Auckland is one of the most popular destinations in New Zealand and most travellers arrive here by air. However very few travellers see any of the region surrounding the city.

Auckland

Hibiscus Coast

This coastal region facing Whangaparaoa Bay is only half an hour north of central Auckland and makes a great weekend getaway for backpackers working in Auckland and it is also a great spot for travellers who want to visit Auckland, but don’t want to stay in the city. Orewa is the main centre on the coast and it a good selection of shops and excellent transport connections to Auckland.

Practical Information

Hibiscus Coast Visitor Information Centre

214a Hibiscus Coast Highway, Orewa

Bus 895, 895X

Tel (09) 426 0076

Open summer 9am-5pm daily; winter 9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-4pm Sat-Sun

Coming & Going & Local Transport

Stagecoach bus route 895 and 895X run hourly between central Auckland and Orewa. The journey takes 1¼ hours and costs $7.50. This bus also stops along the Hibiscus Coast and is a good way to travel between Orewa and Hatfields Beach. The short five-minute hop between Orewa and Hatfields Beach costs $1.30.

Accommodation

Marco Polo Backpackers Inn

2/D Hammond Avenue, Hatfields Beach

Bus 895, 895X

Tel (09) 426 8455

Pillows Travellers Lodge

412 Hibiscus Coast Highway, Orewa

Bus 895, 895X

Tel (09) 426 6338

Kowhai Coast

Less than an hour north of Auckland, the Kowhai Coast is home to some good beaches and there is excellent snorkelling and diving at Goat Island.

Warkworth

Warkworth is a charming town that makes a good base for exploring the Kowhai Coast.

Practical Information

Warkworth Visitor Information Centre

1 Baxter Street, Warkworth

Tel (09) 425 9081

Website www.warkworth-information.co.nz

Open 8.30am-5.15pm Mon-Fri, 9am-3pm Sat-Sun

Department of Conservation

28 Baxter Street, Warkworth

Tel (09) 425 7812

Website www.doc.govt.nz

Kowhai Laundrette

Lawlink House, Neville Street, Warkworth

Tel (09) 425 9775

Accommodation

Mahurangi Backpackers

11 Wickens Place, Warkworth

Tel (09) 4425 7513

Sights & Activities

Sheep World

This tourist attraction features sheep shearing demonstrations and hands-on farm themed activities however you can get a more genuine farm experience by simply staying in a farm hostel.

324 State Highway 1, Warkworth

Tel (09) 425 7444

Website www.sheepworldnz.com

Admission $7; $13 including show

Open 9am-5pm daily

Warkworth & District Museum

This small museum has exhibits of local history. It features a number of restored buildings including the old Warkworth prision.

Tudor Collins Drive, Warkworth

Tel (09) 425 7093

Website www.wwmuseum.orcon.net.nz

Admission $6

Open summer 9am-4pm daily; winter 9am-3.30pm daily

Goat Island Marine Reserve

New Zealand’s longest established Marine Reserve features the best snorkelling and diving close to Auckland. It has a number of different marine habitats that are home to a variety of marine life. Scuba diving, snorkelling and glass bottom boat rides are available.

Accommodation

Goat Island Camping & Backpackers

Goat Island Road, Leigh

Tel (09) 422 6185

Activities

Glass Bottom Boat

The Habitat Explorer operates 40 and 45-minute cruises that allow you to see a variety of marine life.

9 Cumberland Street, Leigh

Tel (09) 422 6334

Website www.glassbottomboat.co.nz

Cost $15-18

Goat Island Dive

Goat Island Dive operates dive excursions and also runs a variety of dive courses.

142a Pakiri Road, Leigh

Tel (09) 422 6925 or 0800 348 369

Website www.goatislanddive.co.nz

Dive course from $450

Hauraki Gulf

Auckland’s sparkling harbour is home to 57 islands, many of which make an easy day trip.

Waiheke Island is the most visited and is a popular weekend retreat for many Aucklanders, in contrast, Great Barrier Island offers the opportunity to visit a part of the country that most New Zealanders never get the chance to experience.

Waiheke Island

Waiheke is the most visited island in the Gulf and has a permanent population of around 7000, which swells to over 30,000 during holiday periods.

It is the second largest of the Gulf islands and boasts over 40km of beaches plus over 20 vineyards and a number of popular walking tracks.

