Hot Water Beach

 
Ok, it's time to titillate you again with a post about a place in New Zealand.  I do hope you come to visit real soon!

Hot Water Beach on the Coromandel Peninsula is a pretty special place.  Not only is it a great big and beautiful beach but at each low tide you can dig yourself out a hot spring pool to lounge in!  Lots of people do visit to do just that.  The local cafes do a brisk trade in hiring out little spades to dig.  You can make your own hot spa for 2 hours each side of the low tide. 

 

One warning – if you dig down you will find very hot water – so it's not advisable just to leap in without testing just how hot it is.  People do manage to burn themselves quite regularly. 

 

Another warning – if you are all hot and want to cool off by swimming – don't just dash into the sea right where the hot springs are – there is a notorious rip right there and you might get towed out to sea.  Just go back down the beach a little ways to swim – the safest place is between the flags, of course, when the beach is being patrolled (ie during the summer).

Our preferred time to visit Hot Water Beach is not at summer's height – too many tourists all at once for us.

Hot Water Beach is about a 2 ½ hour drive from Auckland – a lovely drive through some great natural scenery.