Cathedral Cove Beach

Cool cove. Nice walk. Good to see the screen saver photo live and in person. Headed early so less people if this matches the tide id recommend early bird. 1 hour before lowest tide was still good. Walk was more hilly than expected. More ups and more downs than I imagined. I thought id walk up to the bus stop (took us 20mins) then down to the beach. Instead you go back up a hill, round the ww1 memeorail then back down, and back up, then down. Overall to get there took 45mins. 15mins there and then 45min return. (No rush)

Beautiful hike down to the beach that you may recognize from Narnia. Be honest with yourself though it is a challenging hike if you do not regularly work out. Paved path with actual stairs yes but that isa long hike hanging over steep cliff like plunges, and approx 7 flights of stairs right before you hit the beach. Beautiful and worth it if you are up for the challenge though. Very helpful that there is a bathroom and ice cream stand 3/4 of the way to the beach to give you a pick me up on your way back up the climb. It is also not just downhill them uphill, it is up and down one direction and then up and down heading back

Superb hiking path, very clean, mostly asphalted. Very beautiful scenery along the way. The lookout detour (about 50 minutes) is worth it. Be warned that there are lots of inclines and steps. Paradise found!

Beautiful scenery! Easy walk down - tougher coming up the steep stairs if you’re not so fit. We left from the Cathedral Cove Gateway car park which is an enjoyable walk in. We were very grateful for an icecream on our way out at the top of the incline to get back. Was quite busy when we were there, a lot of ignorant tourists with no concern for anyone but themselves which was disappointing. But overall a beautiful spot and worth the walk down to see 🧡

About a 30 mins walk from the top of the track. You cannot park at the top of the hill, but you can park at the carpark and take the Shuttle Bus. You can swim at the beach. Beautiful spot, very picturesque. You can also come by Water Taxi. Many stairs on the way down, so not suitable keep for strollers

Impressive view and great place for photos. Water is cold outside summer, so don't expect to swimm between April/November There is only drop off area at the top of the hill, parking is at the entrance of the city. You can use shuttle service to go there. It is about 35 minutes walk in a easy pace. Some areas are step and have stairs.

Absolutely stunning, truly a wonder of God. Went with the kids at start of Sept school holidays and pleasantly not too crowded. The shuttle from Hahei carpark runs on a 10 minute cycle, was comfortable and quick. Well worth the $7 return. A pleasant undulating 30 walk from the drop-off point. The steep stairs section just before the beach needed some caution to avoid injury. Some parts do not have a handrail. Quite demanding going back up. The walk was totally worth it. The beauty, peaceful serenity made it all worthwhile. Definitely recommend. A great experience. A cautionary note: stay back from the cliff wall base, as there was recent slump.

What a fantastic place to visit. Catch the shuttle to the walk's car park and it's about a 30 to 35 minute walk to Cathedral Cove. It's a decent hike back too. We'll worth the trek. We had a fine and quite warm day with no wind in the middle of winter. Very lucky.

Cathedral Cove was an amazing experience. To be walking in farmland amongst a bunch of sheep one minute and then be in a tropical jungle next to a beach the next is amazing. The scenery was like something out of a movie. This is a must see on any New Zealand trip.

35 years ago this place was da bomb. Now, it's over-crowded beyond belief. In the late 1980s and early 1990s it was a pristine place where you could have this gorgeous beach all to yourself that only locals knew how to get. Now there's a water taxi, a 1-way 5 minute boat ride from Hahei Beach to Cathedral Cove for $80NZ, there's kayak tours and other signs of commercialization that make this beautiful place swarming with people. It's about an hour walk, up and down hills that are steep, yet paved, with a few steep stairways as well. The amount of tourists overwhelms the beauty, in my humble opinion. Super beautiful spot, but waaaaay too crowded to enjoy the true beauty.

Stunned natural New Zealand at its best. Gorgeous views of azure blue sea and powdering white sand. Many islands doted out in the bay. Sheltered coves, cliffs and native bush. Stunning stunning stunning. Carpark to access cove very limited and no parking on the road up. Better to park in Hahei town and walk along beach and around. That way you get all the views. But it is a stroll/hike of about 2kms each way.

