Your first port of call should be our moving check list. 8 reviews 7 helpful votes Accommodation for large family group 5 years ago Save My family is heading to Waiheke Island for a weekend in December 2017 and we are looking at accommodation options for the following group: 1 bedroom - 1 x couple 1 bedroom - 1 x couple 1 bedroom - 1 x couple and toddler (will have own portocot) Don't disturb threatened birds like the New Zealand dotterel. Soar above the landscape on a chartered scenic flight, then refuel your engine with a casual beachfront caf meal or an upscale, multi-course affair. You can also get a daily pass for $10 at the ferry terminal. $30pp. We recommend staying at one of the most popular hotels in Waiheke Island, which include: Some of the most popular restaurants in Waiheke Island include: Waiheke Island is known for some of its popular attractions, which include: We recommend checking out these popular tours when looking for something to do in Waiheke Island: If you're a more budget-conscious traveler, then you may want to consider traveling to Waiheke Island between September and November, when hotel prices are generally the lowest. Waiheke Executive Travel is the coach company that took us around for the day on my recent Waiheke Wine Tour. The eastern end is a mix of farm blocks and settlements. Take your rubbish with you there are no rubbish bins. I found myself taking over 100 photos on each of these hikes! Explore the Island of wine and the best culinary experiences it has to offer. .mw-parser-output .oo-ui-icon-unesco{background-image:url("https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b1/WorldHeritageBlanc.svg")}.mw-parser-output .oo-ui-icon-star{background-image:url("https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/Cscr-featured.svg")}.mw-parser-output .oo-ui-icon-ftt{background-image:url("https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Writing_Circle.svg/25px-Writing_Circle.svg.png")}.mw-parser-output .oo-ui-icon-dotm{background-image:url("https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/50/Yes_Check_Circle.svg/25px-Yes_Check_Circle.svg.png")}.mw-parser-output .oo-ui-icon-otbp{background-image:url("https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6e/Right_turn_icon_blue.svg/25px-Right_turn_icon_blue.svg.png")} Experience beautiful island scenery, world class Wineries and Restaurants through out you Island stay. Some vineyards offer guided tours or free tastings seven days a week; many have restaurants or cafeterias with striking views, though some are open only for lunch or offer only cold platters until midafternoon. Naumai Haere mai, Big Aroha Tours, a cultural experience! It is 35 minutes by ferry from Auckland and is a popular destination for day trips and longer visits. $153.98. I could not recommend them enough, they made our trip so easy and relaxing. Highly recommend and will only be using Jane from Big Aroha Tours for all our future visits to Waiheke! They were able to cater for our needs on a particularly tricky day for a tour - Easter Sunday! Dont Under Estimate The Size of The Island: I dont like to finish on a negative tone but I feel like this is an appropriate and most important point to make! You get to meet some locals, stay in some really unique accommodation and often it is cheaper to stay at an Air BnB than a local hotel, dont diss it until you have tried it! Corrections? However they are not E-Bikes and we were nave in thinking we would be able to explore a lot of the island in the time that we had! Boating is allowed in the Te Matuku Marine Reserve but please take care to avoid damaging marine life by dragging anchors. Peak hotel prices generally start between March and May. I highly recommend Big Aroha tours for any transport or wine tasting needs. Waiheke does not have a mains water supply so water fountains are not as common as elsewhere in Auckland (and your accommodation may ask you to save water). Te Matuku Marine Reserve protects one of Waiheke Island's largest and least disturbed estuaries, along with an area outside Te Matuku Bay in the Waiheke Channel. Waiheke Island Tourism: Best of Waiheke Island, Self-guide / Self-pace Wine and Food Tasting, Review of recent trip - tips and suggestions. 4.5Atmosphere. SeaLink. Several wineries also specialize in Bordeaux-style blends. 