Family travel guide for Coromandel's Mercury Bay

A horseshoe bay found nestled at the edge of a small community, Cooks Beach is a wide expanse of beach with small waves making it safe for young children. Near the center of the bay, you’ll find a toilet block, a playground along the water’s edge, a large grassy field, and miles of white sand stretching to your right and left that on most days you will have all to yourself. At the western end of the beach, there is an estuary that flows into the ocean which is fun for all ages to play or fish in, and at low tide the kids will revel exploring the multitude of caves found in the cliff, including one a short swim from shore.

If you don’t feel like venturing far, just across the street from Flaxmill Bay Accommodation, you will find a sheltered, quiet bay that’s perfect for kids to explore and potter. With a staggering arch naturally carved out of the sandstone over the years and various rocks of all shapes and sizes scattered at the water’s edge at low tide, this bay is a unique, natural playground.

Drive up to Shakespear Cliff to take in the views from above and then make your way down to Lonely Bay for an idyllic, picture-perfect beach day. With white sand and tropical-like turquoise waters, this secluded beach is only accessible through a 10-minute walk down a marked trail and a flight of stairs. But as you step onto this isolated beach you’ll feel as though you’ve been cast onto a deserted island. The overhanging Putakawas make great climbing trees and there’s lots of small crevasses and caves to explore along either end of the bay.

One of the best known beaches in the Coromandel, Hot Water Beach is a must-do no matter the time of year or the number of times you have been in the past. With natural hot springs bubbling just beneath the surface of the golden sand, visit anytime two hours before or after low tide to dig your very own ‘spa pool’ right at the water’s edge. Hot Water Beach is always a unique and exciting experience for all ages.

Nestled into a quiet, peaceful area of the Coromandel, Flaxmill Bay Accommodation is the perfect place for you and your little ones to relax and recharge. With the option of a campground, complete with a communal space for cooking, eating, and gathering, or the beautifully-styled, fully-equipped, modern and spacious one- to three-bedroom cottages. Located within close proximity to white-sand beaches, picturesque bush walks and secluded bays, Flaxmill Bay is the ideal home base for families of all sizes looking for a boutique-like getaway to explore all that the Coromandel has to offer. Just five minutes from the ferry landing to Whitianga and only a 10-15 minute drive from the famous Hot Water Beach, Hahei and Cathedral Cove Walkway. Flaxmill Bay is hidden away from the tourist areas but close enough to access them on a whim.