By admin The final destination on my itinerary before heading to New Zealand’s South Island, Waiheke was the perfect place to relax for a couple days (while staying active and drinking some of the local wine, of course). A forty minute ferry ride from Auckland, the island is home to approximately 8,000 residents, although it is a popular day trip and the population swells during the summer months when travelers flock to the destination for holiday trips.
I opted to spend two nights on the island so I could explore at a calmer pace and gear up for my friends Lindsay and Katz to arrive (when our pace of travel would accelerate rapidly).
Getting to Waiheke Island
Because I had started the morning in Hawke’s Bay at the magical Farm at Cape Kidnappers, I had to drop off my rental car, take my first domestic flight in New Zealand back to Auckland, Uber to the ferry, and ferry to Waiheke. This may sound like a lot of logistics, but I was shocked by the ease of travel in what was quickly becoming one of my favorite countries in the world.
First step: dropping off the rental car. I simply parked in a designated Europcar spot and dropped the keys in a return box at the airport terminal. Next: checking in for my flight, getting my boarding pass, and dropping off my checked luggage. All managed via a self-serve kiosk. Final step: Getting through security. Not necessary – New Zealand doesn’t even require a security screening when traveling out of its smaller airports. I could have arrived thirty minutes before departure and been able to walk right on to the flight (except my flight was thirty minutes delayed, so I would’ve needed to wait regardless. Even New Zealand can’t be perfect all the time).
Upon arrival in Auckland, I was able to quickly grab an Uber and head to the ferry terminal. Even though we ran into some traffic en route, it didn’t end up being a problem – and even if I had missed my intended ferry, it would have only been thirty minutes before I could get on the next one.
Staying at Delamore Lodge
The accommodations on Waiheke Island are all boutique hotels, bed & breakfasts, and vacation rental homes. My first choice had been Marino Ridge, but my hopes were dashed when I learned that the property required a three night minimum during the holiday period. Instead I opted for Delamore Lodge, a small bed & breakfast with four guest suites and one two bedroom apartment.
Reminiscent of Lake Taupo Lodge, Delamore Lodge was a sprawling residence-turned-guest house located in a suburban neighborhood amidst sumptuous grounds and jaw-dropping views. The infinity pool overlooked the bay as well as a couple small neighboring islands. However, as gorgeous as the scenery was, the property’s decor felt outdated and a bit tacky. For the price I was paying, I would have preferred a more modern, sophisticated aesthetic.
Because I didn’t arrive until late afternoon, I planned to stay at the lodge and relax my first night. While breakfast was included in the rate, the resort also offered dinner at an additional cost, and I opted to have dinner onsite both nights. Since I was traveling on my own and the property wasn’t within walking distance to any restaurants, staying put seemed like the easiest thing to do. I’d have plenty of time to go out once Lindsay and Katz arrived.
Another benefit of staying in for dinner? I made friends with a sweet older Dutch couple who had also planned a tour of New Zealand and Australia for the holidays. We compared notes on our itineraries (similar) as well as our other favorite travel destinations. “We love going to Ibiza,” the woman told me. “The nightclubs are so fun there.” Well that wasn’t what I was expecting to hear. When I had gone to Ibiza with my friend Nina, we had purposely avoided the club scene. She continued on enthusiastically, “I dance with the boys and I tell them, ‘Beer: Yes. Pills: No.” Damn. Maybe Nina and I needed to return to Ibiza with this woman, so she could show us how things were done.
Hiking on Waiheke Island
I spent both mornings on Waiheke hiking around and exploring the coastal tracks surrounding the island. After setting off on the road from Delamore Lodge, I quickly came across a number of trails splintering toward the coastline. It was easy to simply wander aimlessly along the hilly trails and admire the bay views until I ran out of time (I couldn’t spend all day hiking; I had wine tasting to do!)
The trails were all well-marked, pristinely maintained, and nearly devoid of other people. I found myself fantasizing about what it would be like if I moved to Waiheke Island and spent all my mornings getting lost on stunning coastal trails (one wrinkle in that plan: the island was so small, I’m not sure how realistic it would be to truly get lost).
Self-Guided Wine Tour
On my first and only full day on Waiheke, I opted to take myself on a wine tour (Lindsay, Katz and I had booked a wine tour with a guide the following day). The very friendly proprietor at Delamore Lodge suggested that I start with lunch at Tantalus Estate, then walk to Te Motu Vineyard and Stonyridge Vineyard. So that’s what I did. A short walking trail combined all three wineries, creating a perfect vino-filled trifecta for someone without a car or a designated driver.
Once again, I marveled at how easy everything was in New Zealand. It took just a few minutes to walk from winery to winery, and reservations weren’t needed anywhere. Maybe I really should move here, I thought.
Because Waiheke Island has a warmer, drier climate than the “mainland” of New Zealand, it offers much different wines than the country’s larger, better-known wine regions of Marlborough and Central Otago. Bordeaux blends, Chardonnay and Syrah are all produced on Waiheke (and I can confirm that they are all quite good).
After finishing my day up at Stonyridge, I simply called the taxi driver who had dropped me off at Tantalus. A few minutes later, he came to pick me up and return me to Delamore Lodge. No Uber on Waiheke, but getting around was proving to be a piece of cake (if you can’t tell, I was beginning to realize that’s simply how things operated in New Zealand).
My self-guided solo wine tour had been a success, but I was excited to have some drinking buddies join me the next day.
Guided Wine Tour with Ananda Wine Tours
As much as I had relished my alone time in New Zealand, I was ready to see my friends. The plan for our first day together was to meet on Waiheke; Lindsay and Katz were going to head straight from the airport to the ferry terminal so we could start our holiday properly: with a day of wine tasting, of course. Stop at the hotel to drop off their bags and take a shower? Hell no. There wasn’t a moment to waste.
Unfortunately, their flight from SFO to Auckland was delayed, so they had to race to get to Waiheke. On the positive side, we were the only people on the wine tour, and our charming local guide was more than happy to be flexible with us (although I sadly don’t remember her name). She picked me up from Delamore Lodge first, and we sat at the ferry terminal and chatted while we waiting for Lindsay and Katz to arrive. Originally from Auckland, she had lived on Waiheke for many years and seemed perfectly content with her life. Maybe I could move here and do wine tours, I thought to myself.
Finally, Lindsay and Katz arrived, looking quite fresh and well-rested considering they had literally just gotten off a thirteen hour flight (following a six hour flight from Newark to SFO). Yay! Our adventure together was about to begin.
Our Afternoon Artisan Tour included stops at three wineries (one of which I had visited the previous day, Tantalus Estate) and a microbrewery, as well as lunch. The guide tried her best to teach us about the region’s terroir and history, but I think she realized quickly that it was best to just let us chat amongst ourselves. Lindsay and Katz in particular were overjoyed that their vacation had finally started, and I was thrilled to have them with me.
After the conclusion of the wine tour, our plan was to spend the night back in Auckland, then board a morning flight to Blenheim for more wine tasting in the Marlborough wine region on the South Island. Waiheke had been a great way to kick things off, and we looked forward to all the adventure, hiking, wine, food and laughs that the next two weeks would bring.
