We could have sat and gazed at the view from Delight Cafe, Waiheke Island all day. The heat of the sun wafting in through the windows, the picture perfect blue ocean and an ice cold fizzy orange juice to cool down. However, we had some exploring to do.
Waiheke Island is a 40 minute ferry ride from Auckland and boasts some gorgeous beaches. There are also around 19 boutique wineries and craft breweries. Believe it or not, we didn’t visit any of those! The only option at this time of year was an organised tour and we didn’t feel like being herded around in what seemed like such as relaxed place.
We used the public buses to visit Oneroa Beach and Onetangi Bay, where we paddled in the Pacific and unwound to the sounds of the waves. We even came across Blackpool Beach! No amusement arcades and bingo halls here though.
We have to say that the bus drivers seemed to enjoy going around the tight corners as fast as possible, which wasn’t ideal when trying to take photos or video.
The contrast in the types of houses was interesting – million dollar homes overlooking the bays, to ramshackle bungalows in need of lots of attention. Apparently, Waiheke Island was a bit of a hippy haven up until the 80s, when people with money saw the advantages of living in paradise and commuting to the big smoke. I guess a 40 minute ferry ride is much better than sitting in rush-hour road traffic for over an hour!
The ferry ride out to Waiheke Island was much more enjoyable than the ride back, when everyone was serenaded by the kiwi equivalent of Glee Club. I think I’m getting old.