Suggestions on our tours New Zealand
Dec 28th, 2016, 01:07 PM
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Suggestions on our tours New Zealand
We have solidified our plans. We're taking a cruise New Zealand then ending up in Syndey on Holland America Jan 2, 2017. We haven't had much time to research day trips so we looking to all of your experiences for recommendations for each stop and time in Sydney. Stops are below. We are active couple in late thirties, well traveled. Not a fan of cruise ship tours, would rather book on our own because we have found the quality better. Comments are welcome.
Auckland -Arriving at 930am, we have 1.5 days there before the cruise. How do we spend the 1st day in Auckland? How doable is a beach tour to Piha black Beach's or Coromandel Peninsula/New Chums on day one followed by night Habor and bridge walk On day 2, plan to do City Hop On/Off Bus or Free city walking tour in the morning, wahilie island int he afternoon and cruise ship 4/5pm.
Tauranga- Can't decide on Bay of Plenty beach day tour or hot springs/rotura/hobbiton. Heard Time Unlimited and Amazing tours are great. WE LOVE the Beach, how do we decide???
Napier- Thinking about a morning bike ride to a winery, then relax at beach/waterside? Can we do this day self guided. Where to rent bikes? Or winery too far? Any wineries to suggest? Are they similar to Napa Valley?
Wellington- Malakar Peak track, Cable car, Maori culture/museum- what Maori activity do you suggest? Is Kapiti Island doable?
Akora- Maybe book at the ecoSEAker Dolphin swim tour- it is worth the hefty price? Would a trip to Sumner beach be doable? (10km away)? Not sure what else to do here?
Dunedin- Not sure what to do here, but heard the Otego peninsula(penguins) is worth a visit. Can we do that on our own or do we need tour guide or rent a car? As a second option, are there any neat spas or helicopter tours??
Fjords/relax, prepare for Sydney
Sea
Hobart- the cruise stops here, but it doesn't seem to interesting so we are likley to depart the ship ad fly to Sydney for the last 5 days of our trip. Thinking that we'd prefer Sydney over Hobart, Burnie and Melbourne. I welcome feedback on that.
Thanks in Advance. We'll also take restaurant or "off the beaten path" suggestions as well!!
Auckland -Arriving at 930am, we have 1.5 days there before the cruise. How do we spend the 1st day in Auckland? How doable is a beach tour to Piha black Beach's or Coromandel Peninsula/New Chums on day one followed by night Habor and bridge walk On day 2, plan to do City Hop On/Off Bus or Free city walking tour in the morning, wahilie island int he afternoon and cruise ship 4/5pm.
Tauranga- Can't decide on Bay of Plenty beach day tour or hot springs/rotura/hobbiton. Heard Time Unlimited and Amazing tours are great. WE LOVE the Beach, how do we decide???
Napier- Thinking about a morning bike ride to a winery, then relax at beach/waterside? Can we do this day self guided. Where to rent bikes? Or winery too far? Any wineries to suggest? Are they similar to Napa Valley?
Wellington- Malakar Peak track, Cable car, Maori culture/museum- what Maori activity do you suggest? Is Kapiti Island doable?
Akora- Maybe book at the ecoSEAker Dolphin swim tour- it is worth the hefty price? Would a trip to Sumner beach be doable? (10km away)? Not sure what else to do here?
Dunedin- Not sure what to do here, but heard the Otego peninsula(penguins) is worth a visit. Can we do that on our own or do we need tour guide or rent a car? As a second option, are there any neat spas or helicopter tours??
Fjords/relax, prepare for Sydney
Sea
Hobart- the cruise stops here, but it doesn't seem to interesting so we are likley to depart the ship ad fly to Sydney for the last 5 days of our trip. Thinking that we'd prefer Sydney over Hobart, Burnie and Melbourne. I welcome feedback on that.
Thanks in Advance. We'll also take restaurant or "off the beaten path" suggestions as well!!
Dec 28th, 2016, 02:00 PM
#2
Akaroa -
The dolphin cruises are informative and fun. We went with
Akaroa Dolphins and paid $74 each.
