City Guide
Not just the gateway to New Zealand’s natural wonders, Auckland is also one of the most livable cities in the world. With its mix of top-notch restaurants, a thriving arts scene and quirky designers, this multicultural hub is worth a prolonged visit before you explore the rest of the country.
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Sitting on a former site of Queen’s Heads Tavern from the 1800s, this hotel oozes with history.
For the Dottie suite, inspired by the work of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama.
“Peak-bagging” is a challenge hikers set themselves, of reaching all the summits in a region. Auckland, with its 48 volcanic cones, may be difficult to peak-bag, but several of its hilltops are rewarding climbs. Mount Eden, Auckland’s highest natural point, offers 360-degree views. One Tree Hill, immortalized in a U2 song, no longer has its tree, but is located in the expansive, pastoral Cornwall Park.
The waves are usually crowded at renowned surf beach Piha in the summer. By winter, fair-weather surfers have left the water, meaning that there’s plenty of room in the whitewash. This is why Piha Surf School runs lessons all year round. The school supplies surfboards and wetsuits, which keep surfers learning to hang ten toasty even on chilly days. Surfing is a vigorous workout, so you’ll raise a sweat – and, with the beach to yourself, you’ll wonder why others only venture out in the summer.
The towering cliffs and black-sand beach of Muriwai, an hour’s drive from the city center, are a dramatic sight. From late July to March, flocks of Australasian gannets return from their winter migration to nest, with more than 1,200 pairs making their home on a rocky promontory high above the waves. Follow the signs for the Muriwai Gannet Colony – a short track leads to a viewing platform.
The best of Auckland’s dramatic west coast is on display along the Te Henga Walkway. The track begins a 40-minute drive from the city at a black-sand beach, Bethells, then climbs over steep bluffs with sweeping views before continuing along the coast for about four hours. For a shorter walk, return along the sand via O’Neills Bay. There’s little shelter, so indulge in a swim in placid Lake Wainamu, accessible by a short track on the other side of the road.
If you can only visit one beach in New Zealand, it should be Hahei, a long white sand bay alongside a tiny town of baches – old-fashioned Kiwi holiday homes – just over a two-hour drive from Auckland. It’s worth an early start to ensure that you’ll be taking your first dip in the gin-clear water by mid-morning. From the beach, kayak tours depart twice a day over the summer for nearby Cathedral Cove – a picturesque limestone arch formation.
More than 50 islands speckle the Hauraki Gulf, but one’s been a secret for nearly 100 years. Rotoroa Island was opened to the public in 2011, and still flies under the radar. Small enough to explore in a day, it has no permanent population, and is remote enough to feel a bit cast away – especially at the Ladies Bay beach. It’s a 75- minute ferry ride from downtown Auckland – one boat arrives in the morning, and one departs the island in the late afternoon.
About one hour’s drive from Auckland, Tawharanui Regional Park is located within a marine reserve and is a beautiful spot for snorkeling. The rocky outcrops between Tawharanui peninsula’s three swimming beaches shelter snapper, crayfish, anemones, sponges and friendly stingrays. Saltwater Eco runs snorkeling lessons and offers tours led by marine biologists for newcomers. If there’s too much swell to snorkel in peace, you can rent a surfboard instead.
Go on a day tour or spend the night on Tiritiri Matangi, a little-known island sanctuary for 70-odd endangered bird species, and a 75-minute ferry ride from downtown Auckland. Here you can glimpse a little blue penguin returning from a day at sea while admiring one of New Zealand’s most successful conservation projects. Ferry seats and tickets for guided tours sell out quickly, so reserve early.
Paddle off into the sunset as you head on your own kayak to Rangitoto, a volcanic island in the Hauraki Gulf formed by a series of eruptions as early as 6,000 years ago. Auckland Sea Kayaks’ sunset tour includes a one-hour trek to Rangitoto’s summit where your efforts will be rewarded with a Kiwi-style barbecue dinner.
Located in the sub-tropical rainforest of the Waitakere Ranges, on North Island’s west coast, Piha Canyon is a popular spot for adrenaline junkies. Descend the majestic Kitekite Falls and jump into rock pools on a tour organized by AWOL Canyoning. The day trip includes a stop at the beautiful Piha beach, known for its black-iron sand.
Kiwis are known to be thrill seekers, which probably explains why New Zealand holds the world record for the most bungee jumps in 24 hours. Head to the Auckland Harbour Bridge, where the record was set, and where AJ Hackett operates a 40m bungee jump. The company also offers bridge climbs where you can enjoy breathtaking views.
Liam Fox is self-taught but he’s definitely a real baker. On the day we visit, he has flour on his right ear. “I come from a family of bread lovers,” he says. In September 2018, Fox and his partner, Andrea Muhlhausen, moved their sandwich joint and artisan bakery from a pop-up in St Kevin’s Arcade to a shopfront on the main thoroughfare, naming it after a bohemian part of Brooklyn that reminded them of K’ Road. Fox recommends the country sourdough – it took him six months to perfect the recipe.
Chef-owner Samir Allen’s Lebanese ancestors arrived in New Zealand 130 years ago but he’s still connected to the culture – and the food. At Gemmayze St, as in Lebanon, you can simply say “jeeb” (bring) and a parade of delicious mezze – think: hummus, halloumi, scampi and shish barak (goat ravioli in yogurt sauce) – arrives at your table. Allen has a strong connection to K’ Road too – he lived here as a teenager. “The vibe is still here but there are more restaurants, more nice bars,” Allen says. “But you can still be yourself on K’ Road.”
Poke your head into the K’ Road Food Workshop and from 4pm on, you’ll find Love Bucket, a funky honky-tonk tavern serving craft beer and handmade taptails (cocktails on tap). Try the LBG&T taptail: gin with tangelo and grapefruit zest, kaffir lime leaf, black peppercorn and yuzu tonic. The music is good too, with huge old-school speakers suspended from the walls, and regular live music and DJ sets.
Depot is an eatery and oyster bar that serves fresh seafood alongside rabbit, duck and bone marrow dishes.
Auckland’s multicultural influences have given the city a robust restaurant scene. Some great eateries include Cassia, a contemporary Indian restaurant run by Sid and Chand Sahrawat.
