Waiheke Island, in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf, is home to some of New Zealand’s most scenic vineyards. That obviously means wine is a big reason for visiting, but is it the only one? I’m not a wine drinker (maybe my taste buds haven’t matured yet…?) but still found heaps of fun things to do on Waiheke … Read more
There’s nothing better to do on a sunny day in Auckland than to visit one of the nearby beaches. Which one should you visit though? I’ve been to a few, and Anchor Bay, around an hour north of Auckland, is the best I’ve seen. The day trip to Anchor Bay from Auckland is easy (if … Read more
The West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island is a wild and wonderful place, full of rugged beaches, mountain views and glaciers. It’s a bit of a detour from the main route through the South Island but you’ll want to spend at least a few days there if you can. I’ll show you some of … Read more
The top of the South Island doesn’t get quite the amount of tourist attention as some of New Zealand’s most iconic spots, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t heaps of cool stuff to see. Some of the highlights include snow-capped (in winter and spring) mountains in Nelson Lakes National Park, the unspoilt beaches of Abel … Read more
This post was originally published in May 2017 and was updated in November 2019 (after I did another day hike which I need to tell you about!). The entire Abel Tasman National Park Coastal Track takes anywhere from three to five days to complete, but what if I told you that you could see some … Read more
The main reason for our recent North Island trip was to finally explore the beaches and coastlines of Northland. Cape Reinga is as far north as you can go in New Zealand and it’s a popular spot for that reason. Well, not only that reason – it’s a beautiful place featuring some of the best … Read more
One of the highlights of our recent North Island road trip was a place I hadn’t even heard of before planning the trip. Kai Iwi Lakes, a set of three small lakes on the Kauri Coast (three hours north of Auckland), is quite unlike anywhere else I’ve been in New Zealand and camping there was … Read more
When it came to creating mountains, the North Island got a little short changed. It’s mostly flat, which is in complete contrast to the mountainous South Island. There are some mountains (or, more accurately, volcanoes) to explore though, and Mount Taranaki is one of them. There are various tracks in the vicinity of Mount Taranaki … Read more