Luxury hotels in Auckland

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Auckland guide

Auckland: the city of sails and Waiheke Island

The Sky Tower view, a sail on the Hauraki Gulf, volcanoes in the city and wineries by ferry.

Auckland, the City of Sails, is spread across volcanoes between two harbours, and the most cited experience is a day on Waiheke Island, a forty-minute ferry ride away, with vineyards, olive groves and beaches. A sail on the Hauraki Gulf, sometimes with America's Cup yachts, is the other classic.

The Sky Tower gives the best view of the city, Mount Eden and One Tree Hill are volcanic cones with panoramic views, and the Auckland Museum holds an outstanding collection of Māori and Pacific treasures. The west coast's black-sand beaches, such as Piha, are an hour away.

Waiheke Island

Waiheke Island, about forty minutes by ferry from downtown Auckland, is the most cited day trip from the city: rolling hills of vineyards and olive groves, wineries with restaurants overlooking the Hauraki Gulf and beaches such as Onetangi and Oneroa.

The island is known for Bordeaux-style reds and Syrah, and a private driver or a hop-on bus links the wineries. Headland Sculpture on the Gulf, a coastal sculpture walk, is held periodically, and a helicopter transfer offers a spectacular arrival.

Rotorua and Hobbiton

Hobbiton, the film set of the Shire from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, near Matamata about two hours south of Auckland, is one of the most cited excursions in New Zealand, with guided tours among hobbit holes and a drink at the Green Dragon Inn.

Rotorua, about an hour further, is known for geothermal valleys, geysers such as Pōhutu at Te Puia and Māori culture, with evening hāngī feasts and performances. Combining both makes a long day or, better, an overnight trip.

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