Pauanui is a great spot on the Coromandel Peninsula for running. There’s something for everyone here: an idyllic 3 km beach; the nearby Tairua River multi-use trail; and a climb to the summit of Mt. Pauanui for those who want a challenge! We also note that Pauanui is a famous spot for kakaying, for its protected bay with views of Mt. Pauanui and Mt. Paku.
Beach Run. Pauani Beach is among the best beaches on Coromandel for running. This wide, scenic beach is sandwiched between Mt. Pauanui and Mt. Paku. The sand is reliably firm during low tide. The beach is just shy of 3 km in length. At the north end, there’s a fun, short jaunt out Pauanui Wharf. Our thanks to Michael Fuchs for suggesting this route!
Add-Ons: For a nice add-on, we recommend taking a jaunt around Gallagher Park. It’s a nice green space just inland from Pauanui Beach, toward the south end. There are ~2 km of concrete surfaced paths around the park. The terrain is mainly open with fields. Add with some pleasant running on some of the residential streets of Pauanui. We especially recommend Vista Paku, which runs for 2.5 km between the center of Pauanui and the north end of the beach. It’s a wide residential street with a green median and good sidewalk.
Mt. Pauanui Summit Loop. For a challenging run (separate or add-on), tackle the trail to the 380m summit of Mt. Pauani. The reward for your climb is stunning views of the coast and Mt. Paku. There are a couple of ways to do this. Steepest and most direct is the walking track from the south end of Pauanui Beach. It’s ~1.1 km, climbing nearly 400m. The trail is steep & narrow, with roots and lots of stairs. A more gradual way is to take the long way, heading on the track to Cave Bay and climbing the same elevation over 3 km. This can also be made into a 4 km loop, which we’ve mapped.
Pauanui is a great spot on the Coromandel Peninsula for running. There’s something for everyone here: an idyllic 3 km beach; the nearby Tairua River multi-use trail; and a climb to the summit of Mt. Pauanui for those who want a challenge! We also note that Pauanui is a famous spot for kakaying, for its protected bay with views of Mt. Pauanui and Mt. Paku.
Beach Run. Pauani Beach is among the best beaches on Coromandel for running. This wide, scenic beach is sandwiched between Mt. Pauanui and Mt. Paku. The sand is reliably firm during low tide. The beach is just shy of 3 km in length. At the north end, there’s a fun, short jaunt out Pauanui Wharf. Our thanks to Michael Fuchs for suggesting this route!
Add-Ons: For a nice add-on, we recommend taking a jaunt around Gallagher Park. It’s a nice green space just inland from Pauanui Beach, toward the south end. There are ~2 km of concrete surfaced paths around the park. The terrain is mainly open with fields. Add with some pleasant running on some of the residential streets of Pauanui. We especially recommend Vista Paku, which runs for 2.5 km between the center of Pauanui and the north end of the beach. It’s a wide residential street with a green median and good sidewalk.
Mt. Pauanui Summit Loop. For a challenging run (separate or add-on), tackle the trail to the 380m summit of Mt. Pauani. The reward for your climb is stunning views of the coast and Mt. Paku. There are a couple of ways to do this. Steepest and most direct is the walking track from the south end of Pauanui Beach. It’s ~1.1 km, climbing nearly 400m. The trail is steep & narrow, with roots and lots of stairs. A more gradual way is to take the long way, heading on the track to Cave Bay and climbing the same elevation over 3 km. This can also be made into a 4 km loop, which we’ve mapped.
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