Coromandel is one of those places that should have a song written about it; it’s beauty, it’s hospitality, it’s splendor. It was our first stop on our B&B tour and what a way to begin! It took us two hours to drive from Auckland, through the (seriously) windy mountain and ocean roads, into Coromandel, but even though it was late and dark when we arrived, we knew every white-knuckled moment was worth it.
We checked in at Mangrove Manor, our first B&B, and were warmly greeted by Anne, one of the owners. She recommended Umu café for dinner and, although the kitchen was closed upon our arrival, they graciously offered to make us a pizza, which, by the way, was the best –and we don’t say that lightly– homemade pizza ever!
The next morning we enjoyed a fabulous cooked breakfast and had a bit of a chat with Anne and Peter. Such lovely people! Before we took off, I snapped a couple of pics to remember our first stop.
Each of the three B&Bs we stayed at were hand-picked by Travel Planner Extraordinaire, aka ME, because of their proximity to wonderful scenery (lakes, hills, oceans, etc), and because all three offered something unique.
Our first stay at Mangrove Manor was definitely the best value for the amount we paid. We couldn’t believe how friendly our hosts were, how yummy the brekkie was, how enveloped we were in such unforgettable sights, and of course, how reasonably priced it was. We would’ve stayed longer but alas…we were on a schedule and had to make it to Hahei by mid-morning.
We took in the incredible views heading out of Coromandel on our way to Hahei (via Whitianga). This one (of many) was looking down directly at Coromandel Town. Amazing!
We began to understand that over every hill awaited an exciting surprise and a breathtaking sight like these:
Our only disappointment along the way, was knowing that our pictures would never fully capture what we were experiencing. There were lots of “Jim-and-Pam-insta-brain-photo-captures”. “The Office” fans know what I’m talking about…
Onward to Hahei!
Brekkie… love it. Only someone fully versed in Australian colloquialisms would use it. Wonderful.
@Marcus, I found it amusing too…an Asian-American using Australian slang in New Zealand.