Auckland New Zealand

What is Auckland? A simple enough question but, put to any one who knows Auckland well, one with hundreds of different answers. The generic answer is something like "a sophisticated, cosmopolitan city that offers an abundance of accommodation and activities for the adventurer, the nature follower, the backpacker or the pleasure seeker". The other answers take into account who is asking the question – because few cities in the world can offer Auckland’s level of experience customisation.

If you’re nautically-minded, Auckland can offer you miles of the world’s finest sailing, boating and fishing grounds - The Hauraki Gulf. A genuine maritime city, Auckland "the City of Sails", has a higher number of boats per capita than any other city in the world. In fact, more than 80,000 boats are owned privately within the Auckland region equating to approximately one boat per 11 Aucklanders. New Zealand’s oldest and most spectacular sailing regatta, the Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta, is held annually in this vibrant city on the last Monday in January.

For hedonists in the pursuit of fine food, wine and happiness, Auckland Restaurants are an induction course into a cuisine-culture described as ‘Pacific Rim’ – which could be expressed on your plate as hot-smoked salmon, char-grilled scallops or lamb shanks on pasta. The perfect accompaniment might be a buttery, oaky chardonnay produced on Waiheke Island or in the vineyard valleys of the west.