Auckland Excursions
Hauraki Gulf Islands: The Hauraki Gulf Marine Park (tel: (09) 379 6476; website: www.doc.govt.nz) contains 47 islands, some just a few minutes' sail away from Auckland. Not all can be visited, as some are nature reserves closed to the general public, although others are devoted to human pleasures, with all the usual holiday facilities.
The volcanic island of Rangitoto is one of the most popular islands and is the largest volcanic cone in Auckland. There are several ferries per day from Auckland's ferry building and the trip takes 30 minutes. Details are available from Fullers (tel: (09) 367 9111; website: www.fullers.co.nz). Guided walking tours of Rangitoto Island are available from The New Zealand Walking Company (tel: (09) 235 0099; website: www.nzwalkingcompany.com) as part of multi-day packages.
For a Whole Day
Tiritiri Matangi Island: Walkers with a nose for New Zealand wildlife in the raw will enjoy Tiritiri Matangi Island, some 30km (19 miles) north, a re-stocked and re-forested sanctuary for many rare species of native bird. Fullers (see above) runs ferries to the island. Once there, the Department of Conservation (DOC) guides on the beach impart bush and bird lore for a small charge. Visitors should not forget to take lunch, because there is nowhere to buy any.
Auckland vineyards: New Zealand makes some of the best wine in the world, especially Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The best-known vineyards are situated further south, such as in Hawke's Bay and Marlborough, although Auckland has several good vineyards to the west of the city, notably in the Henderson and Kumeu areas. Several tour companies organise day trips, which normally include visits to at least four vineyards and lunch at one of them. Some tours require a minimum number of passengers. Companies include North West Auckland (tel: (09) 630 1540, website: www.winetrailtours.co.nz), Bush and Beach (tel: (09) 837 4130; website: www.bushandbeach.co.nz) and the extra special Fine Wine Tours (tel: (09) 849 4519; website: www.insidertouring.co.nz).
Tours of Auckland
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Finland Activity & adventure holidays Finnish Lapland has enormous areas of untouched wilderness and mile upon mile of wild rolling fells. This vast open countryside, sparkling in the winter sunshine, just begs to be explored by
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Orlando Adrenaline Whether you’re enjoying the hair-raising delights of the world’s only flying rollercoaster called Manta at SeaWorld or racing through the Everglades on an airboat in search of alligators, one thing’s for
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Cambodia Luxury holidays Today Cambodia is symbolised by awesome Angkor Wat, the largest man-made religious structure in the world. However, Cambodia is also home to some of the finest boutique hotels in the world
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Laos Inspire Me When the French colonised Indochina they had a saying: "The Vietnamese grow the rice, the Cambodians watch the rice grow, and the Lao people listen to the rice grow." This is
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Vietnam Cultural breaks Vietnam is a country with a rich and varied history that is now firmly focused on her bright future. This is why it has become one of the hottest destinations for
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Dominican Republic Family holidays The Dominican Republic has soared in popularity as a tropical hotspot for families seeking sun, sand and an affordable holiday in the Caribbean. The island's main attraction is magnificent golden sand
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