Waiheke: Wine Island
Auckland’s wine country is situated on the island of Waiheke. A fast ferry runs frequently between Auckland and Waiheke, which has led to a boom on the island. With daily commuting now possible, many Kiwis have moved permanently onto the grape-soaked island. Massive glass-enclosed villas sit atop the rugged hill-lined coast.
The region’s severe tides made it necessary for us to find a dock to land our heavy dinghy. Luckily, the passenger ferry terminal had a lovely floating dock attached, so we anchored one bay over and headed to shore.
We were extremely impressed with the island’s public bus system. With no Uber, and expensive and hard to find taxis, the buses will be your best friend. Clean, regular and most-importantly, ON-TIME! Only $3 NZ one way, or $10 NZ for the day, the buses are a great way to get around, or just go for a tour of the island.
There are several treks on Waiheke, including a trail that goes around the entire perimeter of the island. You’ll walk along the coast, following the trail along steep cliff-sides, overlooking beautiful bays. While the entire trail takes several days to complete, there are plenty of places to hop on and off and experience the stunning views from the well-laid path.
The highlights for us included our sunset drinks at the Mudbrick restaurant. While the lamb was a bit tough, the truffle mashed potatoes were delicious and the view more than made up for it. If you’re coming for dinner, make sure to book well in advance and request a table by the windows overlooking the property. Either way, get there before sunset and enjoy a glass of local wine in the beautiful gardens.
A bus ride to Onetangi bay and then a long walk up through the wineries of Onetangi will take you past another island highlight: the Te Motu winery. We snagged a table outside on the patio and watched the sun reflecting off the sprawling vineyard. The cheese plate and bread basket were a perfect pairing to their wine tasting.
The main town of Oneroa is adorable. Groceries are expensive, but the two small grocery stores were well stocked. And the town bookstore even carried some of Hugh’s books. We picked up a few bottles of our favorite local Man O’ War wine from the town wine shop, but sadly didn’t make it to the winery itself. Finally, the lime and coconut sorbet from the local ice cream stand made a perfect afternoon snack.