Hot Water Beach

I have no idea how many other places there are like Hot Water Beach in the world, but I’m guessing it’s a very, very special place. It is a beautiful beach on the side of Coromandel Peninsula with a quirky little twist: boiling hot water flows right below the surface of one section of the sand and is accessible during low tide.

If one wants to really have the Hot Water Beach experience, its quite easy:

• drive to a beautiful beach
• wait for low tide
• rent a shovel ($5 from the corner store)
• walk to the exposed rock line
• dig about a half foot, maybe even a foot down (making sure you’re friends and family are creating walls around this hole you’re creating)
• take a seat on the edge of the hole you’ve created, with your back against the walls
• watch the boiling hot water spring up, allowing it too cool a bit before reaching your seating position.

Ta Dah! A natural and temporary hot tub. Enjoy – just make sure that you don’t put yourself right where the water boils up or you’ll burn some skin off. Seriously.

If one is feeling a little bit lazier, its even easier:

• drive to a beautiful beach
• wait for low tide
• walk to the exposed rock line
• take lots of pictures of self-made men digging into the sand
• walk further down the beach
• play in sand until you’re too bored
• walk back to the rock line
• take pictures of the people in the natural and temporary hot tubs
• burn your feet while taking pictures of boiling sand

Guess which approach we took?

The more ambitious with their shovels.

Playing in the sand, which was brown, white, blue, black, and green

The more ambitious enjoying a well-earned hot tub.

Notice the middle is empty - the water is boiling hot.

Picture the Mr. right in the middle, where he burnt his feet.

Boiling sand.

I burnt my feet right after this picture.

Just shows you shouldn't laugh at your husband too early.

xo