How long are in in Akaroa? There are some lovely walks, such as to Onawe Peninsula, but you'd need to get to Duvauchelle and possibly obtain permission (this is sacred Maori land).
Barry’s Bay Cheese and French Farm Winery are interesting stops, but you'd need transport to them too.
Here's another idea, depending on how much time you have:
http://www.pohatu.co.nz/
You could also easily fill a day just poking around Akaroa - it's a beautiful French settlement - you can walk to the lighthouse, check out the colonial architecture, explore the many tracks in the Garden of Tane, or walk to the Britomart Monument overlooking the harbor. Lots of nice little cafes and incredible harbor views. There's also a small museum in town.
Sumner Beach is 90 km away, not 10...so that'd be a big NO.
You need transportation to get to Otago Peninsula. I'm sure there are tours that cater to the cruise crowd.
Hobart not interesting? What do you base this on? There's lots to see and do there!
I don't see that you have any time for anything remotely off the beaten path, even restaurants.
I look forward to hearing how this most unusual trip plays out.
The dolphin cruises are informative and fun. We went with
Akaroa Dolphins and paid $74 each.
How long are in in Akaroa? There are some lovely walks, such as to Onawe Peninsula, but you'd need to get to Duvauchelle and possibly obtain permission (this is sacred Maori land).
Barry’s Bay Cheese and French Farm Winery are interesting stops, but you'd need transport to them too.
Here's another idea, depending on how much time you have:
http://www.pohatu.co.nz/
You could also easily fill a day just poking around Akaroa - it's a beautiful French settlement - you can walk to the lighthouse, check out the colonial architecture, explore the many tracks in the Garden of Tane, or walk to the Britomart Monument overlooking the harbor. Lots of nice little cafes and incredible harbor views. There's also a small museum in town.
Sumner Beach is 90 km away, not 10...so that'd be a big NO.
You need transportation to get to Otago Peninsula. I'm sure there are tours that cater to the cruise crowd.
Hobart not interesting? What do you base this on? There's lots to see and do there!
I don't see that you have any time for anything remotely off the beaten path, even restaurants.
I look forward to hearing how this most unusual trip plays out.
Dec 28th, 2016, 03:22 PM
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Thank you. What do you suggest in Hobart and Burnie?
Why is this so unusual? We only have so much time and not up for driving everyday.
Cant imagine when we"ll be back to the area again soon, so Sydney is a must right ?
Why is this so unusual? We only have so much time and not up for driving everyday.
Cant imagine when we"ll be back to the area again soon, so Sydney is a must right ?
Dec 28th, 2016, 05:30 PM
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If this is one of those typical cruse stops that don't allow for anything substantial, then you can't appreciate Hobart.
See if you can at least go visit Port Arthur - http://portarthur.org.au/history/ - it is a key element to understanding what made Australia.
And in this context you must read The Fatal Shore, by Robert Hughes - then you will understand what Australia is all about.
See if you can at least go visit Port Arthur - http://portarthur.org.au/history/ - it is a key element to understanding what made Australia.
And in this context you must read The Fatal Shore, by Robert Hughes - then you will understand what Australia is all about.
Dec 28th, 2016, 09:43 PM
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Auckland - Piha is doable either by renting a car or going on a tour. New Chums Beach/Coromandel is not a day trip so forget that one.
Day 2 I think you have planned too much - the HOHO bus goes around attractions such as the Zoo, museum and Kelly Tarlton's so half a day is not much time. Waiheke takes 1/2 hour on the ferry and on a nice day is an awesome place. An afternoon with a deadline would be a rushed trip IMO.
Tauranga - the beach is lovely and you can just walk there from the ship. Or around the Mount itself which is very scenic or even up the Mount for a spectacular view. Rotorua/Hobbiton are interesting trips as well so as for the best decision well it's your choice. All are good.
Napier - most of the wineries are out of town so an organised trip would be a good idea. Bikes should be readily available somewhere. No idea if it is similar to Napa Valley - the soil, climate and rainfall will be different to California so the wines will have their own taste.
Wellington - Kapiti Island is not a day trip. Malakar Peak - do you mean Makara? Would be difficult to get out there for the day.
