Cathedral Cove is two coves and two beaches connected by a limestone arch. It is a must do hike from Hahei, up hills and down hills and about a million steps. The scenery along the way is very beautiful.

This area is the Te Whanganui-A-Hei Marine Reserve. On the way to the Cathedral Cove we detoured to the Gemstone Bay which is an area good for snorkeling , but you'd have to navigate some huge boulders to reach the water from the trail.

When we arrived, we were disappointed to read a sign saying the archway was closed! No lie! Apparently some big rocks have been falling out of the roof which made it dangerous. However, many young people ignored the “Do Not Enter” sign and went through anyway. We older, wiser folk heeded the sign and enjoyed the view from outside the archway.

The hike was worth it anyway, as the beach was gorgeous. Now we know why so many of the hikers were wearing bathing suits; it is a great place to swim and sun bathe. The day was perfect today with a light breeze and lots of sunshine.

After our hike we stopped at the Hahei General Store for a few groceries and then relaxed by the shore at our campsite. We took another walk on the Hahei Beach before we cooked our dinner. The tide was going out so we found a few pretty sea shells.