Heading to Waiheke Island, or always wanted to?
Take the whole family across with 2 adult & 2 child return ferry tickets from downtown Auckland. It’s just a 40 minute cruise from to this island paradise.
Waiheke Island boasts 92km of pristine beaches, stunning coastal headlands, vineyards, olive groves and seaside villages and is approximately a 40-minute cruise from Downtown Auckland. Waiheke Island has been rated as one of the top island escapes in the world.
A bit about what you can do on Waiheke?
- Vineyards – Home to more than 30 boutique vineyards, Waiheke has become known as New Zealand’s island of wine. Winegrowers on the island have successfully matched the maritime climate and ancient soil structures to produce some of New Zealand’s best wines. Visit cellar doors for tastings, or enjoy wine and food pairings at vineyard cafes and restaurants.
- Food – The many island wineries are perfect for culinary indulgence. You’ll find a range of options from food pairings to platters and casual lunch options, to gourmet meals at award-winning restaurants. Oneroa Village has beautiful cafes, gelato shops and takeaway options. For a relaxing lunch, take in sea views from The Oyster Inn’s restaurant verandah, or venture to Onetangi for casual beachside dining at Charlie Farley’s. Visit Rangihoua Estate to sample internationally-awarded Extra Virgin Olive Oil, or stop by Te Matuku Oysters to purchase locally farmed seafood.
- Shopping – Oneroa, Ostend and Surfdale are great shopping destinations. Unique stores are bursting with local art, gifts, jewelry, clothing and more. The Ostend Market operates every Saturday from 7.30am to 1pm.
- Beaches – Waiheke is best known for its pristine beaches, and its warm microclimate makes it the perfect swimming spot. Oneroa Bay and Little Oneroa sit side-by-side, and are within walking distance of the main village. Little Oneroa is a perfect place to spend the day, with BBQs, a children’s playground and a sprawling grassy area. Onetangi Beach features 2.5km of beautiful white sand, plus convenient bars and restaurants at the water’s edge.
- Walking tracks – Waiheke offers a number of native bush tracks, and scenic coastal walks with sensational views of surrounding islands and the Coromandel. Starting from Matiatia Ferry Terminal, the Northern Walk features the most diverse track without venturing too far from the ferry. Follow the headland track to Cable Bay, Owhanake Bay, and Oneroa Village before completing the loop back to Matiatia.
- Hire a private vehicle and explore at your own pace. As your own tour guide, you’ll be able to venture to parts of the island that most tours don’t visit. Pick up and drop off is conveniently located at Matiatia Ferry Terminal.
- If you’re heading to Waiheke for the weekend the Hop-On Hop-Off Explorer Bus is a flexible and convenient way to see Waiheke your way. The Hop-On Hop-Off Explorer Bus meets each Fullers 360 ferry on arrival every Thursday and Friday (between 9am and 5pm) and every Saturday and Sunday (between 9am and5.20pm). The last tour returns back to Matiatia Ferry Terminal to meet the 7pm sailing back to Auckland and stops at 16 stops around the island – including Oneroa and Onetangi village as well as popular vineyards, walking tracks and art galleries.
- Public transport is available across the island and most services connect with ferry arrival and departure times.
- Or hit the pedals and explore Waiheke Island on a mountain bike or e-bike. Cycle to cafés, past vineyards, or on rugged coastal tracks.
Why is this Chuffed Worthy?
A trip to Waiheke Island is one of the most popular Chuffed Gift redemptions. It’s one of those places that many people think I’ll go there ‘one day’. So we are thrilled Fullers was keen to work with Chuffed so we could gift people the reason to make ‘one day’ possible because of their Chuffed Gift. Chuffed Gifts offer a number of experiences on Waiheke Island. Our most popular are lunch at Batch Winery, Ziplining at EcoZip, Scenic Flights with Auckland Seaplanes and the Waiheke Island Hop on Hop Off Bus.