Words can barely describe this place, its Earth at its finest in all its beautiful natural glory. This is one of New Zealand's most photographed natural sites...just look at all the pictures! You can easily get here by a Water Taxi, but due to the water conditions it wasn't running that day. Fortunately the hike is all paved and isn't too challenging for anyone in moderately good health. The sign says 45 minutes, but you can easily do it less than 30 minutes, just be sure to bring plenty of water for you trek, wear good shoes, and don a good back pack for all your beach stuff.

Truly magnificent - and super accessible to tourists. I arrived via kayak -- and the beach was amazingly crowded with hikers and kayakers. You don't have to be in good shape to make it to Cathedral Cove, and it's very popular. Don't bring a blanket and picnic and expect to have a lovely peace time on the beach. It's not a very big beach -- and it's got many many people in the summer. That said - it's also not so far away from the larger beach and you can swim to it. Get a high visibility colored dry bag (yellow, green or red) to attach to yourself, some goggles and earplugs on a string (because you'll lose your earplug in the ocean, just saying) -- and swim around to the beach. No jellies when I was there -- but heaps of rays to see from kayak and the water temperature is perfect for open water/long swims.

Avoid the crowds and go at sunrise! Watching all of the colors of the sunrise over the water was one of the most peaceful and serene experiences of my life. We went to bed around 1am because we are night owls but still managed to wake up at 4:30am so no excuses, you can do it too! Definitely one of the highlights of our 3 week honeymoon. In the summer the parking lot at the trail head is closed for some reason but that's ok because the houses next to the parking lot open up their grass lawns for $10 parking. Then it is about a 30-40 minute walk to the cove (bring your tennis shoes). We stayed at the Horizon Bed and Breakfast which was fantastic because they had breakfast ready for us when we returned from the hike. We saw some advertisements for boat rides to cathedral cove but I'd recommend doing the hike because you will get there before all the boats. There were surprisingly a lot of people that were hiking there in the morning too. If you don't go during the sunrise the best time to go is during low tide because it will be dry inside the cave/rock arch. At high tide you might not be able to walk through it.

Okay going to start off with honesty. This isn't a location a disabled person could reach, unless they were water taxied onto the beach. Everyone has to walk the trail from the parking lot. It takes about 30 minutes to walk steep inclines. Many people have to stop. I suggest you bring water and your inhaler. The beach itself has the most wonderful outhouse I've ever been inside. Be sure to bring your own toilet paper and sanitary wipes, as there is no running water. However, I love this toilet because there is a window where you can look out onto the see as you carry on with your business, and it doesn't smell. Super amazing New Zealand. Now the beach. It is like walking into a dream. One of those places that you see in postcards and you're actually there. It is hard to take it all in, but worth it. I wish that I could be laying on that beach all the time. The waters are so blue. I feel privileged to have experience Cathedral Cove.

This place is fab! Though it's definitely well known by tourists, it's still worth the trip, because it's freaking beautiful. We went on Christmas day, and it was PACKED. Much busier than I'd imagine it to be ON CHRISTMAS. The car park was 1000% full, in fact people were parking on the sidewalk. We turned around and parked in the residential area down the street, which added some time to our walk, but we'd been sitting in the car for hours anyway. The hike from the car park is probably about 30-40 mins, though it's marked as 45. It's very hilly. I'm a pretty avid hiker, I didn't have too much trouble, but we passed a few people who were definitely huffing and puffing. The scenery along the path is gorg though, so stopping for a break isn't the worst thing to do. When we got to the cove, it was super crowded. Lots of people were on the beach. We walked through the cove to the other side of the beach, which was significantly less crowded. You'd just have to walk up to your crotch area in the sea to get to the other side :) or if it's low tide, just up to your knees. We found a secluded-ish area on the end of that beach and threw down our towel for a few hours of sun time. The water is cold but not terrible, there were quite a few people swimming. I saw a few people with snorkel gear as well, though I don't know what is down there. The water is super clear and super blue and beautiful. I'd totally recommend coming here, just be aware that it will be busy, and bring your sunscreen, water and food!