Check out Shore Trips and Tours - a local company based at Mt Maunganui. [email protected]
Day 2 I think you have planned too much - the HOHO bus goes around attractions such as the Zoo, museum and Kelly Tarlton's so half a day is not much time. Waiheke takes 1/2 hour on the ferry and on a nice day is an awesome place. An afternoon with a deadline would be a rushed trip IMO.
Tauranga - the beach is lovely and you can just walk there from the ship. Or around the Mount itself which is very scenic or even up the Mount for a spectacular view. Rotorua/Hobbiton are interesting trips as well so as for the best decision well it's your choice. All are good.
Napier - most of the wineries are out of town so an organised trip would be a good idea. Bikes should be readily available somewhere. No idea if it is similar to Napa Valley - the soil, climate and rainfall will be different to California so the wines will have their own taste.
Wellington - Kapiti Island is not a day trip. Malakar Peak - do you mean Makara? Would be difficult to get out there for the day.
Check out Shore Trips and Tours - a local company based at Mt Maunganui. [email protected]
Dec 29th, 2016, 05:25 AM
#7
I've followed your various iterations of this trip, all of which involve departing the cruise at some point to fly/drive elsewhere.
I think that's very unusual, and I'd like to know how it goes.
I think that's very unusual, and I'd like to know how it goes.
Dec 29th, 2016, 10:16 AM
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Auckland - Piha and Waiheke.
Napier - winery tour to Mission Estate
Wellington - Cable Car, maybe Zealandia, Te Papa museum.
"not had time to research" well I feel we are going in circles here with suggestions for you. Don't over plan and over think it all. As for quality you get what you pay for.
Napier - winery tour to Mission Estate
Wellington - Cable Car, maybe Zealandia, Te Papa museum.
"not had time to research" well I feel we are going in circles here with suggestions for you. Don't over plan and over think it all. As for quality you get what you pay for.
Dec 29th, 2016, 11:41 AM
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In Napier, you could do a tour of the town in a vintage car - something a bit different.
In Wellington, you could take the cable car to the top, wander down to town again through the gardens and then walk along the waterfront to Te Papa which is an excellent museum. A bit of window shopping, a coffee here and there and some lunch somewhere, and the day goes by easily.
In Wellington, you could take the cable car to the top, wander down to town again through the gardens and then walk along the waterfront to Te Papa which is an excellent museum. A bit of window shopping, a coffee here and there and some lunch somewhere, and the day goes by easily.
Dec 29th, 2016, 02:19 PM
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You’re wrote you’re taking “a cruise New Zealand then ending up in Sydney on Holland America Jan 2, 2017.” Is this correct? January 2, 2017 is only four days away. Did you mean Feb. 2?
The best way of seeing Dunedin/Otago Peninsula wildlife in a few hours is to book a tour with Elm Wildlife. This page on their website is informative:
https://www.elmwildlifetours.co.nz/o...hore-excursion
Or check out 4 Nature Tours: http://www.4nature.co.nz/half-day-tours.html
You can rent a car and explore the Otago Peninsula on your own but the roads are curvy and narrow, plus at this late stage rental cars are likely to be booked up. If they have cars available, Pegasus will meet you at the cruise ship in Port Chalmers. There are more car rental agencies downtown. As tasmangirl wrote, "you get what you pay for." It would be different if you had more time.
If you don’t visit the Otago Peninsula, you’ll find downtown Dunedin easy to explore on foot. The cruse ship shuttle will drop you off at the Octagon and from there you can walk to the Railway Station (home to Taieri Gorge Railway and Saturday Farmers Market), Speight's Brewery, Cadbury Chocolate Factory, Toitu Settlers Museum, City Art Gallery, Otago Museum, and Olveston House. You can walk the Street Art Trail to explore Dunedin’s many colourful murals. Or hop on a local bus at the Octagon to get to St. Clair Beach, the Botanic Garden, or Baldwin Street (world’s steepest residential street). Check out Good Company Tours: https://www.goodcompanytours.co.nz/s...rsions-dunedin
Here’s a link to Dunedin’s website:
https://www.dunedinnz.com/visit
Maps on pages 6 & 7 on this link:
https://www.dunedinnz.com/visit
Over 1.5 days in Auckland you can’t do all that. I’d visit city sights, such as the Auckland War Memorial Museum in the pretty domain, the Auckland Art Gallery; or walk around or dine at the waterfront (Queens Wharf/Viaduct Harbor). There are nice view restaurants in the ferry building. Auckland has an aquarium (Kelly Tarlton’s SEALIFE), a Maritime Museum, and an excellent zoo. Mission Bay is nice. A friend of mine did the Auckland Bridge climb a couple of weeks ago. She said it was “very tame’ but enjoyed the views. The Sydney Harbour Bridge climb seems like it would be more exciting, if you're headed that way.
