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NORTHISLAND
Auckland’s Sky Walk, a great hangover cure! From Takapuna Beach on the North Shore to Long Bay there are a handful of excellent beaches with calm waters, grass areas and park benches to sit down and picnic with some hot fish and chips or a packed lunch. There are also BBQ areas for hire. Otara Markets are a Saturday morning affair. Mostly old bric-a-brac as well as clothing and food. A lively atmosphere awaits you, packed with people from the Maori and Pacific Island communities of South Auckland. There are plenty of islands to see in the Hauraki Gulf, off Auckland. Do day trips or stay at some of the more popular islands, such as the beautiful Waiheke (with wine trails and nice places to eat) or Great Barrier Island.
Northland The winterless Northland is a tourist’s playground. Two hours north of Auckland, this beautiful peninsula stretches for more than 300km, boasting a climate similar to the Mediterranean. The jewel in the crown is the Bay of Islands, a hotbed of water sports, scenic sailing and dolphin encounters. At the northern base of the Whangaparoa
Peninsula, Orewa is a popular spot for local holidaymakers. Wenderholm National Park, 8km north of Orewa, has great bushwalks, swimming and views. A 15-minute drive from Orewa are Waiwera Hot Pools, with pools of different depths and temperatures, as well as hydro-slides and movies. Warkworth’s highlights include Sheepworld, a rather hilariously but obviously-named theme park, and nearby Kawau Island, which boasts stunning beaches and walks. Gateway to the north, Whangarei is Northland’s only city. Founded on the edge of a deep and sheltered harbour, the city rivals Auckland as NZ’s city of sails and is a popular watersports centre with its warm and sunny weather. Whangarei Falls is a beauty spot not to be missed. Deep-sea fishing, caving, tramping and horse trekking can all be done here. You’ll find plenty of leaflets at the Whangarei Information Centre on Tarewa Road. Scuba enthusiasts should head to the Poor Knights Islands, a dive site once labelled as one of the world’s 10 best by Jacques Cousteau, a man who should know. Northland’s most popular tourist resort, the Bay of Islands, attracts visitors from all over the TNTDOWNUNDER.COM 121