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    Thames

    New Zealand

    Thames

    TownCulture

    Thames, on the Firth of Thames at the southwestern edge of the Coromandel Peninsula, is the gateway to the region, an hour and a half drive from Auckland.

    by Felix Gillen

    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. New Zealand
    7. Coromandel Peninsula
    9. Thames
    Thames, on the Firth of Thames at the southwestern edge of the Coromandel Peninsula, is the gateway to the region, an hour and a half drive from Auckland. The long Pollen Street with wooden facades recalls the 1867 gold rush; hiking trails into the mountains start in Kauaeranga Valley.

    Sehenswürdigkeiten

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Thames Museum Te Whare Taonga o te Kauaeranga

    1Thames Museum Te Whare Taonga o te Kauaeranga

    Museum zu den Anfängen der Stadt mit Modellen, Artefakten und Nachbildungen viktorianischer Räume.
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    Thames Goldmine Experience

    2Thames Goldmine Experience

    Guided tours through an old gold mine tunnel and a battery on the northern edge of Thames, providing insight into the gold rush era from 1867.
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    Thames Small Gauge Railway

    3Thames Small Gauge Railway

    A small park railway, on which round trips for families are offered on weekends.
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    Kauaeranga Valley and Pinnacles
    Attraction

    4Kauaeranga Valley and Pinnacles

    Valley east of Thames with a DOC visitor centre, traces of the Kauri logging era and hiking trails. The Pinnacles ascent is popular, as a day trip or with an overnight stay in the DOC hut, which must be booked in advance.
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    Essen & Trinken

    1

    Nakontong Thai Restaurant

    Thai restaurant on the first floor on Pollen Street.
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    2

    Kebab Express

    Kebab takeaway on Pollen Street.
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    3

    Bite Cafe Thames

    Café on MacKay Street with breakfast and lunch.
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    4

    Seoul Chicken

    Korean restaurant on Pollen Street with fried chicken.
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    Spirit

    Following the opening of the goldfield in 1867, Thames was briefly one of the country's largest cities. Museums, an old mining school, and preserved stamper batteries tell its story. On Saturday, a market is held on Pollen Street.

    Exploring locally

    InterCity buses connect Thames with Auckland and Hamilton. The Hauraki Rail Trail, a cycleway on an old rail route, leads from here towards Paeroa and Karangahake Gorge. For the peninsula itself, you need a car.

    Accommodations in Thames

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    Nearby

    Tairua & Pauanui

    Tairua & Pauanui

    Tairua and Pauanui lie opposite at the mouth of the Tairua River on the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula. Tairua is an established town with a harbour and the lookout Mount Paku, Pauanui a planned holiday settlement with a long surf beach.
    Coromandel Peninsula

    Coromandel Peninsula

    The Coromandel Peninsula lies east of Auckland, between the Hauraki Gulf and the Pacific. A forested mountain range separates the tranquil west coast, with Thames and Coromandel Town, from the east coast, with beaches like Hahei, Hot Water Beach, and Whitianga.
    Whitianga

    Whitianga

    Whitianga is the largest town on the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula and lies on Mercury Bay with a long town beach and marina. From here, it's about a 30-minute drive to Hahei, Cathedral Cove, and Hot Water Beach.
    Coromandel Town

    Coromandel Town

    Coromandel Town is a small settlement on the peninsula's west coast, with gold rush-era wooden houses, galleries, and cafés. New Zealand's first gold was discovered here in 1852. To the north, the secluded tip of the peninsula begins, featuring gravel roads and the Coromandel Coastal Walkway.
    Waiheke Island

    Waiheke Island

    Waiheke is located in the Hauraki Gulf, approximately 40 minutes by ferry from central Auckland. The island is known for its vineyards, olive groves, and beaches like Oneroa and Onetangi. It's perfect for a day trip but can also be explored well over a weekend.

    Sources & method

    • Photos: Pexels, Google Maps. Each photo carries its credit.
    • Place data such as addresses and ratings comes from Google Maps.
    • The content is based on web research from public, traceable sources. How the content is made · The role of AI