Sea Caves and Coastline Near Cathedral Cove: A Campervan Traveller’s Guide

Quick summary: For campervan travellers exploring Mercury Bay, Cathedral Cove is only the most famous of the coast’s sculpted rock formations. Along the shore between Whitianga and Hahei, the sea has carved caves, arches, blowholes and stacks out of pale volcanic rock, many of them reachable only by water. Cave tours by boat or kayak explore them, while lookouts such as Shakespeare Cliff give sweeping views from land, all an easy outing from a campervan or motorhome base.

At a glance
What’s there	Sea caves, arches, blowholes, rock stacks and islands
Best way to see them	Boat or kayak tours
Departure points	Whitianga and Hahei
Land lookouts	Shakespeare Cliff, Hahei’s headlands
Weather	Cave entries depend on sea conditions
Tours	Cave tours

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What can you see along the coast?

• Sea caves, some large enough for boats to enter, with light filtering through openings in the roof.
• Arches and tunnels, cut through headlands and islands.
• Rock stacks and pinnacles, standing offshore.
• Blowholes, where waves force water up through the rock.
• Islands, including those within the marine reserve.

How do cave tours work?

Boat tours from Whitianga and Hahei cruise along the coast, entering sea caves when conditions are calm and pointing out formations along the way. Some combine caves with Cathedral Cove and a snorkel stop. Kayak tours explore smaller caves and gaps in the rock at a slower pace. Whether a boat can enter a cave depends on the swell, so the route changes from day to day. Browse cave tours and boat cruise tours.

What is Shakespeare Cliff?

A headland at Cooks Beach, near the Ferry Landing across from Whitianga, with a short walk to a lookout over Mercury Bay, Lonely Bay below and the coast towards Hahei. It’s a good place to understand the bay’s geography, and there’s a car park for campervans nearby.

Can an RV traveller see the caves without a tour?

Only some of them. A few formations are visible from lookouts and beaches, but most caves are reached only by water. Kayakers on guided tours get closest. If you have only time for one water trip, choose one that combines Cathedral Cove with sea caves.

Who named Mercury Bay?

The bay is named after a transit of the planet Mercury observed by James Cook’s expedition, which anchored here in the 18th century. Cook’s landing is remembered at Cooks Beach, and a memorial stands near Shakespeare Cliff. The area also has a long Māori history, with pā sites on the headlands.

Where should you base yourself?

In Whitianga, where most boat tours depart, or in Hahei, for kayak tours and Cathedral Cove. See Whitianga and Mercury Bay and Hahei village.

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Frequently Asked Questions