Homunga Bay to Orokawa Bay
New Zealand

The Homunga Bay to Orokawa Bay walk starts near the historical goldmining town of Waihi, gateway to the Coromandel Peninsula, where gold is still mined to this day.

We are dropped off at the end of the road at an elevation high enough to give us our first spectacular view. The walking track proceeds downward at a gentle slope through farm paddocks, into the native New Zealand bush past large flowering puriri trees... until all of a sudden we get a glimpse a view of the pristine white sandy beach that is Homunga Bay. In summer the pohutakawa trees frame the beach with their distinctive red flowers.

This deserted white sandy beach is our fist stop for a swim in the clear blue sea!

Following our visit to the beach we climb up the cliff and follow the path along the clifftop, seeing virtually no-one, we dip into patches of native NZ bush, across sandy white beaches and look from the clifftops for the dolphins often seen off the Bay of Plenty and along the Coromandel coast.

Half way along, at Orokawa Bay we pause to look at orchids... if we are lucky enough to spot any lurking surreptitiously along the side the paths. We are certainly likely to see the biggest leaves ever of the Rangiora or "Bushman's paper” plant.

After a day on this beautiful wild coast we find ourselves looking down on the seaside township of Waihi... surfers looking like seals in the water. We continue on down to the end of the hike and the welcome taste of local fresh fish and chips, followed by a scoop or two of delicious real fruit ice cream.

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Written by Kea Lippiatt.