COROMANDEL’S EAST COAST

Discover the beauty, stories, and spirit of Mercury Bay

This is our office: dramatic cliffs, hidden coves, turquoise water, and a stretch of Coromandel coastline with real history. We never get tired of it.

Nature & History

This coastline has a story written into the rock. Towering volcanic formations, ancient blowholes and sea caves — all carved out over millions of years — give the Coromandel’s east coast its dramatic character, and they still catch us off guard on a good light day.

The history isn’t only geological, either. Mercury Bay was home to Māori communities long before Captain Cook arrived here in 1769. From Cathedral Cove to Cooks Beach and Shakespeare Cliff, these places carry stories that go back generations, and they’re some of our favourites to share out on the water.

Wildlife Encounters

We tour through Te Whanganui-a-Hei (Cathedral Cove) Marine Reserve, one of New Zealand’s most protected stretches of coastline, and the marine life shows it. Stingrays, snapper and crayfish are regulars, and depending on the season you might spot dolphins, orca or whales cruising past.

Overhead, gannets, terns and shags work the cliffs and skies. And with our open-style sightseeing boat, you get excellent visibility across the water and coastline — so when wildlife appears, you’re in a great position to enjoy it.

Local Knowledge - Real Connection

We’ve been running tours out of Whitianga since 2010, and that time on the water shows. We know the weather patterns, when the light hits Cathedral Cove just right, and the stories that never make it into a guidebook.

It means you get more than the postcard sights — the hidden beaches, tucked-away caves and a sense of Mercury Bay that only comes from years of knowing this coastline properly.