No place like home

Over the holiday break, we asked readers to write in about their memories of three favourite New Zealand holiday destinations. Thanks to the hundreds of people who entered – here is a selection of the special stories they shared.

From an early age our Christmas holidays were regularly spent on Waiheke Island. The most fun we had was travelling around trying out all the different beaches. Although our usual was Oneroa or Onetangi, one day we caught the bus to Palm Beach. My mother, having heard how lovely and calm the water was there, dutifully packed a picnic and off we headed. The beach was all it promised to be, soft sand, gentle waves and very peaceful. After lunch we kids decided to explore. Running off ahead of our mum we traipsed across sand and rocks until we came to a smaller bay, where we stood taking in the sights. When our mum caught up she wondered why we were just standing staring . . . no one had mentioned to Mum that part of Palm Beach was popular for nudists. She had to face a large number of questions from our young innocent mouths that day! Nita Garner, Auckland

Palm Beach was my highlight of Waiheke. Revelling in a morning of glorious sand, hearing the native birds and enjoying this beautiful spot. A place where in reality, aside from a splash of water, you’re geographically so close to it all, yet it feels as though you’re a million miles from it all. A true haven. Kim Reilly, Dunedin

The view from the Palm Beach Lookout on Waiheke Island is virtually unchanged from my early memories of holidaying on the island. The children were very small and we used to push them in their strollers along the then unsealed road, the steady rumbling motion sending them to sleep! We would stop at Popes Store (now no longer) for an icecream and rest at this lookout, which has one of the best views on the island. The only change from those days are the houses which have sprung up like mushrooms around the beach, but even now it is still a very peaceful haven for somewhere so accessible. Colleen Squires

My first memory of Palm Beach was dawn, New Year’s Day 2000, when I was staying with friends to celebrate the new Millennium. We rose very early to experience the sunrise from a rock in the foreground. It was very quiet and spiritual. I have returned for a few more holidays and always make a pilgrimage to that spot. J Ritchie, Waiheke

Hot Water Beach

As a surprise birthday trip for my wife last year, my family (wife, toddler, infant and I) drove from Auckland to Hot Water Beach on the Coromandel Peninsula. Being recent North Island immigrants – ex-Dunedin by way of the UK – it was our first exploration of the peninsula and we were graced with a perfect warm day for the occasion. As it was early in the summer season the beach was peacefully quiet with only a handful of other visitors. We were soon attempting to dig our own

It feels as though you’re a million miles from it all.

hot pool in the sand and after several unsuccessful attempts some friendly people with an already established pool invited us over to share theirs which our son Henry loved. We spent another few hours enjoying the beauty of the spot before heading to Whitianga for some fish and chips for dinner and hitting the road home to Auckland. Andrew Johnson, Auckland

I discovered Hot Water Beach with a friend in 2001 when I was on holiday here before I emigrated. The night before there had been a power cut up the whole coast and we had lain on the grass watching the most amazing sky ever, no city noise in the sky just millions of stars and shooting stars. Then we found the beach the next morning and dug a hole and wow – it was really hot. Fantastic. Lyn Dunk

I spent all my childhood holidays in Whitianga and we often ventured to Hot Water Beach with my parents and two younger brothers with zinc for our noses, spades for digging our own private hot pool and buckets for carrying the much-needed beach water to our self-made hot pools for cooling off! That was back when life was way less complicated and the only thing I had to worry about was if I had managed to dig a bigger hot pool to submerge myself in than my brothers. We would run between our hot pools and the rock pools close by where we would look for baby octopus and crabs. I have not ventured back since high school but every time I see an image of Coromandel I am always telling my sons that I must take them to where I spent all my childhood and we used to dig our own hot pools. One day! Linda Phipps, Christchurch

While staying in nearby Tairua, my mum and I visited Hot Water Beach for the first time (an embarrassing admission having spent 37 of my nearly 40 years living in this gorgeous country of ours). We timed our visit perfectly with the tide and headed over to join the crowd and start digging. Unfortunately no matter where I dug I couldn’t get the hot water spring to come up. I dug hole after hole after hole. On seeing this, and my growing frustration on continual cold water, a lovely couple who were lounging back in their own hot water the size of a small Olympic pool invited us to join them. I could have kissed them for it! Jo Moore, Auckland

We were celebrating my 50th birthday on the Coromandel and had hired a bach (without TV) for the family. On day three of our holiday, excitement was high as we were at last going to have a soak at Hot Water Beach. Yay! We were fully prepared with shovel, costumes and towels. On arrival our disappointment was huge when we were told we could not get on to the beach and dig a hole. It was March 12, 2011 and we were oblivious of the carnage that had occurred far away in Japan. The beach was considered unsafe due to the large waves coming ashore – a consequence of the tsunami that created such devastation in Japan. Hopefully 2013 will be my lucky year for the Hot Water Beach. Felicity Potgieter, Auckland

We visited Hot Water Beach in November, uncertain what to do and armed with a small spade. It wasn’t at all crowded and there were a number of overseas tourists, some already soaking in their special pool. We will always remember the wonderful atmosphere of laughter and friendliness as people invited us to join their pool of naturally heated water, just metres from the sea. Definitely one for the bucket list we have now ticked off. Norma McLaren, Rangiora

My mind wanders back to our much-anticipated family holidays at Hot Water Beach at our bach. With the Kombi van packed to the hilt with Mum’s home baking and mountains of food, we would take off over the Hauraki Plains, then the much dreaded, winding Tapu Hill. After what seemed like an eternity we were excited to be finally arriving at our happy place – the typical Kiwi bach built by Dad and his mates, aptly named Lovers Retreat and decorated inside and out with all manner of flotsam and jetsam. Dad’s days were spent walking miles over the hills then along the rocks to that perfect fishing spot, while Mum, my sister, Robyn and I were content to laze about the beach with our friends, either swimming in the lagoon or surf. Occasionally, we would join a few other local holiday makers we knew and together we would dig hot pools at low tide, then dive into the surf to cool off – just laidback and carefree childhood holidays. The home-built smoke-house was kept going after a day’s successful fishing, with Dad and his mates having a beer and telling tall tales about the big one that got away. The hot pools were taken for granted and only used when we felt like a good hot soak on cooler days. These days going to Hot Water Beach is a well-planned exercise, making sure the shovels are packed, checking the tides and ensuring we arrive before the crowds to ensure a prime digging spot. Paying a visit to our late father’s memorial seat is also now a must while visiting there. Never in our wildest dreams did we think Hot Water Beach would become a ’’must do’’ in all the travel guides, bringing many nationalities from around the world. Susan Glading

About 10 years ago, my partner and I went to Hot Water Beach in Coromandel – at that time I had never heard of it. It was the middle of winter and it was a great surprise to sink my toes into steaming hot sand. As it was around lunchtime and we were travelling with a supply of food, we hit upon the brilliant idea of burying eggs until they were softly cooked and eating them on a cracker biscuit. One of them cracked and got a bit sandy but we didn’t mind and ate it anyway. Such was the essence of that time and that extraordinary place. Zodi Woods, Taradale

My memory of Hot Water Beach is a winter memory, one which confirmed my intention to emigrate to New Zealand. We planned to emigrate in 2000 so in July 1999, I had booked to come over to a conference and look for a job. By conference time I had already secured a job. The conference was in Hamilton but a field trip took us up to Waihi, Miranda Hot Pools and Hot Water Beach. I couldn’t believe that in the middle of winter I was swimming in thermal water under a cloudless azure blue sky. That sold me. We came over in 2000 and have lived here very happily ever since.