We visit a little piece of paradise on the Coromandel coast

OHbaby! editor Kristina and family visit an oasis on the Coromandel coast, unlocking a new annual tradition.

My childhood summers were spent camping in the far north and around the Coromandel with my family, and to this day they remain some of the happiest times of my life. Since having my daughter Tallulah, I’ve wanted to pick up that tradition and carry it on with my own family, but it’s been put in the 'too hard' basket, till now. Enter Hahei Beach Resort! It’s camping, but with the ease of resort living.

I’ve always wanted to stay at this beautiful spot on the Coromandel coast, and we finally made it happen this autumn. We borrowed my mum’s motorhome, so it wasn’t 'camping' in the traditional sense, but hey – baby steps. We had a stunning beachfront possie with gorgeous views of the beach. The short pathway in front of us led to the shimmering, sapphire blue bay which was breathtakingly beautiful, and crystal clear all the way down to the bottom.

STAY

If camping is not your thing there are plenty of other options to choose from here, including glamping, baches, cabins, and villas. They also have an area that has been recently renovated called The Cove which is a cluster of six family cabins that can be booked individually -  ideal for a large family or friends’ trip!

The facilities are what really sets this place apart, they have absolutely everything you need to make camping life easy for families. Free gas barbeques, communal kitchen with fridges, freezers, ovens and microwaves, and amazing bathroom and laundry facilities.

EAT

Now here’s where things get really interesting – they have their very own bar and three eateries. The Deck is home to BarHei, serving up brews, classics and cocktails (I can recommend the peach margarita!). Beach Buns Burgers make some of the best smash burgers I’ve had, and Woody’s make a mean woodfired pizza. We brought enough food from home for breakfasts, lunches and snacks, but it was so nice to have some delicious dinners sorted, and fun to have a change of scenery and meet some of our fellow campers while we were at it. They also have an onsite shop and café – they’ve truly left no stone unturned. The bar and eateries are open from October through to Easter, closing during the winter months.

PLAY

The Deck often has live music and DJs on Saturday nights during the summer months (October through till Easter). They had a DJ on the Saturday we stayed, and it was so nice to see families enjoying themselves, parents letting kid’s stay up a bit later, enjoying the  music and relaxed atmosphere, with bed just a few steps away. The music plays till 9pm so if you have light sleepers in the family, pack a white noise machine or ear plugs perhaps (it didn’t bother us personally).

The other main attraction in the area is of course Te Whanganui-A-Hei Marine Reserve, AKA, Cathedral Cove. The phenomenal natural archway frames the most beautiful sandy beach with clear, turquoise waters and incredible rock formations. Pictures truly do it no justice, it’s quite spectacular. There are a few different options to get there from the resort, including a walking track straight from the beach, a kayaking tour, a water taxi and a shuttle bus. Be mindful there is a bit of a walk from the car park to the beach, around 30-45 minutes. Our five-year-old did fine (and there is an ice cream truck halfway for extra incentive). We caught the shuttle bus there, walked down, and Tallulah and I caught the water taxi back, which I highly recommend as that was an experience within itself, as the boat has wheels and drives right up onto the beach!

If you’re still feeling adventurous after that, there is plenty more to do in the area including walks, snorkeling and diving, boat tours and local eateries and shops to check out.

We were tired after our big day at Cathedral Cove, so we opted for a hot tub experience at the resort. They have steamy cedar spas dotted along the beachfront, far enough apart so that they’re quite private, and we all enjoyed having a nice long soak at sunset, with a few quick dips in the ocean to cool off.

Generations of Kiwi families have camped right here on this magical coastline, spending quality time and making core memories, and I can safely say we're now one of them and will absolutely be back! Thanks for kicking off our family camping tradition Hahei Beach Resort, maybe next year we’ll be back in a tent?!

Shout-out to:

Hahei Beach Resort haheiholidays.co.nz, @haheibeachresort.