Waiheke Island

The largest of the inner islands of the Hauraki Gulf, Waiheke Island has gradually become a commutable, residential “suburb” of Auckland for those people wanting to combine the best of city and island lifestyles. Just a short 35 minute ferry ride out of the inner harbour and past Rangitoto Island, Waiheke is surprisingly close to the city.

Another attraction of the island is that it is typically 4 degrees warmer than the mainland and has less rainfall, a fact that residents are quick to point out to their city bound counterparts.

Like most of the islands in the Hauraki Gulf, Waiheke has an amazing array of stunning, golden sand beaches predominantly found on the northern shores. Oneroa, Onetangi and Palm Beach to name but a few all offer gorgeous stretches of sandy coastline just waiting to be stretched out on for a day of total relaxation.

But there’s more to the island than just beaches. Waiheke is home to a plethora of art and craft studios, cafes and restaurants and shops as well as a number of quality wineries.

A good idea is to hire a car, scooter or bicycle to explore the island at your leisure and stop off at some of the interesting points en route. Alternatively there are buses from the Ferry terminal at Matiatia Bay which will to take you on various tours of the island including an excellent wine tour.

Waiheke is home to an ever increasing variety of boutique vineyards. Not having the availability of extensive tracts of land, winemakers on the island have concentrated on quality rather than quantity. Often the only way to get a vintage wine is by being on the vineyard’s mailing list.

Its not just the wines that provide the attraction but also the wineries themselves. Waiheke’s pleasant climate lends itself well to spending an afternoon on the verandah or terrace of a winery overlooking the olive trees and vineyards and letting the flavours of the wine paint your thoughts.

Stonyridge Vineyard is a perfect example of such a winery and also offers self contained accommodation with panoramic views of the vineyard.

The Mudbrick Vineyard Restaurant in Church Bay combines spectacular views of the Gulf with interesting architecture. The restaurant is one of several buildings on the island that is, as the name suggests, made from mud bricks. These richly coloured bricks are not fired in a kiln but baked by Waiheke’s plentiful sun. It offers quality cuisine incorporating home grown produce, a six acre vineyard and surrounding native bush are additional reasons to visit this popular Waiheke attraction.

Some of the many other the activities available on Waiheke include Kayaking, golf, and fishing. There’s also a wide range of Waiheke Island accommodation to suit all tastes and budgets.