5.0Value. Updates? Make sure your camera batteries are charged and your memory card has got lots of space on it. It is only a short ferry ride away which makes it the perfect day trip from Auckland . THE 10 BEST Waiheke Island Wineries & Vineyards - Tripadvisor The western end of Waiheke is a residential area with around 8,000 permanent inhabitants. Places to see, ways to wander, and signature experiences. Think picture-perfect beaches, verdant vineyards, and rolling hills, all only 40-minutes away from Aucklands city centre. Its Maori name means "cascading waters." The island was the site of manganese mining in the late 19th century. Dogs are not permitted at the marine reserve at any time. 8 Tips to Save Money When Renting a Car in NZ, Why it took us almost 5 years too move to NZ, Going back to England to visit as a expat. We went over with our 7 month old baby on a long weekend and I was a bit anxious about how we would get around the island with a pram and no car. Jane answered all my millions of questions on email promptly and was very accommodating! A number of commercial ferry operators run both car and passenger ferry services to Waiheke Island. Our blog Going NZ is for those who have a vision for a better future in NZ, who want to overcome the roadblocks of emigrating to a new country. If you want, you can link several of them together for a longer hike. Its just across the road from Big Oneroa and also the best caf/bar/restaurant in town. We have never had such an amazing tour guide. Your guide to Waiheke Island | Waiheke.co.nz After that,I'll grab coffee at Wai Kitchen, pick up a few supplies from Waiheke Fruit and Veg (terrific) and walk home for some readingor gazing out to sea. Onetangi. Its Maori name means cascading waters.. Thena clifftop walk down to Little Oneroa, sensational pizza from the Dragon Fire pizza truck. Waiheke has rolling hills rising to a maximum elevation of 759 feet (231 metres). Waiheke Island Gourmet Food and Wine Tour, 4-hour Scenic Wine Tour with a Private Guide and 12 tastings, Small-Group Wine Tasting Experience on Waiheke Island, Full-Day Tour of Waiheke Island with Wine Tastings, Taste of Waiheke Wine and food pairing tour with platters, Private Vineyard Bush Walk Tour in Waiheke Island, Private Dog Friendly Wine Tour with your Local Guide, Scenic Walking Areas, Points of Interest & Landmarks, Waiheke Island Private Double Headland Walk, Waiheke Island Private Bush and Beach Walk, Waiheke Island Double Headland Coastal Walk, Private Personalized Tour in Waiheke Island, Exclusive sailing charter from Waiheke Island. How we rank things to do. The island, about 17 kilometers, or 10 miles, from Auckland, has become a favorite destination for weekend getaways since the introduction of a regular high-speed ferry service in 1986. A Quick Island Getaway From Auckland - The New York Times Browse the dozens of art galleries and craft stores of the Waiheke Arts Trail between dips in the emerald waters. I would love to hear your views on Waiheke, where to visit and where to stay! Waiheke Island, island, southern Hauraki Gulf/Tkapa Moana, off the east coast of North Island, New Zealand. Waiheke Island, a 35-minute ferry ride from downtown Auckland is a favourite week-end and holiday destination for New Zealanders and foreigners in the know. Get a transit schedule and map at the tourist office (called i-SITE) in Oneroa. Another estimated 3,400 have second homes or holiday homes on the island. Waiheke Wings. Darren met us even though we arrived earlier than planned. The Complete Guide: How to travel to Waiheke Island and get around when 88. These timetables are great to use for a day trip or if you are unsure when the next few ferries are going from a particular wharf. Walk homepast the Island Gelato Company for the best gelato this side of Italy. It is a great place to walk around, but the distances are hard without a car! All-day passes are available from Matiatia Wharf or can be bought with your ferry ticket from Auckland (but not before 9AM on weekdays). Waiheke has rolling hills rising to a maximum elevation of 759 feet (231 metres). It looks out over one of Waihekes many picturesque swimming beaches. We had lunch amongst the locals who went about chatting to each other about their day! Visit Waiheke Island, a complete guide It is an inlet that has a lovely community of house boat owners! A mix of the charming, modern, and tried and true. The tour is an hourlong trip around the western end of the island, stopping briefly at picturesque spots where visitors might like to return on their own. All rights reserved. Tags: beaches hiking New Zealand Waiheke Island wineries, Awesome little guide. Waiheke Island | 100% Pure New Zealand You can fish off the rocks or the beach around the islands coastline, except in the Te Matuku Marine Reserve. It is also the last settlement before you reach the real remote eastern side of the island that is often left unexplored by day trippers even weekend trippers like us! Do not exceed 5 knots in a boat or on a jetski within 200 m of the mainland or a dive flag, or within 50 m of a boat or person in the water. Mr. White described the menu at Stonyridge as Italy-meets-Asia, because, he said, the restaurant is serving an increasing number of tourists from China and Hong Kong. Waiheke Island | Wineries and things to do | Fullers360 There are more than two dozen wineries on Waiheke Island, which is just off the coast of Auckland, New Zealand. 