Waiheke Island Auckland new Zealand

At Waiheke Island, New Zealand for 48 hours: Where to go, what to do | Travel

"On this island it's all about arts, gastronomy and wines - in any order," it says upon arriving in Waiheke, a 35-minute cruise port in central Auckland, New Zealand's foremost town. The 20 km long island is one of the idyllic places first "discovered" by the hippy and the artist, followed by gourmets and multimillionaires: Ibiza, Martha's Vineyard, Byron Bay.

Its 8,000 inhabitants are blessed with a passion for good living, beautiful scenery, beautiful sandy shores and Waiheke's happy bohemians. One M?ori name for this place is Motu-Wai-Heke, which means "Island of dripping water". As we explore the island we pass a breathtaking cove, scale a mound and then pant as another glance at the light blue sea opens up in a completely unpredictable sense (we pant a great deal on Waiheke).

Waiheke is in many ways a New Zealand self-made micro cosmos - blissfully natural, served with good foods and wines, and inhabited by lucky, friendly folk who are so relaxed that they are laughing at the Australians because they are tense. Summers are the main tourist seasons on the island, with an upper daytime mean temperatures of 29°C, but winters are relatively hot, with the highest temperatures falling from 19°C over night to 9°C.

Waiheke is a good place to get over the jetlag before going on a trip through the countryside. Here is how to relax for 48hrs. The island has many busses and hiking paths, but to get around comfortably, you can rent bicycles, scooter or a cars.

Waiheke has so many different opinions that one would be forced to find a room without a pleasant one. An inexpensive alternative near the island's one grocery store is Starfish on the Bay, a charming overcrowded yard flat overlooking Okahuiti Crèek and a local custodian in the shape of Napoleon, an older and loving Thai cats.

We are in one of three suite with a view of Owhanake Bay. The rooms are NZ$650 per room per day in the cold seasons, NZ$845 in the south. Taking the two most spoiled inhabitants of Marino - Isla and Fabio - in our arms, they tell us where to go and what to see; which are the best places to eat.

It feels like this is the first meet with a dazzling actress and uncles (if we go, we hope they will accept us). Waiheke, make sure you find a place on the northwestern side of the island where you can enjoy sitting towards Auckland and watching the setting sundown.

As beautiful as any other place, Cable Bay Vineyards offers stunning vistas from its two main eateries, dinning room and veranda. We' re choosing the gourmet option of the dinning room: the meal is amazing (we are spending NZ$60 each for two courses) and the services are amazing. Michelle Clarke of Waiheke Bespoke Tours is one of the first persons we met on the island. She welcomes us with embraces and presents herself as a "provider of one-of-a-kind experiences".

We' re going with Jenny McDonald, a former middlewife who has been living on the island since 1978. Gabriella was the daughter of US mum and dad and was living in Pakistan and the USA before moving to the island with her mum and dad in 1997 in order to find an easier way to live. At NZ$2,000 or more, a visitor can order a picture and then relax in her guest house for at least a whole weekend at no additional cost while creating an impressive gift to take home.

Bus stop two is Peacock Sky in Onetangi, near the center of the island. We' re meeting the top of the Sky vineyards, a Bordeaux collar. All of Peacock Sky's meals are branded after dogs. We' re staying in the wine room, but there's specials.

The owners Connie (Canadian) and Robin (British) combine a wine cellars and cuisine that combines their wine with bite-sized snacks. Waiheke Herb Spread, a lush ray of gentleness that includes cress, Dandelion, Tyme, Sage und LAVEND. It declares that after the death of an older inhabitant of the island, the councillor took his loud avians there.

We will have our dinner at one of New Zealand's most renowned vines, Stonyridge. We' re also looking at the photos of celebrity visitors: it's clear that most of the great artists who are playing Auckland are being taken here. It is not long, but there are clothing outlets, household goods outlets, a vegetable and fruits shop, a bottle store with an automatic cash register, which serves tasting of the island's most popular wine, and "artisan ice cream" in a modified dispatch canister.

On the mound we spent a lucky half hours browsing through Victorian Gilt selling antiquities and collectibles. It is owned by another Waiheke "pensioner", Gill Ward. She relocated to the island three years ago, after 30 years in Auckland. In Christine Hafermalz-Wheeler's Waiheke exhibition room, "Artist Goldsmith", you can see her work.

David, her UK spouse who manages the shop, sees how much we adore him and grabs us off the street to see her at home. This is the history of their trip to Waiheke. It is Peter and Caroline's choice as the best place to eat on the island. It is an uncomplicated meal: plain and noble - and as good as any other dish I have ever eaten.

The city of New Zealand is known for its passion for high level renaline activity. EcoZip Adventures is Waiheke's three fruit bats that have been planted over vineyards and residual forests on a hill in Onetangi. Alex, our leader - the first man I ever encountered who was borne on Waiheke - gives us a lecture on the island's nature story.

When Captain Cook came to New Zealand in the eighteenth quarter, she told us that the morning choir was half the evening and so noisy that he had to continue anchoring off the coast. A flourishing business on a hillside near Oneroa, Mudbrick Vineyard & Restaurant offers many perspectives. It belongs to Robyn and Nick Jones, Aucklanders, who purchased the site in 1992 as a life style group.

Later, we hike through the area to a 360-degree view of the island. If you' re something like us now, you will be so in love with Waiheke that you want to see every part of it. When you have a vehicle, take two hrs of your own free ride around the less advanced side of the island.

They are all over the island and offer whimsical comforts even in the remotest areas. Waiheke's benches. We turn our gaze away from the island on the ship back to Auckland and look over the real estate pages of the newspaper.