A famous vacation island where beaches, oysters, and wine collide, explore our guide on what to do, where to dine, and how to get around Waiheke Island. Explore our journey and why we have been on the island more than once, a must-visit when you are in Auckland.
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Dear Travellers,
We spent a summer vacation on Waiheke Island, after having visited it during the autumn of the year before.
Speaking of summer, it is also the season during which New Zealand will celebrate its New Year, of which, before coming to Waiheke Island, we had celebrated our New Year in Queenstown.
We will guide you around the island, offering some of our favourite places and tips for an efficient travel experience on Waiheke.
Getting to Waiheke Island from Auckland
The most efficient way would be to take the ferry from the Downtown Terminal.
There was no need for us to purchase the ticket in advance, even during the summer, which is the highest season on the Island. The reason for this is that there is a ferry departing every hour or so, and many locals actually use the service daily or weekly to go to work on the island.
Our preferred ferry service is Fullers360, which takes around 40 minutes to the Island. The schedule varies by day, but generally it is available from 6-7 am and ends as late as 11:45 pm at night. The service cost us around 30 NZD per adult during the high season; the price is lower, around 20-25 NZD during off-peak seasons.
Tip: We have planned this in advance and chose to stay at the InterContinental Auckland hotel the night before and after our trip to Waiheke Island. There are other hotels within short walking distances; choose the place that best matches your preferred budget.
A little thing like this makes a big difference during travel, especially if you are travelling with older adults or young children.
*All ferry schedules and pricing mentioned may be subject to change; please check directly with the providers for the most accurate data.
Arriving on Waiheke Island
We came down the ferry with two large suitcases and a few small bags for four people. Other luggage was left with the hotel we stayed at. An additional little tip we recommend doing to reduce the burden while travelling.
The Island was a little warmer than when we departed Auckland, a single layer would suffice in January, which is said to be the sunniest and warmest time of the year. The sun is shining in full might, and the deep blue sky is almost without any clouds. It was the perfect weather for our Island stay.
We waited for the bus, payable with an AT Hop card just like on the main island, and took a 15-minute ride to Blackpool Beach, where our Airbnb is located. The area is around a 15-minute walk from Ocean View Road.
Other options for transportation are car rental, e-bike rental, and taxi (most expensive)
Note: for the taxi, we only have to use it because the bus does not go to some places, and they are bookable via phone; some Airbnbs will provide their number for you. Honestly, from our experience, it is hard to book them and get them to come on time, and the price is very high.
Blackpool Beach
Although the beach is not the place for swimming or playing in the sand, it is one of the spots where the local birds of many species gather, some of which are also considered rare. It is, however, very quiet and a perfect spot for a leisurely walk.
We very much enjoyed the peace at Blackpool Beach for the whole 3-night stay at the Airbnb right on the beachfront. During that time, the number of people we saw combined can be counted on two hands.
During the evening, we would go sit on one of the benches beside the beach and watch the sunsets. In the morning, we would slowly walk around observing the different species of native birds that gather around there, while being careful enough not to disturb them.
Ocean View Road
The main street where many of the restaurants, shops, and grocery stores are located. As suggested, it also offers a view of the ocean.
We enjoyed a walk along the road, browsing through the stores, and getting a few bites of food and desserts along the way.
Our Recommended Places:
- Island Gelato Co. Waiheke
- Nippy Bites (a small burger place tucked away in a parking lot around the corner)
- The Island Grocer
- Waiheke Wine Centre
Other Places we went to:
- The Oyster Inn
- Vino Vino Restaurant & Bar
- Wai Kitchen
Among other places, the latter three we mentioned above are among the more popular selections of restaurants and cafes we chose to visit. During weekends or peak seasons, you can expect these places to be filled with customers. Some of which will warn you that your orders will take a while. They offer a great view of the ocean, and that will be the main remarkable attraction.
The Oyster Inn is one of the most popular places there; they serve good food and great oysters, however, reservation maybe a little challenging at certain times. Book in advance if you would like to dine there.
A Visit to The Wineries
This is probably one of the most recommended things to do on Waiheke Island, and one we looked forward to the most.
There are many wineries you can choose to visit that offer good food to pair with their wine selections. Some of them also offer some vintages that will only be available on the Island.
On this trip, we chose to visit two wineries:
Mudbrick Vineyard and Restaurant
This is our favourite place to be on Waiheke, a more expensive choice but a great one at that. There are two restaurants at Mudbrick, one serves a course menu in a fine dining style, and another a bistro for more casual dining, both of which are located in the same place.
The food here is most impressive, not just on the Island, but throughout our whole trip in New Zealand, including the South Island. The food here at both the Bistro and the course menu is among the most memorable dining experiences we have had, which also paired perfectly with their wines–our favourites are whites.
So, there is reason to feel down if you miss the chance to reserve a seat at the restaurant, which can be fully booked for many days in the month; chances are the Bistro will have some availability, and the food is comparably good.
This is our Third visit to Mudbrick Vineyard and will most certainly not be the last.
All the menus we have tried, which are almost all at this point, have been of high satisfactory quality. Our recommendation would be the lamb and beef main; other than that, simply choose whatever you feel like.
They also host weddings and a luxurious stay on their property.
Staying at Blackpool Beach Mudbrick Vineyards is only a 15-20 minute walk on foot through a path at the end of The Esplanade.
