Auckland

Auckland is located on the North Island of New Zealand, in the Pacific Ocean.

Queen Street is Auckland's main area with little boutiques and cafés to big brands such as Louis Vuitton and Gucci. The famous Smith & Caughey’s, is one of New Zealand’s oldest and best loved department stores.

For local charm and character, head to Parnell where you'll find jewellery and artisan boutiques, cosy sidewalk cafes and the Parnell Rose Gardens. Ponsonby is hipper, with trendy designer shops, sleek restaurants and bars and nightclubs.

Not far from Queen Street is the iconic Sky Tower. Standing at 328m high, the Sky Tower is the tallest man-made structure in New Zealand. Enjoy 360 degree views from the observation deck. Sky Tower is part of the Sky City complex, with a casino and some of the city's most popular restaurants.

The Auckland Museum - many of its exhibits centre around New Zealand's Maori people and also has displays focusing on local history and geography.

Waiheke Island is a 35 minute ferry ride away from the Auckland waterfront. Waiheke has great beaches and water sports and Te Whau Vineyard is open for meals and tastings.

Devonport dates back to the mid 19th century and is a pleasant town with a main street of shops, boutiques and is home to the tunnels of North Head and the Navy Museum.

Rangitoto Island, which emerged as an erupted volcano, is a great place for hiking through lava fields and into lava caves. You can even stroll around the crater's rim.

Dishes feature local seafood (oysters, king crab, mussels) and a wide range of international cuisine.

Cruise ships dock at Princes Wharf, the adjacent Queens Wharf is also used when there is more than one cruise ship in port.

The port is located a few minutes walk from Downtown Auckland. Taxis are at both Cruise Ship terminals.

Bus and train services are located directly across the street from Queens Wharf, only 5 minutes walk from Princes Wharf.

The Ferry Terminal is located between Princes Wharf and Queens Wharf.