Mercury Bay, New Zealand

Mercury Bay is a large V-shaped bay on the eastern (Pacific Ocean) coast of the Coromandel Peninsula in New Zealand. At the central point of the bay is the small town of Whitianga, and a natural harbour is formed by an arm of the bay which extends inland for a further six km.

Whitianga has become a thriving coastal town offering an excellent selection of fine restaurants and cafes, some interesting shops and plenty of excellent beaches nearby.

The bay area is are great for all water sports including fishing and scenic boat cruises. On land there are bush walks and horse trekking, biking, and a number of gardens, galleries and museums to visit.

Things to see and do

* Whitianga
* Coromandel Town, Historic town
*Tairua. A very scenic location
* Hahei, including Cathedral Cove
* Hot Water Beach

Cruise Season – Jan - Dec
Currency – NZ Dollar (NZ$)
Language – English & Maori
Land Area – 200 km²
Population – 4000 approx
Electricity – 2 angled pins and 1 flat pin centred below Australian style
Time – GMT plus twelve hours
International Country Telephone Code – + 64

Port Location – There is a port located at Whitianga.

Transport Links – There is a flight service offered by Great Barrier Airlines from Auckland to Whitianga. Whitianga Water Transport operate a passenger ferry from Whitianga wharf to Ferry Landing 7 days a week, every day in the year.

Go Kiwi Shuttles and Intercity Bus offer services from Auckland to Whitianga, Hahei, Tairua, Thames and links to Coromandel Town, Opoutere, Whangamata and Tauranga.