Our layover at Auckland airport was going to be 7 hours…. as lovely as Auckland airport is, I didn’t want to spend 7 hours there! The decision was made to extend our layover in Auckland by 2 days and explore New Zealand’s northern harbour city, before traveling onwards to our destination of the Cook Islands.
The first decision to make was where to stay. We chose to stay in the city centre close to the harbour, because it suited our planned itinerary, rather than close to the airport. For us, this was a great decision. I won’t recommend the Airbnb we stayed in, as it was just ok, but I will recommend the location, near the Sky Tower. If you stay anywhere near there, you are within walking distance of the harbour and the main bus/transit centre. Here are some accommodation options in central Auckland.
Proposed Itinerary
We were tossing up whether to stay in Auckland for 2 nights or for three…. in the end we went with 3 nights. Lucky we did, as our flight into Auckland was cancelled at the last minute and even though we managed to scramble onto another later flight, our time in Auckland was cut shorter than planned. After a little drama boarding the plane (my friend left her carry-on luggage in the lounge), we settled in with a glass of bubbles. It’s ok, one of the lovely Air New Zealand staff retrieved it for her – it wouldn’t be one of our trips without a little drama😁
Day 1
Instead of arriving in the early afternoon, we arrived in the early evening, so our decision as to what to do on our first night was easily made – we would head up to the Sky Tower to catch the sunset, enjoy a sundowner and admire the harbour view.
Sky Tower
To head up the Sky Tower you need to purchase a ticket on the ground floor first. At $47 for a single adult admission ticket, it’s a bit pricey. I guess it is one of the iconic things to do, so you just have to swallow the cost and enjoy it. The ticket price gives you access to three different observation decks. Come sunset, it does get a little crowded up there, but there are plenty of vantage points.
For all the thrill seekers out there, Skywalk – a harnessed walk around the exterior of the tower, or a Skyjump – basically bungy jumping with wire, is available. That was a hard pass from me.
There are dining options, such as Orbit 360 restaurant that rotates every hour, giving diners spectacular views of the city, but you need to book in advance. We just enjoyed a drink in the Sky Bar and grabbed a pizza on the way back to our apartment.
Day 2
Our second day, which was really our first full day in Auckland, was all about the wine! My friend and I both love a glass or 2 of New Zealand vino, so it was with anticipation that we headed down to the harbour to catch the ferry over to Waiheke Island for a day of vineyard hopping!
Waiheke Island
Just a scenic 40-minute ferry ride from Auckland, Waiheke Island feels like a world away. With only a day available to us to explore, we had to choose between vineyards, beaches, walking trails, art galleries and olive groves. Decisions, decisions!
Waiheke Island Ferry
There are plenty of Waiheke Island tour packages available and I will add a link here for some, but we chose to purchase a Fullers 360 walk-up ticket at the ferry terminal, which included a ticket for the hop-on-hop-off bus for $99.
If we were a little more organized, we might have been up and out the door a little earlier, as it was, we didn’t get going until 10am (long story, not our fault!) We arrived on Waiheke late morning and had to be strategic about which vineyards to visit. We had heard good things about Mudbrick so that was our first stop.
Mudbrick Vineyard
One word – stunning! The grounds, the view, the friendly staff were all amazing! We probably stayed too long here, but we loved it.
We got chatting to one of the managers there and on his recommendation, we had a sneaky little bar lined up to watch the sunset, before catching the ferry back to the mainland. But first we wanted to explore the beaches we had heard so much about, so back on the bus we hopped and headed over to Onetangi Beach.
Ki Maha Restaurant for lunch
There are a few restaurants along the waterfront to choose from, but the bright yellow striped umbrellas, the universal sign of Veuve Clicquot, drew us in. 😁 Ki Māha is a little upmarket, and oozes style and a little daytime glamour. We ordered a glass of local wine, Milana ordered a pasta dish and I ordered a salad, trying to be a little healthy. Both meals were delicious, but I did leave still feeling quite hungry…there wasn’t much salad for the price.
Back on the bus and back into the main little town on Oneroa Beach.
Sundowners at Aperitivo Balcony Bar & Kitchen
This was the little bar that our new friend from Mudbrick recommended, and if you didn’t know it was there, you would probably walk straight past it. Located down a laneway off the main shopping strip on Ocean View Road is Aperitivo Balcony Bar & Kitchen. Luckily, we got there before the kitchen closed so I ordered the most delicious pork belly and my tummy was happy.
The balcony is small and intimate, with great views over Oneroa Beach and Bay. I liked that it seemed to be just locals here…. and us! 🤣 We enjoyed our time on the balcony, but the beach was calling us.
Swim at Oneroa Beach
We had just enough time for a quick dip at Oneroa Beach before heading back to the ferry.
Ferry back to the mainland
We decided to walk back to the ferry terminal as it wasn’t too far away from Oneroa Beach, and all downhill! There was a bit of time to kill before the ferry came, so we just enjoyed the stunning sunset.
No worries about how to get back to the apartment as it was just a short walk from the ferry terminal. It was an early night for us that night because we had an even bigger day planned for our last full day in Auckland.
Day 3
This was the day we were most excited about. After the recommendation from some friends, we wanted to see the Waitomo Glowworm Caves. Logistically, it’s a bit tricky because they are located about a 2-hour drive south of Auckland. There are some day trips there from Auckland, but they only tour the caves in a boat, and we wanted the black water rafting experience. We devised what I can only call, a genius solution!
