Taste of New Zealand: Wellington to Auckland

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You’ll sail north overnight to arrive at the port of New Plymouth this morning. Sitting in the shadow of the conical shape of Mount Taranaki, it’s a sunny city where the locals like to spend as much time as they can outside.New Plymouth is also home to some of New Zealand’s top cultural institutions. Puke Ariki is a combined museum, library and heritage centre with many fascinating local artifacts. The Govett-Brewster Art Gallery/Len Lye Centre, inside a spectacular reflective steel building, is the country’s first and only museum of contemporary art. Car aficionados will love the Hillsborough Holden Museum.Freechoice: West Coast Boat Tour: Sail on an authentic 1953 English Life boat to the Sugar Loaf Islands, where you can see diverse bird species, spot playful fur seals, and be immersed in local lore.Len Lye Centre with New Plymouth City Tour: Explore the highlights including Port Taranaki, Te Rewa Rewa bridge, Bowls of Brooklands, Wind Wand and the Len Lye Centre.Wine Tasting & Pukeiti Gardens: Visit Pukeiti Garden, a 360-hectare rainforest in the foothills of Mount Taranaki, then enjoy a tasting at Okurukuru Winery with coastal views.

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A tiny dot in the middle of the South Pacific, Norfolk Island is more than 800 kilometres north-west of the New Zealand coast and almost 1,500 kilometres east of Australia. The first thing you’ll see will be the tall Norfolk pines dotted along the clifftops, looking out over windswept coastline, deserted beaches and surging seas.Though the island is technically part of Australia, it has its own distinct personality and a fascinating past. It’s been an agricultural settlement, harsh convict prison and the final home of the Pitcairn Islanders, descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian wives.Freechoice: Half-Day Extravaganza: Visit Norfolk Island's historic areas, such as Kingston, Cascade, and Longridge. Admire the spectacular scenery and learn about its unique history.Historic Kingston Experience: Embark on a half-day tour of the island's history, including the World Heritage-listed Kingston settlement.Behind the Scenes: Experience Norfolk Island life by visiting local businesses. Meet owners, sample their products, and pick up some local goods to take home.Bush Walk Adventure: Choose a gentle stroll through Palm Glen Reserve or a leisurely 3.5km walk up scenic Mt Bates, the island's highest point. Reach the Captain Cook Monument for panoramic coastal views.

The Tasman Sea on the west and the Pacific Ocean on the east meet at thetop of North Island at Cape Reinga. No matter what route you take, you’ll passfarms and forests, marvellous beaches, and great open spaces. The East Coast,up to the Bay of Islands, is Northland’s most densely populated, often withrefugees from bigger cities—looking for a more relaxed life—clustered aroundbreathtaking beaches. The first decision on the drive north comes at the footof the Brynderwyn Hills. Turning left will take you up the West Coast throughareas once covered with forests and now used for either agricultural orhorticulture. Driving over “the Brynderwyns,” as they are known,takes you to Whangarei, the only city in Northland. If you’re in the mood for adiversion, you can slip to the beautiful coastline and take in Waipu Cove, anarea settled by Scots, and Laings Beach, where million-dollar homes sit next tosmall Kiwi beach houses.An hour’s drive farther north is the Bay of Islands, known all over theworld for its beauty. There you will find lush forests, splendid beaches, andshimmering harbors. The Treaty of Waitangi was signed here in 1840 betweenMāoriand the British Crown, establishing the basis for the modern New Zealandstate. Every year on February 6, the extremely beautiful Waitangi Treaty Ground(the name means weeping waters) is the sight of a celebration of the treaty andprotests by Māori unhappy with it. Continuing north on the East Coast, theagricultural backbone of the region is even more evident and a series ofwinding loop roads off the main highway will take you to beaches that are bothbeautiful and isolated where you can swim, dive, picnic, or just laze. .The West Coast is even less populated, and the coastline is rugged andwindswept. In the Waipoua Forest, you will find some of New Zealand’s oldestand largest kauri trees; the winding road will also take you past mangroveswamps. Crowning the region is the spiritually significant Cape Reinga, theheadland at the top of the vast stretch of 90 Mile Beach, where it’s believedMāori souls depart after death. Today Māori make up roughly a quarter of thearea’s population (compared with the national average of about 15%). The legendaryMāori navigator Kupe was said to have landed on the shores of Hokianga Harbour,where the first arrivals made their home. Many different wi (tribes) livedthroughout Northland, including Ngapuhi (the largest), Te Roroa, Ngati Wai,Ngati Kuri, Te Aupouri, Ngaitakoto, Ngati Kahu, and Te Rarawa. Many Māoriherecan trace their ancestry to the earliest inhabitants

