Auckland

Auckland is called the City of Sails, and visitors flying in will see why. On the East Coast is the Waitemata Harbour—a Maori word meaning sparkling waters—which is bordered by the Hauraki Gulf, an aquatic playground dotted with small islands where many Aucklanders can be found "mucking around in boats." Not surprising, Auckland City has some 70,000 boats. About one in four households in Auckland city has a seacraft of some kind and there are 102 beaches within an hour's drive; during the week many are quite empty. Even the airport is by the water; it borders the Manukau Harbour, which takes its name as well from the Maori language and means solitary bird.

According to Maori tradition, the Auckland isthmus was originally peopled by a race of giants and fairy folk. When Europeans arrived in the early 19th century, however, the Ngati-Whatua tribe was firmly in control of the region. The British began negotiations with the Ngati-Whatua in 1840 to purchase the isthmus and establish the colony's first capital. In September of that year the British flag was hoisted to mark the township's foundation, and Auckland remained the capital until 1865, when the seat of government was moved to Wellington. Aucklanders expected to suffer from the shift; it hurt their pride, but not their pockets. As the terminal for the South Sea shipping routes, Auckland was already an established commercial center. Since then the urban sprawl has made this city of approximately 1.3 million people one of the world's largest geographically.

A couple of days in the city will reveal just how developed and sophisticated Auckland is, though those seeking a New York in the South Pacific will be disappointed. Auckland is more get up and go outside rather than get dressed up and go out. That said, most shops are open daily, central bars and a few nightclubs buzz well into the wee hours especially Thursday through Saturday, and a mix of Maori, Pacific people, Asians, and Europeans contributes to the cultural milieu. Auckland has the world's largest single population of Pacific Islanders living outside their home countries, though many of them live outside the mainstream parts of the city and in Manukau to the south. Most Pacific people came to New Zealand seeking a better life, but when the plentiful, low-skilled work that attracted them here dried up, the dream soured and its population has suffered with poor health and poor education. Fortunately, policies are now addressing that and change is slowly being made. The Pacifica Festival in March though remains the region's biggest cultural event, attracting thousands to Western Springs.

At the geographical center of Auckland city is the 1,082-foot Sky Tower, a convenient landmark for those exploring on foot and some say a visible sign of the city's naked aspiration. It has earned nicknames like the needle and of course the Big Penis—a counterpoint perhaps to a verse in a poem by acclaimed New Zealand poet James K. Baxter who refers to Rangitoto, an island in the gulf, as a clitoris in the harbor.

The Waitemata Harbour has become better known since New Zealand staged its first defense of the America's Cup in 2000. The regatta was a catalyst for major redevelopment of the waterfront. The area, where many of the city's most popular bars, cafés, and restaurants are found, is now known as Viaduct Basin or, more commonly, the Viaduct. On New Year's Eve it becomes a sea of people getting very kissy.

These days, Auckland is considered too bold and brash for its own good by many Kiwis who live "south of the Bombay Hills," the geographical divide between Auckland and the rest of New Zealand (barring Northland). "Jafa," an acronym for "just another f—ing Aucklander," has entered the local lexicon; there's even a book out called Way of the Jafa: A Guide to Surviving Auckland and Aucklanders. A common complaint is that Auckland absorbs the wealth from the hard work of the rest of the country. Most Aucklanders, on the other hand, shrug and see it as the parochial envy of those who live in small towns. But these internal identity squabbles aren't your problem. You can enjoy a well-made coffee in almost any café, or take a walk on a beach—knowing that within 30 minutes' driving time you could be cruising the spectacular harbor, playing a round at a public golf course, or even walking in subtropical forest while listening to the song of a native tui bird.

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