Car Hire
Hiring a car is not genius I hear you say…. but hear me out! We booked on the airport bus ($10ea)- the transit centre conveniently located around the corner from the Sky Tower and hired our car from the Auckland domestic airport. Car hire was not expensive, the fuel ended up costing more than the car hire though, so just factor that in. Our plan was simple, use the car to drive down to Waitomo and explore that region. Head back to the apartment and return the car early the next morning to the international airport, ready for our flight to the Cook Islands. Saves on taxi fares…. see, genius!
Waitomo Experience
The Waitomo Experience was an absolute highlight. It really was something magical and I highly recommend you do it. What sets The Waitomo Experience apart from other similar tour operators is that you actually spend the 2.5 hours in the caves, group sizes are small – only 6 people in our group, no queuing crowds once you are down there, the equipment is excellent quality, and you get a hot tub at the end!
Driving in New Zealand is easy… the signs are in English and they drive on the same side of the road as we do. We enjoyed our little road trip down to Waitomo. Upon the advice of the locals, we pre-ordered a sandwich from the local shop, having been told they would likely be sold out of everything by the time our tour had finished. They hadn’t, but better to be safe than sorry….not much is open for food in the area.
We also had some time to look in the information centre and asked the friendly staff there for some recommendations of other things to see while we were in the area and had a car at our disposal. With our afternoon all planned, we jumped into the car for the short but beautifully scenic drive from the visitors centre out to the Waitomo Experience base.
Check-in and Gearing Up
After, checking-in and filling out a short questionnaire, guests are given a short safety briefing and fitted out with a wetsuit, gumboots, and helmet with headlamp.
It is a short walk from the head office to the cave entrance. It was so strange to think that in a few minutes we would be exploring underneath the very ground we were walking on! There was excited chatter amongst the guests as we approached the ladder that would take us down into the labyrinth.
One at a time we were harnessed (just for safety, it wasn’t difficult) and climbed down the entrance ladder. After unclipping at the bottom and sending up the ‘CLEAR’ call for the harness to be raised for the next person, we switched on our head lamp and gingerly made our way into the cave. Once everyone was back together our adventure began. What followed would have to be one of the most memorable experiences of my traveling life.
The Caving Experience
Nervous at first, we soon took turns leading the group through tunnels, wading through icy pools and crawling through small openings until we reached a cathedral type tunnel. Here, our guide got us to lean against a wall, switch off our headlamps and look up. Absolutely magical! The whole ceiling was twinkling with glowworms.
I could have stayed there for hours, but there was more to see! We had a little rest to enjoy a piece of New Zealand’s finest, Whittaker’s chocolate, and hydrate with a warm drink. Then it was onto the black water rafting or tubing! Imagine floating on a tube, in the absolute dark, down a tunnel with glowworms lighting the ceiling above you like thousands of twinkling stars. Truly unforgettable.
The Hot Tub and Debrief
I didn’t want the experience to end, but the promise of an open-air cedar hot tub helped to lure me back to the base. The guides are amazing, so encouraging and knowledgeable. They took many photos of us during our underground adventure, so we could focus on the experience and our safety.
It was unanimous, every guest agreed that it was the best afternoon, a once-in-a-lifetime-experience. We shared our highlights of the day in the hot tub, and you couldn’t wipe the smiles off our faces.
Some may find crawling through small spaces a little challenging, but everyone in our group managed it quite easily. It takes a while to get used to the fact that there is no moss down there, so the rocks are not slippery, and the boots can be trusted. The water is cold, but the wetsuits keep you warm and there was only one place where we actually had to swim as the water was over my head – bear in mind, I am pretty short!
After saying our goodbyes, we drove back to the cafe near the visitor centre to pick up our sandwiches and head to our next destination. All of the following destinations are located on the one road, that leads out to the black sand beach.
Mangapohue Natural Bridge
First stop was Mangapohue Natural Bridge, a spectacular limestone arch formed from the remnants of an ancient cave system. An easy walk along a boardwalk, beside a gentle stream, will lead you to the towering bridge. The arch, which is surrounded by lush vegetation, is all that remains after a cave roof collapsed.
Marokopa Falls
Not far away, along the same road, is Marokopa Falls, a magnificent 35-metre curtain waterfall. You will hear the falls before you see them.
Walk towards the sound, along a short easy path, through native bush. The vista opens up before you and it looks like something from a postcard. Stunning!
The day was rapidly coming to an end, but we decided to push on to see the black sand beach, something we don’t have in Australia, so I was keen to see it.
Black Sand Beach
Literally at the end of the winding road from Waitomo, the landscape opens up dramatically onto a wild black sand beach. I have seen black sand beaches before in Santorini, but not like this. Formed from super fine, iron-rich volcanic sand, the shoreline stretches along New Zealand’s west coast. We timed it beautifully to see the setting sun dipping below the horizon before we began our long drive back into Auckland.
Day 4 – Back to the Airport
It was late by the time we got to bed, but it was worth it! Alarms were set for an early drive to the international airport, to drop off the car and wait for our morning flight.
One thing we had planned to do, but our sudden flight cancelation meant we didn’t have time, was to walk around Mount Eden. My daughter did this walk on a trip to Auckland and the pictures look gorgeous. Mount Eden is Auckland’s highest volcanic cone, rising 196 metres above sea level. At the summit lies a deep grassy crater, and you are rewarded with 360-degree views of the city. It is an easy walk and just a short bus trip from the city. If you have another half day in Auckland, add this to your itinerary.
I highly recommend extending your layover, explore the city and sleep in a bed, it beats sleeping at the airport!
Deb Morrow is a wife and mum of two in her 50’s, who works in education. She has a passion for travel and through sharing her travel experiences, tips and recommendations, wants to encourage other women her age to start making time for themselves, grab their besties, and go see the world!
