UPDATE AUGUST 2023: The Cathedral Cove walk is currently closed, and won’t open until mid-2024 at the earliest. You can see the cove via boat tours like this, or this one that looks cool.

Having been a film location in Chronicles of Narnia: The Prince Caspian the Cathedral Cove walk is one of the most popular attractions in the Coromandel.

But is it just the blind leading the blind? Does everyone visit because they don’t want to miss out (FOMO)? Is it a genuinely stunning walk?

I’m sure it’s a bit of everything, but I can genuinely say Cathedral Cove is epic and you should go. But don’t follow everyone up and down the main trail, skipping the walking tracks off the main path, doing so is a mistake! You’ll read about this later on.

This post has all the details you need to know about visiting the Cathedral Cove.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Cathedral Cove Walk Details & FAQ
2. Cathedral Cove Walk Map
3. How To Get To Cathedral Cove
4. My Cathedral Cove Walk Experience

1. CATHEDRAL COVE WALK DETAILS & FAQ

You could say I’m being harsh by saying the Cathedral Cove walk is only 4.5/5 stars, but I feel as though the sign for the facilities could be better, especially the toilets. I didn’t see the toilets at the end of the walkway, but apparently, there are some.

And rather than having all of the information boards at the start of the trail, it’d be nice to have them placed along the walk. But the walk itself is epic and well worth it as I’ll mention multiple times.

When¹: December 2019

Hike Distance²: If you’re only goingfrom the top of Grange Road to Cathedral Cove , it’s a little under 4km round trip. But you can take some walks to Gemstone Bay, Stingray Bay, and the Cathedral Cove viewing deck/platform and get close to 6km of walking. You can see the route I took on Strava here.

Cathedral Cove Walk Difficulty³: Easy.

Incline⁴: It’s tough to get a firm number on total elevation, but if you’re doing the out and back walk there’ll be no more than 200 metres total elevation. Strava had 381 metres elevation for me, but I feel that was a little off number wise and it’s a little lower.

FAQS

How long does it take to walk to Cathedral Cove?

The DOC signs say it’s a 45-minute walk to the Cove, but you should be there in 20-30 minutes. Getting back up the hill will take a few minutes longer. Note: You can’t park next to the start of the trailhead so you’ll need to add some time on (how to get there below) there, time for the other bays/viewpoints you want to see. And of course, the time you spend at Cathedral Cove itself.

Is Cathedral Cove crowded?

On a nice day in the middle of summer, there’ll be dozens of people on the trail and Cathedral Cove Beach. I do mention the non-touristy viewpoint below 😉 In the middle of winter you’ll still find people here and there, but there’s a chance you might be the only one at the beach.

Do you have to pay to go to Cathedral Cove?

No, it’s free to access Cathedral Cove. But you may need to pay for parking…there are free options available though.

Can you walk through Cathedral Cove at high tide?

Usually, you’ll be able to walk through with no problem provided you don’t mind getting your feet wet. But if it’s a big tide, you’ll be better off going at high tide. You can check the latest tides here.

Can you swim at Cathedral Cove?

Yes, you can. The surf can get rough so use your own good judgment. And you can go snorkeling in Stingray Bay as well.

Why is it called Cathedral Cove?

Similar to the Cathedral Cave in the Catlins, Cathedral Cove is named due to the shape of the caves. You’ll know the large triangular cave when you see it that gave Cathedral Cove its name.

Are there toilets at Cathedral Cove Beach?

Yes, two long drop toilets. If you’re fussy about having flush/clean toilets, use the toilets before you go on the track 🙂

Can you do a day trip from Auckland to Cathedral Cove?

There are plenty of companies who are able to organise this. Check out this deal on BookMe.co.nz and you might find a good deal.

Are dogs allowed on the Cathedral Cove walk?

No. With no exceptions.

2. CATHEDRAL COVE WALK MAP

I’ve attached photos from both Maps.me (left) and Google Maps (right) of the main walking route to Cathedral Cove above. On Maps.me it has all the trails to a high degree of accuracy, including the one to the viewing platform on the left-hand side of the Maps.me screenshot.

You don’t need a map though, between the signs and the crowd, you’ll make your way there just fine (there’s often a constant stream of people walking on a nice day).

3. HOW TO GET TO CATHEDRAL COVE

Walk: If you’re staying overnight in Hahei, you can walk to the viewing platform at the Cathedral Cove trailhead via two routes. You could follow Grange Road S all the way to the top (there’s a footpath), or you can head towards the north end of Hahei Beach and take the stairs near the end that lead to a trail that’ll take you to the top. I took this latter route and found it gorgeous.

You can also walk from the free visitor car park mentioned below and walk from there.

Car: This is the most popular way people get to Cathedral Cove. You used to be able to park anywhere in Hahei and walk to the trailhead, but that caused lots of issues for locals so now there’s no parking allowed on Grange Road (which leads to the trailhead) from October 1st to April 30th. Your two best options for parking are:

1. Park & Ride: This is a new option. This free visitor carpark is serviced by a shuttle bus that runs up and down Grange Road from 9 am to 6 pm. There’s no need to time your arrival perfectly as they’re very frequent. The return trip costs $5 for adults, $3 for children, and $10 for a family (2 adults/2 kids). You buy the tickets on the day at the terminal.

