Waiheke Island, Hauraki Gulf

Cruise out of Auckland harbour to explore a beautiful island with vineyards, cafes, beaches and hiking trails.

One of the larger Hauraki Gulf islands, Waiheke is just 14 kilometres by ferry from the heart of Auckland city. It's a place that visitors, and the people who are lucky enough to live there, find particularly relaxing.

Home to many of New Zealand's successful artists, Waiheke has a longstanding arts and crafts focus. You'll find a number of galleries and craft outlets in the seaside shopping areas. There are plenty of places to enjoy a good coffee or a taste of New Zealand's clean, fresh cuisine. And with more than a dozen high-quality vineyards, Waiheke is a wine lover's delight. Many of the vineyards include relaxing cafe-style restaurants that look out across the vine-covered valleys to the blue sea beyond.

Several well signposted walkways can help you work up an appetite or walk off an indulgence. The trails include cliff tops, beaches and native forest enclaves. At the eastern end of the island, the Stoney Batter walkway leads to fascinating World War II gun emplacements with underground tunnels that run deep into the hillsides. The tunnels are open to the public, so bring a torch and a sense of adventure.

The popular northern Waiheke beaches at Oneroa, Palm Beach and Onetangi look out over the waters of the Hauraki Gulf. These safe, white sand beaches slope gently down into the sea, making them ideal for picnics, swimming, kayaking or seaside strolls.

Getting around on Waiheke is easy. There are public buses and taxis or you can hire a mountain bike, motor scooter or even a car. If you have your own bike, you can bring it over with you on the ferry. Accommodation on the island ranges from backpacker dorms to luxury boutique lodges.