This panorama shows people and spades at the hot water pools on Hot Water Beach. Thousands of people flock here each year to dig holes in the sand and rest in the hollows that fill with hot water from thermal vents below. In some places the sand and water are too hot to stand on or lie in. You can tell where these are by the yelps from people caught out.

Hot Water Pools at Hot Water Beach - Coromandel Peninsula visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'Hot Water Pools at Hot Water Beach' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Waikato.

Hot Water Beach is best known for the hot water pools that can be dug in the sand 2 hours either side of low tide. At that time, hundreds of people flock to this one spot below cliffs at the southern end of the beach. Bringing spades and shovels, they then dig a series of hollows in the sand which rapidly fill with hot water from 2 thermal springs underground. In places this water is too hot to sit in, but as the pools radiate out the water cools down and the hollows form natural hot tubs.

Swimming on Hot Water Beach should only be done between the life guard markers. This surf beach is prone to rip tides and can be dangerous, especially around Castle Rocks just off shore opposite the hot pools area. Each year people are caught out by the rips and swept away.

Being a tidal phenonmenon, the hot pools dug by tourists are washed away when the waters come back in, and at the next low tide the event begins again. Hot Water Beach is on the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula in New Zealand, within easy driving distance of Whitianga, Hahei and Cooks Beach.

From Whitianga take the 25 south and turn left at Whenuakite onto Hot Water Beach Road. Follow signs to the beach at the end of the road.
From Hahei and Cooks Beach follow Hahei Beach Road back towards Whitianga. This becomes Link Road. Hot Water Beach Road leads off to the left.