The mineral pool is a popular place first thing in the morning and a great way to start the day. Headed off towards Thames for a fuel and food stock up before heading across to the Coromandel. A scenic drive with lots of windy roads but lots of places to stop and take in the views. We headed to Cooks Beach for a quick look, a great winery called Cooks Beach Vineyard http://www.cooksbeachvineyard.co.nz/ is well worth a stop…..awesome chardonnay. Cooks Beach is a sleepy little place with a beautiful beach and great for fishing, boating and safe swimming. The local camp ground was going through a total renovation and not operable when we visited but is a great place to stop and spend a few nights http://www.cooksbeachcamp.co.nz/ . Take a drive to the local lookout for stunning views of Cooks Beach and the Coromandel.
We headed on to Harhei for the night, only a short drive. The local camp ground is set in a great location, close to the beach and if you visit Harhei in a quieter time of the year you may be lucky enough to get a camp spot at the top of the sand dune overlooking the beach.
