Whitianga lies on the east side of the Coromandel Peninsula, on the shore of Mercury Bay, a wide, sheltered, sandy bay that has been popular with sea-goers for almost a thousand years. The Māori navigator Kupe is said to have landed here, and in 1769 Captain Cook anchored in the bay to observe the transit of Mercury, giving the bay its English name. Today it is a relaxed little resort town of three or four thousand people, built around a marina, a long beach and a long tradition of fishing, and it is the best base on this side of the Coromandel.
Getting here is half the pleasure. From the west the road crosses the spine of the peninsula, a steep, winding switchback through dense native bush and tree ferns, the kind of surface that rewards patience and punishes impatience. On the east side it opens into farmland and coast, and the sea appears suddenly in a flash of blue. The roads are narrow, often damp, and frequently shaded, so look for gravel and slippery leaf litter in the corners, and expect a lot of caravans and campervans in summer. Between Christmas and the end of January, when the pohutukawa trees are in crimson flower along the shore, the whole coast looks as if it has been painted.
In town, a small passenger ferry runs across the harbour to Ferry Landing, a few minutes away, and from there tracks and boat trips lead to the area's best-known spots. Cathedral Cove, a huge arched cave carved by the waves, and Hot Water Beach, where you can dig your own thermal pool in the sand at low tide, both lie within easy distance, and both get crowded in high season. Go early or late and they are much better.
Whitianga has fuel, supermarkets, bakeries and plenty of cafes, and the local seafood is excellent, especially the scallops and the fresh fish. For anywhere larger you must head back toward Thames, which is a good hour or more away. In winter the days are short and the roads damp, but the town is quiet and the coast has a moody, windswept charm of its own.