It’d be better to have an entire day for Waiheke, but you could do lots if you catch the ferry to Waikehe by midday. From Waiheke’s Matiatia Wharf, you can catch a bus to a beach and/or a winery or two. The bus stops close to several wineries. Or you can just walk up from Matiatia ferry terminal to Cable Bay Vineyard, takes 15 minutes along a lovely track through the edge of the Atawhai Whenua Reserve. Mudbrick Vineyards is up the hill from Cable Bay Winery. Both wineries have restaurants with impressive views.
http://cablebay.nz
http://www.mudbrick.co.nz
Map of track from wharf to wineries:
http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/E...urchbaymap.pdf
Waiheke, Island of Wine:
http://www.waihekewine.co.nz
Fullers Ferries goes to Waiheke with some ferries stopping in Devonport. They also run a “Vineyard Hopper” bus.
https://www.fullers.co.nz/timetables-plus-fares/
https://fullers.co.nz/media/1385/vin...opper_2015.pdf
Bus route map:
http://www.beaccessible.org.nz/__dat...essable-03.pdf
There’s lots to see on Auckland’s West Coast besides Piha beach, such as Bethells and Karekare beaches, Waitakere Ranges Regional Park and Arataki Visitors Centre, Muriwai gannet colony, and the wineries around Kumeu. The roads can be curvy, including the one that descends to Piha. You’d could see more if you drive, but there are tours that would take you to Piha:
http://www.bushandbeach.co.nz/tour/w...ss-experience/
http://ohyeahtours.co.nz
http://www.kiwianatours.co.nz/tours.php?t=9
I'd pick Piha/West Coast or Waiheke for an all day excursion, but I wouldn't try to squeeze in both. Waiheke would be easier, as you wouldn't need to drive or take a tour, you could just hop the ferry and take the bus or walk.
It's hard to compare wine regions, they're all different, and wineries tend to be more crowded on weekends than on weekdays, and in summer and on holidays than the off-season, when it's so slow many close. It’s been ages since I’ve been to Napier/Hawkes Bay but it didn’t remind me much of Napa (I now live in Dunedin, but spent most of my life in San Francisco and Marin County, next to Sonoma and near Napa). In general, Napa wineries tend to be larger and busier with hefty tasting fees (but amazing wines), and there are way more wineries in Napa. I gravitated more toward the smaller wineries on the quieter back roads of Sonoma or in Mendocino’s Anderson Valley.
It seems the Napier ferry terminal is less than 1 km from Marine Parade (beach, museum, aquarium, near Art Deco centre). The beach is pretty, but the waves can pull you out to sea. According to the link below, you will need to catch a cruise ship shuttle from the cruise terminal:
http://www.newzealand.com/int/featur...uise-overview/
http://www.napiernz.com/port-of-napier-cruise/
Pretty Mission Estate is not so far from central Napier. Otherwise, Hawkes Bay wineries are spread out.
http://hawkesbaywine.co.nz/images/Ha...5-_website.pdf
http://hawkesbaywine.co.nz/images/pd...-cycle-map.pdf
I can’t remember all the wineries we visited over three days, but Craggy Range Winery (and their restaurant) was our favorite. It’s a large winery but has a stunning setting beneath Te Mata Peak (which is also worth a visit). Like many wineries, Craggy Range produces wines from grapes not just sourced from Hawkes Bay but also from Martinborough (near Wellington) and Central Otago (near Queenstown). Hawkes Bay is NZ’s second largest wine region after Marlborough.
