Auckland & Waikato

A marvelous thing about Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city (over 1.3M people or one third of the countries population resides here) is that it’s so easy to get away for one day get ways or weekend trips.   Auckland is also known to be the world’s largest Polynesian city and boasts a growing multicultural hub all adding their own unique offerings in every suburb.

In a matter of an hour or so you can find yourself relaxing on a windswept beach or soaking up the atmosphere in the rolling green countryside.

There’s a plethora of inner city environments to explore… from historic suburbs to the bustle of downtown and the modern precinct on the waterfront.  The city weaves around bays and beaches …and the land and harbour-scape is dotted with volcanic islands and hills, making this one of the most unique city settings in the world.

Being slung on an isthmus between the mighty Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean, the city catches the breeze; hence, Auckland is the famed City of Sails.

The proximity to the water is a huge part of the appeal here … in fact Auckland has one of the highest rates of boat ownership per capita in the world.  There are plenty of opportunities for you to get out there too. … Whether for a relaxing cruise or, if you’re up for something more exhilarating, a few speedy racing tacks up and down the harbour. 

After enjoying a day at sea take advantage of the waterfront.  A splendid location for a meal is at the Viaduct Harbour on the Auckland waterfront where bars, restaurants and accommodation overlook an inner harbour a-float with luxury yachts.

And the great thing about the Viaduct restaurants is that they share this little bit of water with the fishing trade so everything is fresh in fact it is as close as you can get from the boat to the plate.

With an urban sprawl second only to Los Angeles … it can take a while to get from one end of Auckland to the other so don’t underestimate distances… but leaving the city limits is rewarding.

Ubooktrip’s editor suggests that if you are on limited time then budget for 1.5 days if you have more time then two – three days is enough to see the sites.