Man O’ War
Probably the most notable and famous Wines from Waiheke Island. It was also highly received by our professor when we took a wine course at one of the universities in Auckland. With that said, we made it a must-visit on our trip.
The strong-sounding, memorable name of this vineyard is from a highly venomous marine organism, if you are curious, like we did.
The Vineyard is located further away on the north-eastern end of Waiheke Island. If you want a taste of Waiheke’s most popular wine, this is the place for you.
Man O’ War’s Tasting Room & Restaurant is located right beside the coast of Man O’ War Bay, a beautiful, scenic location perfect for sipping wine in the afternoon of a summer day.
Tip for visiting Man O' War
If you are looking to go to Man O’ War Winery, there is also a ferry from Viaduct Harbour by Explore Group that leaves Auckland at 9:15 am and departs from Man O’ War at 2:40 pm. The ticket will be a bit pricey at 110 NZD for adults and will take around 90 minutes.
The higher price and longer travel time are actually justified. It will take more than 30 minutes by taxi from the town center area of the Island to get to the winery, and the price, from our experience, will be similar to the more expensive ferry ticket when combined with the regular ferry price from Fullers360.
We would recommend you visit Man O’ War as the last place before departing the island.
Important warning: The car ride to Man O’ War on the island will be a rough one as the road is winding and rocky, and we got notably car sick by the time we reached there in a taxi. If you are vulnerable to motion sickness, please be prepared.
The docking area is a short walk away from the restaurant. An enjoyable walk along the bay.
We saw many people actually pull up to the winery in their own boats, which was also one way to do it in style.
The Beaches on Waiheke
We spent a day exploring the beaches of Waiheke. The sun is out, and there is no activity more perfect than one on the sand and among the waves of the sea.
There are several beaches on the Island, the ones we chose to explore this time are Little Palm Beach and Onetangi Beach.
Little Palm Beach
Only around 15 minutes by bus from Ocean View Road to reach the area around Little Palm Beach. There is, first, a stop we made before touching the sand: Waiheke Honey Company. Honey is also among the things New Zealand is famous for, and it has found a spot in Waiheke, where they sell their honey in a cabinet on the street. The light blue water reminded us of Lake Tekapo.
After getting a few jars of the local honey, we head down to the beach through a small hiking trail. Walking Trail to Little Palm Beach, coming down from the hill behind the beach. The sun was burning hot for a walk in the afternoon of January.
To describe, it was the level of hotness that you start feeling a little sticky, but not to the point of sweat dripping down. It is actually a perfect balance to best enjoy a short hike in summer.
The walk was a descent down the hill on an easy path, which did not take too long, and the view of Little Palm from above made the hike very much worth it.
A surprising event (a little warning for Little Palm Beach): We did not know what was waiting at the end of the trail, and were taken aback a little when we realized the western part of the beach it led down to was a nudist beach (it is not illegal in New Zealand).
We have nothing against the fact that everyone was naked; however, a little warning somewhere noticeable at the beginning of the hike would be very appreciated. Consider this our warning for you on what you would have to walk through for a little bit at the end.
With that said, once we crossed over to the other side of the big rock dividing that section of the beach, it was a normal (clothed) beach, nice sand, clear water, and warm summer; it was all you could have ever wished for a beach to be.
Before continuing to the next beach, we stopped for some drinks to cool down, as we were starting to sweat after walking around the beach. Arcadia was the name of the cafe, which is close to the bus stop.
Onetangi Beach
Around 30 minutes away by bus from Little Palm Beach is Onetangi, a significantly larger and wider beach with a lot of space.
Arriving there at peak afternoon, the sun was just hot enough for one to walk on the beach in a swimsuit, take a dip in the water, and still manage to keep warm with a towel.
This is probably the spot we recommend you bring your family to. A lot of sand and space to play around for the kids, not crowded, and beautiful scenery. It is not at all hard to find a spot on this beach to relax.
An Ice Cream Stop
There are some shops and cafes around, notably the Charlie Farley. On a hot day like this, with the sun shining on us the whole day, an ice cream tasted a lot better; we each grabbed a scoop from Charlie Farley’s ice cream, right in front of the beach, before walking around the corner to grab a bus back to Ocean View Road and walking back to Blackpool Beach from there.
The Closing (our reflection of Waiheke)
It was simply a nice place for a short vacation. If you happen to be visiting Auckland city, we would recommend you find some time to visit Waiheke Island. The cost on Waiheke Island is a little higher, but it is worth it.
Spending a night on the island is optional; a one-day trip is plenty to see most of Waiheke.
If you want to swim in the ocean or enjoy the beach, summer is the time for that. If you are not looking to get wet at all, you can visit the wineries and walk around in town instead, which is what we did during our visit in autumn when it was colder.
For us, the highlight of the island is undoubtedly a visit to one of the vineyards on Waiheke and getting a taste of the local New World wine. Enjoy the oysters from the island, fresh, while looking out at the incredible view of the sea.
We hope you will enjoy the Island as we did, and don’t forget to bring some sunscreen, the UV in New Zealand is one of the highest in the world.
If you enjoy an Island vacation, we also highly recommend you visit Okinawa, Japan, which is also one of the top vacation destinations among Japanese people.
May you have a great vacation,
Travel Tegami