Auckland

Auckland, known in Te Reo as Tāmaki Makaurau (the place desired by many), hits you first with its extraordinary raw geography. Stand on the grassy crater rim of Maungawhau (Mount Eden) on a crisp morning, and you are looking out across an entire metropolis sculpted across 53 dormant volcanic cones. Hemmed in by two completely distinct bodies of water, with the sparkling Pacific Waitematā Harbour on the east and the wild, brooding Tasman Manukau Harbour on the west, this narrow isthmus feels intimately connected to the ocean wherever you turn. Passenger ferries crisscross the channel every few minutes, leaving white wakes toward seaside villages like Devonport and the volcanic summit of Rangitoto Island.

What makes Tāmaki Makaurau truly special is how effortlessly city energy blends with untamed nature in less than half an hour of driving. Start your morning with an impeccably pulled flat white in a converted red-brick warehouse in Britomart, sample vibrant multicultural kai along Karangahape Road, and by mid-morning you can be cruising on a ferry to Waiheke Island. There, olive groves and boutique vineyards overlook hidden turquoise bays, offering long lazy lunches paired with local Syrah and warm Kiwi manaakitanga (hospitality).

Head west into the lush Waitākere Ranges, and the air turns cool and humid, filled with the fresh scent of native nikau palms and giant silver ferns. The winding road drops you onto the legendary black iron sands of Piha Beach, where crimson pōhutukawa trees cling to sea cliffs and thunderous Tasman surf crashes against the ancient silhouette of Lion Rock. From bustling night markets along Dominion Road to the historic wooden heritage villas of Ponsonby, Auckland is salty, vibrant, and deeply connected to its coastal whenua (land).