This tour company looks like they have some inexpensive options for cruise ship passengers:
http://www.baytours.co.nz/cruise-visitors/
If you’d like to bike to wineries, why not contact a bike tour company, such as:
http://bikeabouttours.co.nz
https://www.tripadvisor.co.nz/Attrac...th_Island.html
Wellington’s a lovely city, so enjoy it. Te Papa Museum in Wellington is a must-do. You could explore the attractive waterfront and then walk from there to the base of the Cable Car, which goes up to the Botanic Garden, then walk down through the garden to the CBD. If you’d like to see NZ wildlife and walk along some tracks, visit Zealandia, one of NZ's most successful ecosanctuaries. You can get there by free shuttle from the I-Site Tourism office near Te Papa or from its stop near the top of the Cable Car. Wellington has a great website:
http://www.wellingtonnz.com/discover/
And map:
http://www.wellingtonnz.com/assets/U...wntown-Map.pdf
I, too, find it unusual that you are taking a cruise to popular port cities, but seem less interested in the cities themselves, and that from the start of your planning, you shrugged off suggestions that a NZ driving trip would best suit your interests.
The best way of seeing Dunedin/Otago Peninsula wildlife in a few hours is to book a tour with Elm Wildlife. This page on their website is informative:
https://www.elmwildlifetours.co.nz/o...hore-excursion
Or check out 4 Nature Tours: http://www.4nature.co.nz/half-day-tours.html
You can rent a car and explore the Otago Peninsula on your own but the roads are curvy and narrow, plus at this late stage rental cars are likely to be booked up. If they have cars available, Pegasus will meet you at the cruise ship in Port Chalmers. There are more car rental agencies downtown. As tasmangirl wrote, "you get what you pay for." It would be different if you had more time.
If you don’t visit the Otago Peninsula, you’ll find downtown Dunedin easy to explore on foot. The cruse ship shuttle will drop you off at the Octagon and from there you can walk to the Railway Station (home to Taieri Gorge Railway and Saturday Farmers Market), Speight's Brewery, Cadbury Chocolate Factory, Toitu Settlers Museum, City Art Gallery, Otago Museum, and Olveston House. You can walk the Street Art Trail to explore Dunedin’s many colourful murals. Or hop on a local bus at the Octagon to get to St. Clair Beach, the Botanic Garden, or Baldwin Street (world’s steepest residential street). Check out Good Company Tours: https://www.goodcompanytours.co.nz/s...rsions-dunedin
Here’s a link to Dunedin’s website:
https://www.dunedinnz.com/visit
Maps on pages 6 & 7 on this link:
https://www.dunedinnz.com/visit
Over 1.5 days in Auckland you can’t do all that. I’d visit city sights, such as the Auckland War Memorial Museum in the pretty domain, the Auckland Art Gallery; or walk around or dine at the waterfront (Queens Wharf/Viaduct Harbor). There are nice view restaurants in the ferry building. Auckland has an aquarium (Kelly Tarlton’s SEALIFE), a Maritime Museum, and an excellent zoo. Mission Bay is nice. A friend of mine did the Auckland Bridge climb a couple of weeks ago. She said it was “very tame’ but enjoyed the views. The Sydney Harbour Bridge climb seems like it would be more exciting, if you're headed that way.
It’d be better to have an entire day for Waiheke, but you could do lots if you catch the ferry to Waikehe by midday. From Waiheke’s Matiatia Wharf, you can catch a bus to a beach and/or a winery or two. The bus stops close to several wineries. Or you can just walk up from Matiatia ferry terminal to Cable Bay Vineyard, takes 15 minutes along a lovely track through the edge of the Atawhai Whenua Reserve. Mudbrick Vineyards is up the hill from Cable Bay Winery. Both wineries have restaurants with impressive views.
http://cablebay.nz
http://www.mudbrick.co.nz
Map of track from wharf to wineries:
http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/E...urchbaymap.pdf
Waiheke, Island of Wine:
http://www.waihekewine.co.nz
Fullers Ferries goes to Waiheke with some ferries stopping in Devonport. They also run a “Vineyard Hopper” bus.