Practical Information

Visitor Information Centre

2 Korora Road, Oneroa

Tel (09) 372 9999

Open 9am-5pm daily

Coming & Going

Waiheki is only a 35-minute ferry ride from central Auckland making it the most accessible of the Hauraki Gulf islands.

Most travellers take the Fullers Ferry (tel (09) 367 9119; website www.fullers.co.nz) that runs hourly from the Auckland ferry terminal on Quay Street. The ferry costs $14.20 one-way or $25.50 return.

Sealink (tel (09) 534 5663; website www.sealink.co.nz) also operates ferries between Auckland and Waiheke, but they depart from suburban Half Moon Bay rather than the downtown ferry terminal. Subritzky’s return fare is $26.50.

Local Transport

There are frequent local bus services on the island, although a rental car offers a lot more flexibility. Local bus fares range from $1.20 to $3.50.

There are five bus routes on the island, all of which originate at the Matiatia Wharf ferry terminal. Most buses run every half hour.

Waiheke Auto Rentals (tel (09) 372 8998) and Waiheke Rental Cars (tel (09) 372 835; website www.waihekerentalcars.co.nz) are both located at Matiatia Wharf on Waiheke Island and give you the flexibility to explore the whole island at your own pace.

Accommodation

Sea Kayaking

Ross Adventures operates sea-kayaking trips that depart from Matiatia Wharf. They offer popular two hour and half day trips and full day and two to three day trips are also available.

Matiatia Wharf, Matiatia

Bus 1, 1a, 2, 3, 4

Tel (09) 372 5550

Website www.kayakwaiheke.co.nz

Half day trip $65; full day trip $125; two day trip $240

Great Barrier Island

Great Barrier Island is the largest and most remote of the Hauraki Gulf islands.

It is a great place to go if you really want to get off the beaten track. The island is four hours by ferry from Auckland and has no electrical supply (everything is powered by generators). It is an unspoilt place with great beaches and a unique atmosphere.

Coming & Going

Most travellers visit Great Barrier Island by ferry from Auckland, however there are also frequent reasonably priced flights that are ideal if you want to save time.

Sealink (tel (09) 373 4036; website www.sealink.co.nz) ferries sail from Wynyard Wharf in Auckland to Tryphena on Great Barrier Island. The four-hour trip costs $91 return.

The island’s main airport is at Claris, which is about a half hour drive north of Tryphena. Great Barrier Airlines (tel (09) 275 9120; website www.greatbarrierairlines.co.nz) have frequent flights to Auckland International and Auckland North Shore airports and less frequent flights to Whangarei and Whitianga. The one-way fare is $89-99 for the 30-minute flight from Auckland.

If you’re not sure whether you’d rather take the ferry or fly, it is also possible to buy a ticket for $130 that includes ferry transport to the island and a flight back to Auckland.

Local Transport

Great Barrier is a big island and most travellers find they need to rent a car to really explore the island; however there is also a local bus service that is a handy alternative if your time on the island isn’t limited.

Stray Possum Lodge run Great Barrier Island Shuttle Buses (tel (09) 4290 109 or 0800 767 786) that serve the southern half of the island – this is probably the best public transport option for backpackers since it connects with all hostels and goes to Medlands Beach, the airport at Claris and the ferry terminal at Tryphena. Great Barrier Island Shuttle Services have up to five daily services between Tryphena and Claris. Fares range from $6 to $35, but you can also buy an unlimited day pass for $30 or a five-day pass for $49.

The Aotea Bus serves the northern half of the island. This bus service connects Port Fitzroy with Claris. One-way fares on the Aotea Bus range from $5 to $15, but you can buy a one-week pass for $35-45.

A car rental is the most flexible option and there are several companies on the island to choose from including Aotea Cars (tel (09) 4290 055), GBI Rent-A-Car (tel (09) 429 0062) and Medlands Rentals (tel (09) 4290 861). Allow plenty of time to drive around the island, as it is bigger than most people realise and the 35km/h speed limit and narrow winding roads means that it can take a long time to get anywhere.

Accommodation

Medlands Beach Backpackers

Mason Road, Medlands Beach

Tel (09) 429 0320

Pohutukawa Lodge

Blackwell Drive, Pa Beach, Tryphena

Tel (09) 429 0211

Stray Possum Lodge

Cape Barrier Road, Tryphena

Tel (09) 429 0109 or 0800 POSSUM

The Crossroads Backpackers

2km north of Claris

Tel (09) 429 0889