Back in December and January, I traveled to the North Island of New Zealand over holiday break. I was visiting local friends who had our entire agenda planned out ahead of time. I knew I was in for some secret New Zealand adventures off the beaten path. We toured most of Auckland, then headed to Whangamata. Whangamata is located on the southeast coast of the Coromandel Peninsula and is a quaint little town. Whanga is famous for a number of off-shore little islands that can be seen from the beach. As we drove along the peninsula, we stopped off at a number of hot spots. The most memorable and picturesque location would definitely be Cathedral Cove. You can park on the side of the road and view the coastline or get out and walk along Hahei Beach to the Cove, where you’ll see gigantic, natural archways. The sandy beach with shady Pohutukawa trees along the shore makes for a perfect place for a picnic, swim and beach day. Snorkeling and sea cave adventures are really popular here, as well. Exactly what you would imagine on a trip to New Zealand! The next day we hiked to New Chum Beach, which has been voted as one of the world’s top beaches. It is also consistently voted as one of the 101 must-do’s for Kiwis as well. Along the 30-minute hike to New Chum Beach through the bush, we saw some wildlife and stopped to rest on one of the massive trees. This beach is a New Zealand gem, as it’s hidden away from the masses and rarely explored. The stunning stretch of golden Pohutukawa trees and native forest is deserted for most of the year. The beach is also protected and has no buildings, no roads and no infrastructure or camping. It’s no surprise that the Coromandel Peninsula’s marketing campaign describes the region as “good for your soul,” because that’s exactly how I felt after experiencing all of its natural beauty. — Rafie Iannello, account director, Pacific Rim