2. Private parking on Grange Road: Kiwis are known for their entrepreneurial spirit, and some homeowners on Grange Road have kept this up by offering parking spaces on their property for $10-15/day. You’ll be paying cash at these places and they’ll often be sold out, but if you’re three or more adults it’s cheaper to park here than option 1. You’ll find they have signs outside the properties, and they’re even on Google Maps like this place. There’s still a bit of uphill walking involved from here to the trailhead, but nothing major.

Public Transport: No option.

Shuttles: There are a few shuttle companies that run Cathedral Cove walk tours, and they’re allowed to drop you off at the top of the trailhead and come back to pick you up later on.

You’ll need to do some Googling for this as it depends on where you’re staying as to which shuttle company options are worth it for you. They can be an expensive but convenient option if you don’t have a car as they often include Hot Water Beach too.

4. MY CATHEDRAL COVE WALK

Having visited Cathedral Cove on a grey and miserable day a few years ago I was excited to do the walk again on a partly cloudy day.

I got a ride from the hostel in Whitianga with a fellow hostel guest, and we parked at the free visitor car park and walked along Hahei Beach before taking the stairs up to the trailhead.

It’s a bit of a hike up to the trailhead, but you get a few nice views so I enjoyed it.

When we reached the trailhead I went up to the wooden viewing platform to read about the history of Cathedral Cove and take in the views. I definitely don’t remember the cliffs being so white, they’re stunning.

The start of the walk is a steady descent for the first 500 metres, which is where you’ll see the turnoffs for both Stingray Bay and Gemstone Bay too (I’ll talk about the bays later in the trip report).

The main Cathedral Cove walkway is fully paved so there’s no chance of getting lost, though it may get slippery in parts in the wet. Now we’re heading back up a rise which finishes at the beginning of WW1 Memorial Forest Park, honestly, it’s a nice tribute but nothing special scenery wise.

But you get some cool views out to sea now as you follow what is a ridge of some description before you reach the section where there’s a bush on either side of you walking on the track.

You’ll see a sign along here pointing to a viewing platform that less than 5% of visitors (my estimate) visit, but I’ll talk about that more soon.

Once you pass that turnoff, it’s a pretty steady descent to the flights of stairs that finish on the edge of the Cathedral Cove beach. When you arrive at the beach, you’re on the southern beach. You’ll see the Smiling Sphinx Rock here, and the arch will be on your left-hand side.

This is the more popular beach despite the other one being just on the other side of the arch!

Walk through the arch and take all the famous photos you’ve seen in your research, it is cool. And do check out the other beach featuring Te Hoho Rock, it’s cool with the erosion at the base (don’t fall over please, rock) and you may as well while you’re there, right?

My friend went for a swim at the cove and said it was cold but amazing. I was more keen on walking to the viewing platform though 🙂

If you’re short on time, it’s simply a matter of walking back the way you came. It’s a slightly harder walk as you’re ascending overall, but it’s nothing you won’t struggle with. Maybe add on an extra 5-10 minutes walking time?

There are a few sidetracks you can take along the main walk which I think you should do. They don’t take long and all have cool views!

The viewing platform: This is an awesome 700 metre each way walk to a viewing platform north of Te Hoho Rock. The platform is at the top of a steep cliff, so you get amazing views straight down the coast looking south.

There are a few gentle undulations but it’s super easy. You’ll see the sign on your walk there and you’ll just need to follow the trail until you reach the platform.

This sidetrack will take 18-30 minutes to get back to the start, mostly depending on how long you spend at the platform. It’s your classic non-touristy area of a very touristy attraction.

Stingray Bay: Yes, Stingray Bay does have stingrays you can find swimming in the shallows. I didn’t see any though 🙁 This is a great-looking bay with the near-vertical cliffs bordering the quiet beach. And the waves are a lot more gentle too. The walk is easy enough, and only takes a few minutes off the main trail, but you’ll need to hop over some rocks at the end.

Gemstone Bay: If you’ve got snorkeling equipment with you, you’ll want to visit Gemstone Bay (assuming conditions are nice) to do the the snorkel trail.

There’s no sandy beach at this bay, it’s all boulders and while I can’t comment on the quality of snorkeling, it’s definitely something different from everything else along the Cathedral Cove walkway. And no, I didn’t find any gems.

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Yes, Cathedral Cove beach is super touristy given the relative ease of the walk, fame as a film location, and being close to Hot Water Beach.

Oh, AND it’s a genuinely stunning location with the archway and steep cliffs. framing the two beaches at the bottom of the track.

So yes, Cathedral Cove is worth visiting when you’re in the Coromandel. If the number of tourists freaks you out, head to Wharekirauponga when you’re near Whangamata and you won’t have that issue.

If you have any questions about the Cathedral Cove walk, let me know in the comments below. Have you been? I would love to hear your opinion of the cove too!

What to read next:

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• An off the beaten path trail: Wharekirauponga
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