15th December 2015 / Destinations, New Zealand, Oceania / 5 comments. Waiheke Island Approximately 40 minutes from Auckland City Waiheke Island boasts 92km2 of pristine beaches, stunning coastal headlands, wineries, olive groves and seaside villages and is approximately a 40-minute cruise from Downtown Auckland. Standard return fares are adult $36.50, child $20, senior/student $31, car $170 and there are different family passes. Make week night cooking easier NOW $120 OFF your first 4 boxes! How would you spend an ideal day in Waiheke? There are few destinations and distances are relatively short, which increases the chances of a driver stopping for hitchers. 1. Without a doubt your first stop which ever mode of transport you take will be the main town of Oneroa. Ostend has a full sized supermarket, a chemist, a fishmonger, and a Placemakers if are looking for a bag of cement. For those sat on my right, your air-conditionings up here on your right, he said, reaching above and behind his head to pull open one of the windows. Where to Stay Why Visit Waiheke Island Sunsets are a highlight of relaxing on New Zealand's Waiheke Island. document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Waiheke Island - Aucklandnz.com Waiheke Island Gourmet Food and Wine Tour. Kia ora and welcome to Big Aroha Tours Waiheke Island A burger for $22? Waiheke Island, island, southern Hauraki Gulf /Tkapa Moana, off the east coast of North Island, New Zealand. "The general vibe is relaxed to the extreme," she says. This eastern side of the island is meant to be very different to any of the areas that I have mentioned above and is on the top of list to explore for next time! Waiheke Island boasts sandy, pristine, tree-fringed beaches on 40 km of beach coastline, boutique vineyards with tasting rooms, and a variety of amazing restaurants with stunning views. You can just stay on these Fullers-owned buses and have a 1 hour tour of the island, or hop on and off as often as you want at any of 15 stops, which include vineyards, beaches and restaurants. Fires and portable barbeques are not allowed except on the permanent barbeque provided onsite. A Guide to Waiheke Island, the Hamptons of New Zealand In landscape, lifestyle and experience, Waiheke is a world away. Today however I splurged at Obsidian by tasting six of their wines for $10, which was later waved when I bought a bottle of their Pinot Gris ($26.50)! The region produces predominantly red wines, with merlot and syrah being the most common grapes. The AT Journey Planner covers the Fullers ferries and Waiheke buses. Friendly, reliable, professional. from. Along with tastings of German-style beer, it offers activities like archery, laser clay-bird shooting and ptanque, and has a cafeteria with an outdoor dining area that features beanbag seating alongside tables and chairs. We offer cultural art and wine tours and a shuttle service for any occasion. Waiheke boasts several boutique vineyards, perfect for sipping, sampling and savoring New Zealands fine wines. We had a local driver guide who filled us in on what life is like on Waiheke with very quirky and fun facts. ), a great beach bagand Rivieras deck shoes. We can only really comment on the ones we visited! We emailed Darren and Jane at Big Aroha with our transportation needs prior to our trip and they were super helpful and accommodating in arranging rides. The Auckland Council maintains a number of wharves and boat ramps around the island, and small boats can also be landed on many of Waiheke's beaches. Day passes are not sold on the bus, but bus fares are reasonable. He prongo atu an. 41. We'll head around the rocks and spend the afternoon there with the beach entirely to ourselves (usually) swimming and reading. The Auckland Council maintains a number of wharves and boat ramps around the island, and small boats can also be landed on many of Waiheke's beaches. What sensations brings you right back to summer, even in the middle of January? On our second visit we decided to stay at an Air BnB, a concept we have grown to love whist living in New Zealand. Thank you Jane and Darren you guys were amazing! From Auckland: Waiheke Island Wineries' Tour. There are many sandy beaches great for swimming on Waiheke Island, including Oneroa, Palm Beach and Onetangi. (What were they thinking?). The coastline is 133.5 km (83.0 mi), including 40 km (25 mi) of beaches. Check their website for "hot deals" - sometimes two people with a car only have to pay for the car. They had the most incredible locally grown mussels that I just had to try! The adult fare is 35 dollars at the terminal; same-day round-trip tickets are 28 dollars online. In summer the population swells dramatically, as the island is a popular . Go wine tasting The real reason I come to Waiheke is for the wine! Olives are well established and some extremely nice olive oils are produced. Fortunately Waiheke Island is free of possums - a pest animal which threatens native forest. By Pippa July 26, 2022. