Photo Credit – Libby Hewitt
It’s a very pretty, sort of backwater. Sort of, because although it’s off the beaten track, it’s a mere 60-minute drive from the Western part of the Bay of Plenty, and a more direct journey than Coromandel. It’s here you’ll find charming Waihi Beach.
A small village at the southern end of the Coromandel Peninsula, Waihi Beach, faces east to the open ocean. Here, you’ll discover a solitary haven nestled among thick pohutukawas, fringed with golden grasses, white sand and pounding waves. With a quaint “back in time” dairy placed strategically at the main intersection, follow the small, uncurbed road left, which finishes in a cul-de-sac of native bush-covered hillsides and pretty aspects of tamer seas. This is a beach road charmingly dotted with a mix of olde-worlde fibrolite baches and more modern, smartly built family holiday homes.
This was the destination decided upon for our girls’ night out – a hen party of sorts – but more of a celebration of friendship and love. And there were large doses of both on this particular night away.
For our digs, we lucked in with a charming, generational family home circa 1970s, tucked into the rolling sandhills, back from the beach but close enough to see the waves, feel the fresh coastal air, and almost bathe in the salty mist engendered by seasonal humidity. Exuding an aura of fun spookiness, the vibe provided an opportune time for us to rediscover our carefree selves. And we did just that.
After a settling-in session of bubbles, snacks, laughter, and anecdotes, we made our way, a 5-minute stroll, to “Flat White”. A restaurant, nestled beachside, with views of pale grey-blue surf n foam and a soft overcast sky stretching to the horizon.
Bookings at Flat White are essential, and it’s not hard to work out why. The service was superb. The charming waiters and waitresses played along with us; a bunch of women ready for a good time on our special night away. Several Pink Gins, bubbles and Irish coffees (I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed an Irish coffee – a very 1970’s drink) later, and we were in full flight and feeling very carefree.
Adding to our lighthearted mood, we were welcomed into another group of a much younger bride-to-be and her gaggle of girlfriends. All dressed to the nines and looking radiant, they wrapped us in their cocoon of love and fun for some group pics and story-swapping about our upcoming nuptials, after which we settled in for our eagerly awaited shared-plates meal.
Very special.
Included on our communal dining menu, we devoured mouth-watering pork belly, fresh, crunchy calamari, tender, tasty lamb ribs, and fries, which we all agreed were definitely cooked in duck fat. Crisp and rich and too delicious. But what the heck, special nights deserve special treats. The food was memorably moreish, and the service sublime and fun.
Like all fun moments, time flew, and in the morning, feeling a little dusty but nicely relaxed, we headed off from lovely Waihi Beach, stopping 40 minutes south for a welcome cooked brunch and strong coffee on the shores of pretty Omokoroa.
Waihi Beach and Flat White cafe/restaurant are a highly recommended combo for a night, weekend, or longer stay in this special part of the Western Bay of Plenty, New Zealand.
If you would like to know more about this or any other story published on Mytravelroom, feel free to contact me at; janeco@mytravelroom.co.nz