https://www.fullers.co.nz/timetables-plus-fares/
https://fullers.co.nz/media/1385/vin...opper_2015.pdf
Bus route map:
http://www.beaccessible.org.nz/__dat...essable-03.pdf
There’s lots to see on Auckland’s West Coast besides Piha beach, such as Bethells and Karekare beaches, Waitakere Ranges Regional Park and Arataki Visitors Centre, Muriwai gannet colony, and the wineries around Kumeu. The roads can be curvy, including the one that descends to Piha. You’d could see more if you drive, but there are tours that would take you to Piha:
http://www.bushandbeach.co.nz/tour/w...ss-experience/
http://ohyeahtours.co.nz
http://www.kiwianatours.co.nz/tours.php?t=9
I'd pick Piha/West Coast or Waiheke for an all day excursion, but I wouldn't try to squeeze in both. Waiheke would be easier, as you wouldn't need to drive or take a tour, you could just hop the ferry and take the bus or walk.
It's hard to compare wine regions, they're all different, and wineries tend to be more crowded on weekends than on weekdays, and in summer and on holidays than the off-season, when it's so slow many close. It’s been ages since I’ve been to Napier/Hawkes Bay but it didn’t remind me much of Napa (I now live in Dunedin, but spent most of my life in San Francisco and Marin County, next to Sonoma and near Napa). In general, Napa wineries tend to be larger and busier with hefty tasting fees (but amazing wines), and there are way more wineries in Napa. I gravitated more toward the smaller wineries on the quieter back roads of Sonoma or in Mendocino’s Anderson Valley.
It seems the Napier ferry terminal is less than 1 km from Marine Parade (beach, museum, aquarium, near Art Deco centre). The beach is pretty, but the waves can pull you out to sea. According to the link below, you will need to catch a cruise ship shuttle from the cruise terminal:
http://www.newzealand.com/int/featur...uise-overview/
http://www.napiernz.com/port-of-napier-cruise/
Pretty Mission Estate is not so far from central Napier. Otherwise, Hawkes Bay wineries are spread out.
http://hawkesbaywine.co.nz/images/Ha...5-_website.pdf
http://hawkesbaywine.co.nz/images/pd...-cycle-map.pdf
I can’t remember all the wineries we visited over three days, but Craggy Range Winery (and their restaurant) was our favorite. It’s a large winery but has a stunning setting beneath Te Mata Peak (which is also worth a visit). Like many wineries, Craggy Range produces wines from grapes not just sourced from Hawkes Bay but also from Martinborough (near Wellington) and Central Otago (near Queenstown). Hawkes Bay is NZ’s second largest wine region after Marlborough.
This tour company looks like they have some inexpensive options for cruise ship passengers:
http://www.baytours.co.nz/cruise-visitors/
If you’d like to bike to wineries, why not contact a bike tour company, such as:
http://bikeabouttours.co.nz
https://www.tripadvisor.co.nz/Attrac...th_Island.html
Wellington’s a lovely city, so enjoy it. Te Papa Museum in Wellington is a must-do. You could explore the attractive waterfront and then walk from there to the base of the Cable Car, which goes up to the Botanic Garden, then walk down through the garden to the CBD. If you’d like to see NZ wildlife and walk along some tracks, visit Zealandia, one of NZ's most successful ecosanctuaries. You can get there by free shuttle from the I-Site Tourism office near Te Papa or from its stop near the top of the Cable Car. Wellington has a great website:
http://www.wellingtonnz.com/discover/
And map:
http://www.wellingtonnz.com/assets/U...wntown-Map.pdf
I, too, find it unusual that you are taking a cruise to popular port cities, but seem less interested in the cities themselves, and that from the start of your planning, you shrugged off suggestions that a NZ driving trip would best suit your interests.
Dec 29th, 2016, 03:17 PM
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Is this your itinerary? http://www.hollandamerica.com/find-c...Meta=Interior&
Are you flying out of Sydney on the 15th meaning you'd have no time there if you didn't skip part of the cruise?
FWIW Tasmania is my favorite part of Australia but I can understand your desire to see some of Sydney as well. There's plenty of things to do in Tasmania but you're very limited as far as time. What are your interests?
