A cove on Coromandel

Across the wide Hauraki Gulf from New Zealand's biggest metro area, a stretch of deep wilderness extends northward into the Pacific. Aucklanders can see the Coromandel Peninsula's shores if they look east on a clear day, and it's like peering at a wild, different world. Many sights here are only accessible by hiking or boating, like this grand stone landmark known as either Te Whanganui-A-Hei or Cathedral Cove. Despite its out-of-the-way setting on Coromandel's far shore, this uniquely sheltered beach that's also part of a marine reserve sees 150,000 visitors a year.