Tairua is a small coastal town situated on the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula in the North Island of New Zealand. It is a popular destination for summer holidays and a coffee stop for tourists on the Coromandel tourist circuit.

Get in

By road

• State Highway 25 passes through the town centre. The town is about 40 km south of Whitianga and about 36 km north of Whangamata.

By bus

Intercity have buses Su-F from Thames and Whitianga.

By ferry

• Catch the short ferry ride from Pauanui across the Tairua Harbour.

Sail

• Tairua is a safe harbour and a good place for stopover.

See

The surrounding areas are covered in native bush and pine forests, and native bird life is plentiful. Estuaries and rivers are great fun to navigate on kayak.

Do

• Ocean Beach, Ocean Beach Rd. Great for surfing and soaking up the sun.
• Tairua Harbour, Manaia Rd. Children can swim safely in the warm water of the sheltered harbour beaches.
• 1 Paku, Tirinui Cres. Walk to the summit of this volcanic peak, which was once a Maori pa site, for an amazing view of the Pacific Ocean, Tairua Harbour and the Coromandel Ranges. (updated Aug 2018)
• Tairua River, Tairua Rd. Excellent for kayaking and other water sports.
• Coromandel Forest Park, Kopu Hikuai Rd. Loads of areas for swimming, walks and trailbike riding in the area.

Buy

• 1 The Little Gallery, 228 Main Rd. Commercial art gallery exhibiting paintings, pottery and jewellery by local artists. (updated Aug 2018)
• 2 Four Square, 234 Main Rd. daily 7AM-6PM. Small supermarket (updated Aug 2018)

Eat

The harbour and ocean provide an abundance of fresh seafood such as flounder, pipis, cockles, crayfish, scallops and snapper.

• 1 Out of the Blue Cafe, 227 Main Road, ☏ +64 7 864 8987. Daily opening at 8AM. A small cafe. 

Sleep

• 1 Blue Water Motel, 213 Main Rd, ☏ +64 7 864 8537, fax: +64 7 864 8537. $85–175 per night based on double occupancy - extra fee for extra occupants. 
• Colonial Homestay, 202 Paku Drive, ☏ +64 7 864 7743, fax: +64 7 864 7743. $145–160 per night depending on season. 
• 2 Pacific Harbour Lodge, 223 Main Rd, ☏ +64 7 864 8581, fax: +64 7 864 8858. $100–180 per night depending on season and number of occupants. 
• Saltwater Lodge, 4 Tui Terrace, +64 7 864 9592, fax +64 9 278 9322, mobile +64 21 959 911.
• 3 Tairua Shores Motel, 156 Main Rd, ☏ +64 7 864 8520, toll-free: 0800 426 276. $95–195. 

Go next

• Hahei and Hot Water Beach – near the Marine Reserve – at Hot Water Beach, two hot springs come up through the sand near low tide, and you can hire a spade and dig your own hot pool
• Take the ferry to Pauanui, just across the harbour
• Thames to the west
• Whangamata to the south
• Whitianga to the north