Believe it or not, at Hot Water Beach in New Zealand, you can dig your own hot tub on the beach. All you need is a shovel to dig a hole and a rising tide. This beach is located on the Coromandel Peninsula of the North Island and is a must-visit.
When Can I Set Up My Spa at Hot Water Beach?
You can dig your hot tub on one of the hot water beaches two hours before low tide and two hours after low tide. It’s strange to see but very special to do. Nowhere else in the world can you find such a unique place to create your private spa in the middle of the beach. You can enjoy this natural wonder all year round. During summer, the tide usually happens to be low at around 3 pm and in the evening in the middle of winter. So, you can either have a hot bath in the bright sunlight or enjoy the starry sky and warm yourself up in winter with the warm water rising from the ground. The only time to be careful is when the tide is high.
Why Is Hot Water Beach So Warm?
The water at Hot Water Beach is so warm because there are hot springs underneath the beach. Therefore, the seawater is at an average cold temperature. However, the water that gushes out onto the beach can be close to boiling in specific areas. In some places, you have to dig a hole about 15-20cm deep to come up, and as soon as you put your feet in, you realize that it is much hotter than sea water. It’s very crazy, and you can’t imagine how it is until you feel it with your own feet. Then, you can always take a dip in the ocean to refresh yourself. Just make sure you check the current and the roughness of the sea carefully.
Rent a Shovel
Having to dig a hole by hand on the beach is not a good idea. In some places, the water is hot, and digging by hand is not as fast as digging with a shovel. Fortunately, shovels can be rented in many areas. These shovels can often be rented for $5, and you pay a deposit on top of that, and of course, they will return the deposit if you bring it back. The only funny thing is that if you go to Hot Water Beach on a crowded day, there will be many people there. Most of these people have shovels, so as a general rule, you can go up to someone on the beach and ask to borrow one. This also allows you to see how crowded the area is before borrowing a shovel! If someone has already finished digging a hole, they often don’t need it anymore so that you can save a few dollars.
High Season
If you visit Hot Water Beach during the high season, be aware that it can get very crowded. People don’t lie when they say they were digging in and relaxing with hundreds of other people. When you first see it, you might feel quite overwhelmed, but you get used to it after a while. It feels like an ant nest, you start to itch, and after a few minutes, you find yourself digging. The high season is generally summer in New Zealand and peaks in January as many New Zealanders are also free during that period. If you go at times other than weekends, you are likely to have a much quieter moment.
Have you ever been to the hot water beach? Share your experience with us in the comments below!
