Waiheke Island

Waiheke Island Review

Waiheke Island was once a sleepy spot, summer vacation retreat, and hippie haven, with beach houses dotting its edges. Now it sports the holiday homes of affluent city dwellers and many wealthy foreigners, raising housing costs in their wake. The island is earning a reputation for its vineyards, and local cafés sometimes stock wines unavailable elsewhere. The annual Waiheke Jazz Festival at Easter attracts renowned overseas performers.

From the ferry landing at Matiatia Wharf you can walk five minutes to the small town of Oneroa, the island's hub, with its shops, cafés, bars, and real estate agents. Another minute's walk gets you to Oneroa Beach, one of the most accessible beaches. The north-facing beaches—sheltered bays with little surf—are the best for swimming. The most popular is Palm Beach, 10 minutes by bus from Oneroa. Around the rocks to the left is Little Palm Beach, one of Auckland's three nudist beaches. Another great beach on Waiheke is Onetangi, on the north side of the island, 20 minutes from Matiatia by bus. Whakanewha Regional Park, on the south side of the island, is a lovely bush reserve leading down to a half-moon bay. You can go hiking and picnic here, and the wetlands is home to rare birds such as the New Zealand dotterel. You can get to the park from Oneroa by shuttle bus. Waiheke Island is also home to 35 vineyards; some are young, so only 20-odd are producing wine.