Kawhia

Kawhia is the spiritual home of the Tainui People and the place where the the Tauinui canoe is reputed to have first moored 750 years ago. Kawhia can be a day trip from Hamilton - the one-way distance is 85 km. The black sands hide a surprising asset which is revealed two hours either side of high tide. In certain areas, sand can be dug away to reveal natural thermal hotsprings, comfortable enough to bathe in. Many visitors compare it to the Hot Water beach experience in the Coromandel but without the crowds.
Once a year the Kawhia Kai Festival is held on the small reserve next to the museum. This is an opportunity to experience traditional Maori food from the sea "kaimoana" & food from the land "kaiwhenua. The smoke and alcohol-free event is very popular. The traditional and contemporary Maori kai includes toroi (marinated mussels and puha), creamed paua and kina, inanga (whitebait patties), kanga wai/pirau (fermented corn), puha and pork spring rolls, pawhara (smoked fish and eel) as well as the Waikato delicacy, koki (shark liver pate).