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. guidance. It is only really worth a pit stop, for the view and maybe if you fancy stopping for lunch! Find authorised transport operatorsto this island. The Waiheke Map and Wine Guide from the tourist office has all the information you will need. Waiheke Island Hop-On Hop-Off Explorer Bus, Boutique Bed and Breakfast in Waiheke Island, Waiheke Island Hotels with Air Conditioning, Hotels near Waiheke Community Art Gallery, Hotels near Sacred Blessing Sanctuary Garden, Hotels near Waiheke Museum and Historic Village. In mid-December (early summer, just before the holiday rush) I didnt meet a lot of people on the trails, which suited me just fine. What is the population of Waiheke Island? If you are thinking about making the big move to New Zealand. Featuring rolling hills, forests, beaches, and a heavily indented coastline that gives it the shape of a fantastical creature (shown on the right), the island offers the perfect mix of civilized pleasures and rural tranquility to satisfy most vacationers. Waiheke is an island in the Hauraki Gulf. For a splurge, have lunch (or dinner) at one of the winery restaurants. Its all worth it for the views and the discoveries though. And if you look carefully, Oneroa has several small restaurants and cafes where you can have lunch (including a non-alcoholic drink in some places) for under $20. Read our Privacy Policy. It has the tourist information centre, all the banks, all the shops and most of the best restaurants. It has a great pool, and it's three minutes from everything: the two best beaches (Big Oneroa and Little Oneroa), the ferry terminal, and the best food spots in town,The Oyster Inn and Wai Kitchen. Cant wait! Waiheke is in the Hauraki Gulf and is the second largest island, it has a population of nearly 8,000 people its popularity is mainly due to its ease and proximity to Auckland city centre. Things to do in Waiheke Island - GetYourGuide Pop. Great communication & great pricing. No problems here! Now a residential and holiday resort area, it is linked to Auckland (about 12.5 miles [20 km] east) by ferry services. There is also a Four Square grocery store on the main road in Oneroa where you can buy food supplies, beer and wine. It also has gained population; in 2011, the Auckland Council estimated that slightly more than 8,700 people were permanent residents of the island, which totals 92 square kilometers, or 32 square miles. Waiheke wine are premium brands, with bottles starting around $25 in the supermarket, and many costing a few times more. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Waiheke Island with kids: The Ultimate Guide - Big World Tiny Feet However, you have to remember that taxes are included in the prices here, and that tips are not expected. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. If you're a walker, explore the island's . Go treasure hunting for locally-made, artisan goodies at the Waiheke Ostend Market, held every Saturday, 8am 1pm. I keep it super simple when Im awaythe great thing about Waiheke is theres zero pressure to dress up. Their schedule is set to correspond with ferry arrivals, and they usually come around every hour or half-hour. The principal settlements of Onetangi, Oneroa, Ostend, Surfdale, and Rocky Bay (miha) are clustered at the western end of the island. There is a filtered water fountain in the Matiatia ferry terminal. The main town is called Oneroa, and this is where you should base yourself if you do not have a car. The wineries below, which Ive visited, are easily accessible on foot or by bus, but there are many more. Whether you're a foodie, a thrill-seeker or a beach bum, odds are you'll love exploring Waiheke Island. Learn how your comment data is processed. It includes a return ferry ticket, a quick guided bus tour of the island and a day pass for the regular bus routes. Youll need hiking shoes (with good traction and preferably some ankle support), but the trails themselves are not technically difficult. This small island is home to long stretches of beautiful beaches and coastlines, olive oil and gin distilleries, hiking trails, and restaurants. How to get to Waiheke Island | Waiheke.co.nz Waiheke is a haven of beautiful vineyards, olive groves and beaches, all just a 40-minute ferry ride from downtown Auckland. Trails are well marked (for the most part) and picnic tables and benches are strategically placed along the way.
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