Exploring Hauraki Coromandel with Explore’s New Ferry Service
There’s something special about a weekend escape that begins before you even arrive. With Explore’s new ferry service from Auckland to Coromandel Town, the journey becomes part of the adventure, an effortless journey across the Hauraki Gulf as the city fades and the Coromandel ranges rise ahead.
Stepping off the ferry, Coromandel Town feels instantly welcoming, creative, laid-back, and surrounded by native forest and coastline. Wander its charming streets, browse local art galleries, and enjoy a taste of the coast at the Coromandel Oyster Company, where fresh, salty oysters are shucked just metres from the source.
From town, the weekend opens up in every direction. Lace up your walking shoes and explore the lush kauri groves and quiet bush tracks nearby, or head to the iconic Driving Creek Railway. The narrow-gauge train winds through regenerating forest, past pottery sculptures and towering artworks, before reaching panoramic views over the peninsula. For something a little quirkier, The Waterworks offers playful, eco-minded installations powered by water and imagination, perfect for families or those who travel with a sense of fun. While you’re here, visit the Coromandel Gold Stamper Battery, which takes you back in time to when gold drove the town’s fortunes and rugged industry shaped daily life.
If you’re craving a big-sky, big-view adventure, head north to the famed Coromandel Coastal Walkway. You can hike the track on foot or opt for the bike-and-hike experience with Hike and Bike, combining quiet gravel roads, forest edges, and staggering clifftop vistas across the endless blue of the Pacific.
If exploring further afield is calling, the local connector bus can whisk you to Whitianga to spend a day discovering the bay, its beaches, eateries, boutiques and waterfront boardwalk. Or, for total freedom, rent a car from Coromandel Shelly Beach TOP 10 and explore the peninsula at your own pace, from secluded coves to scenic lookouts hidden between hills.
And when the weekend winds down, your return ferry offers a final moment to slow down and savour the journey, sun on your face, salt on your skin, and the gentle rhythm of the Gulf carrying you back to the city.
Explore’s new ferry service makes getting to Hauraki Coromandel easier, more enjoyable, and more relaxing than ever. It’s not just a trip, it’s the perfect start to your next Hauraki Coromandel escape.
