Waiheke island

little Oneroa Beach on Waiheke

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Arriving on Waiheke Island felt a a bit like arriving in Provincetown after Boston,in the early days of our trip.The contrast between big city and small town island life couldnt have been bigger. The only reminder of Auckland was the distant figure of the sky tower looming over the city,on the other side of the harbour.

Its only about a 35 minute ferry ride from the port in Auckland.We stayed in a really cool little B&B called the Punga Lodge, run by a helpful local couple who kept us entertained. Life on Waiheke revolves around the beaches, fishing and the many vineyards which they have allover the island. Some of NZ's most famous viewyards are here- stonyridge being the most famous probably. The main town itself, Oneroa, is a small 'blink and you'll miss it' type of place. Some nice restaurants, cafes and one or two bars are dotted along a coastal strip of road that doubles as the town centre.

this was a gorgeous little beach

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We decided to take one of the vineyard and wine tasting tours on our second day there.Great fun it was too.We had the good fortune of being on the same tour as a bunch of auckland lads on a stag weekend so it would have been rude not to drink every drop we could see. We all took plenty of time to appreciate all the fine tastes on our pallette,as you can imagine! Despite the temptation to stay and get hammered with the party, we had to leave to catch our ferry back to the city and check in for our last night in Auckland before we boarded the Kiwi Experience bus. We really liked Waiheke though, would like to go back and see it in the summer. Its a great place to chill out for a weekend if you are living accross the bay in the city.