianga and has nice, quiet & clean self contained, separate units on a farm location. Quite nice, and at $100 they’re good value for the budget conscious

Decided to do a short camping trip in the Coromandel just after Xmas, to test out the new tent and see if there was anything critical missing from our supplies before undertaking a longer camping holiday anywhere! Went well, and the campground we stayed at was good.

• Hahei Holiday Resort [GREAT]  : Unfortunately being camping “noobs”, we ended up on a site in full sun with no shade, so we baked in our little tent. The park itself was great though, and Hahei is a really lovely beach – No surf, but crystal clear, so take your mask n flippers to dive about.