Are you flying out of Sydney on the 15th meaning you'd have no time there if you didn't skip part of the cruise?
FWIW Tasmania is my favorite part of Australia but I can understand your desire to see some of Sydney as well. There's plenty of things to do in Tasmania but you're very limited as far as time. What are your interests?
Dec 29th, 2016, 05:44 PM
#12
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This is great. So I am thinking that we head to Waiheke Island the day we arrive. After hotel, I'd image we'd be ready by 11/12. Suggestions on the easier way to visit there- take ferry, can we rent bikes there or do we do taxi;s over there to visit the beaches. Is it easy to experience Maori culture over there? Is it easy to stop into wineries? Figure day two, we'll explore the city as Piha seems to far to do ourselves and be back by 6pm .
Dec 29th, 2016, 10:56 PM
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Bikes, buses, taxis and car hire are all at the Matiatia wharf. A wine tour is a good idea and they visit 3-4 wineries. Might pay to book as Waiheke gets very busy in the summer.
You can walk 20 minutes up the hill(from the ferry) to Oneroa Beach which is a beautiful curved Kiwi beach complete with pohutukawa trees. It's one of my favourites in all of New Zealand and I have very high beach standards! The bus goes to Onetangi, another lovely beach.
www.potikiadventures.co.nz do a Maori tour of the island.
You can walk 20 minutes up the hill(from the ferry) to Oneroa Beach which is a beautiful curved Kiwi beach complete with pohutukawa trees. It's one of my favourites in all of New Zealand and I have very high beach standards! The bus goes to Onetangi, another lovely beach.
www.potikiadventures.co.nz do a Maori tour of the island.
Dec 30th, 2016, 05:05 PM
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Follow tasmangirl's advice and prebook if you'd like to do the Vineyard Hopper or any other Waiheke wine tour. Occasionally, the Waiheke ferries can get full, so arrive a half hour ahead of the ferry you'd like to catch and/or buy your ferry ticket ahead to avoid standing in a queue at the ticket window.
Look at the Waiheke links I included in my last post. They're useful. And look at the map and bus schedules on the link below. The map shows the bus routes and the grape symbols show the wineries close to the bus routes.
https://at.govt.nz/media/1785596/wi_...t_2016_web.pdf
You never answered when you would actually be in NZ. You wrote,"We're taking a cruise New Zealand then ending up in Syndey on Holland America Jan 2, 2017." That's two days from now.
Look at the Waiheke links I included in my last post. They're useful. And look at the map and bus schedules on the link below. The map shows the bus routes and the grape symbols show the wineries close to the bus routes.
https://at.govt.nz/media/1785596/wi_...t_2016_web.pdf
You never answered when you would actually be in NZ. You wrote,"We're taking a cruise New Zealand then ending up in Syndey on Holland America Jan 2, 2017." That's two days from now.
Dec 30th, 2016, 07:18 PM
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Needing help choosing plans for Tauranga : Hobbiton Shore Excursion Including Lord of the Rings and Hobbit Movies Set, Full-Day Rotorua Shore Excursion Including Te Puia and Hells Gate Thermal Beds or or Full-Day Shore Excursion: Hobbiton and Te Puia Combo ( a little of each). With the first one shorter, we may rev time to relax at the beach for an hour or two. Any suggestions?
Dec 30th, 2016, 07:33 PM
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For a day trip to Waiheke Island, it is easy for use to do on our own to explore and stop at wineries? So we walk the island or can we rent bikes or take Uber/taxi? Or best recommend a tour?
Dec 31st, 2016, 10:43 AM
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Go for the combo tour Hobbiton and Rotorua - you may never be back down under!
As for Waiheke you could walk up to Cable Bay or Mudbrick. Bikes are available at the wharf to rent but keep in mind Waiheke is hilly and your own capacity for drinking and riding a bike. Roads are very narrow there.
We went on the cheapest tour - Around Waiheke wine tours.
As for Waiheke you could walk up to Cable Bay or Mudbrick. Bikes are available at the wharf to rent but keep in mind Waiheke is hilly and your own capacity for drinking and riding a bike. Roads are very narrow there.
We went on the cheapest tour - Around Waiheke wine tours.
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kwalker99
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