I saw this place in a movie once, and thought,"where is that place?" Chronicles of Narnia shot this place in the beginning scenes of the movie and I assumed the place was not real. Though when I heard it was real through the social media vine, I did more research and chose this place a must visit when my gf and I planned our NZ trip. Idk why, but there's something about natural wonders of the world and I considered the place to be a natural wonder because the Cove in itself is magnificent. The Beach u can't swim in cuz of the many jelly fishes, so yeah I don't want to get stung on vacation. But a good tip is to witness the sunrise, summertime in NZ is usually in December to Feb quite the opposite from Hawaii. It's such a nice crisp walk in the mornings, with headlights on, it's a good way to avoid the crowds in the daytime. This is the place where I proposed to my Girlfriend, it was near a waterfall at the far end of the Cove. It is indeed a magical place because it motivated me to plan something that I've been thinking about for so long. It is a natural wonder because of the way the Cove was formed, and the sunrise it itself is a framer. I love it

live broadcast from the set of Jeopardy! category: movie value: $200. answer: cathedral cove question: where was "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" filmed? correct! if you believe that the ends must justify the means then the beauty of nature that awaits you, will justify the 1.5hrs hike down and back up again! unfortunately, nothing in life is for free. so you have to work it, to enjoy it. having said that, the journey down is filled with scenic views, lots of free fresh air and sunshine. on your way to cathedral cove you may also choose to make small detours to check out gemstone bay and stingray bay but i'm not too sure if it is worth burning those extra calories for. the trail up and down can be undulating, so it might be challenging for those physically less mobile. definitely not good for prams. the other ways to get to the cove would be via kayaks and boats. as you take that relaxed, casual stroll down, you will notice sweating and panting tourists coming up in the opposite direction. that's when you gasp and ask them if it is worth it? the answers, thus far, were always Y(pant)E(pant)S(pant)!!! as the trail gets sandier and the smell of the sea strengthens, you know you are almost there. finally landing on the soft white sand will ease your aches somewhat and the gentle lapping waves will wash your worries away, for now. i'm not sure what the pevensie children felt but entering the cove felt like a very pleasant home coming indeed! this is how nature is. you feel it's grandeur and power yet at the same time you feel the sheltered security that the cove also provides. take your time to take in the unspoilt beauty of this marine reserve before your arduous journey back up! last but not least, if you so happen not to be a camel then do remember to bring along some drinking water.

We have good intentions. We're a family of walkers, hikers, and people who aren't afraid to sweat. Sadly, we were on a tight schedule (and not in the mood for a certain someone to throw a temper tantrum). Luckily for us, there is a water taxi service from Hahei Beach! We got there early enough so that the beach wasn't too packed, had time to play, relax, swim, chase waves, take loads of pictures, jump off a rock, get very nice tans, and only have a short wait for the taxi to collect us around lunchtime. Everyone said this is a place we absolutely must visit and we're really glad we did. (Note: Tons of people there around midday- in the summer)

From the parking lot to the cove, it's more than just a walk in the park. Prepare to walk on some inclined paths and also a long set of stairs. You definitely won't get bored on your journey to Narnia. Though the distance is not too far, you get to see the scenery change a couple of times. You'll pass by sea cliffs, then pastures with sheep, and then finally the sandy beach. Before you know it, you'll be walking through that cove.

Astounding view, especially early in the morning. You have the option of hiking there along the seaside trail and seeing several other coves on your way, or you can kayak in. We tried both and you get amazing views either way. As summer approaches the crowds grow, but we went in early spring November and it wasn't too busy. I recommend looking at the tide schedule before you go, if you go during high tide you might not be able to make your way through the signature arch.

Definitely worth the hike - this place is stunning. Come during low tide to enjoy the left hand side of the beach once you're at the cove. Also if you're feeling up for it, at low tide you can enjoy Gemstone Beach.