Fifty miles east of Auckland on New Zealand's North Island, The Coromandel Ranges contain vast tracts of unspoiled landscape ideal for hikers and sightseers, while small towns dot the coast, offering pristine beaches, surfing and hot springs.

The Coromandel Ranges, a mountain range dominating a peninsula which juts out like a giant green thumb from the island, separates the Hauraki Gulf from the Firth of Thames. The beauty of the Coromandels is that they contain so many secrets within their rainforested emerald green flanks, be it day hikes up the Billy Goat Track or the waves at the scenic resorts of Waihi, Whangamata or Whitianga with its wide fishing estuary.

Much of the coastal part of the peninsula is picturesque New Zealand scenery, pristine coastline with beaches, coves and quaint small towns. With its mix of artists and the more well to do, the landscape features everything from campgrounds to house trucks (trucks converted into living quarters) to exquisite eco-retreats such as the Ohui and Mana Retreat. The area's proximity to Auckland also makes it a sought-after Christmas holiday destination. Ask almost any Aucklander about going there during the holidays, and most can regal you with stories of staying year after year. Indeed, if you buy them a beer, you might even find out about a few secret fishing spots around the Mercury Islands or just past the Whangamata Inlet.