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The Bay of Islands is one of the world’s most spectacular sailing destinations, so make sure you’re on your verandah or the Observation Terrace as you arrive mid-morning. With its unique sub-tropical climate, around 150 islands and thousands of postcard-perfect coves, this is a little slice of paradise on the North Island.Scenic Eclipse II will anchor off the coast of Paihia, famous for its watersports of kayaking, fishing, parasailing, scuba diving, and more. Nearby is the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, where the foundation document of New Zealand was signed in 1840.Freechoice: Northland Maori Waka Encounter: A thrilling Maori War Canoe tour. Explore historic sites, paddle over Waitangi River estuaries and visit Haruru Falls, while a guide shares legends and customs.Bay Of Islands Lunch Cruise: Sail through the waterways of Opua and Okiato and learn about the colourful people and events that shaped this country before a delicious lunch.Historic Waitangi Treaty Grounds: Join a local guide for an engaging tour of the Treaty Grounds, including a Maori Cultural Performance and time to explore the museums.Glowworms and Kauri Forest: Immerse yourself in the tranquillity of the Puketi Kauri Forest and journey through the Kawiti Caves, illuminated by shimmering glowworms.

Auckland is called the City of Sails, and visitors flying in will see why. On the East Coast is the Waitemata Harbour—a Māori word meaning sparkling waters—which is bordered by the Hauraki Gulf, an aquatic playground peppered with small islands where many Aucklanders can be found “mucking around in boats.”Not surprisingly, Auckland has some 70,000 boats. About one in four households in Auckland has a seacraft of some kind, and there are 102 beaches within an hour’s drive; during the week many are quite empty. Even the airport is by the water; it borders the Manukau Harbour, which also takes its name from the Māori language and means solitary bird.According to Māori tradition, the Auckland isthmus was originally peopled by a race of giants and fairy folk. When Europeans arrived in the early 19th century, however, the Ngāti-Whātua tribe was firmly in control of the region. The British began negotiations with the Ngāti-Whātua in 1840 to purchase the isthmus and establish the colony’s first capital. In September of that year the British flag was hoisted to mark the township’s foundation, and Auckland remained the capital until 1865, when the seat of government was moved to Wellington. Aucklanders expected to suffer from the shift; it hurt their pride but not their pockets. As the terminal for the South Sea shipping routes, Auckland was already an established commercial center. Since then the urban sprawl has made this city of approximately 1.3 million people one of the world’s largest geographically.A couple of days in the city will reveal just how developed and sophisticated Auckland is—the Mercer City Survey 2012 saw it ranked as the third-highest city for quality of life—though those seeking a New York in the South Pacific will be disappointed. Auckland is more get-up and go-outside than get-dressed-up and go-out. That said, most shops are open daily, central bars and a few nightclubs buzz well into the wee hours, especially Thursday through Saturday, and a mix of Māori, Pacific people, Asians, and Europeans contributes to the cultural milieu. Auckland has the world’s largest single population of Pacific Islanders living outside their home countries, though many of them live outside the central parts of the city and in Manukau to the south. The Samoan language is the second most spoken in New Zealand. Most Pacific people came to New Zealand seeking a better life. When the plentiful, low-skilled work that attracted them dried up, the dream soured, and the population has suffered with poor health and education. Luckily, policies are now addressing that, and change is slowly coming. The Pacifica Festival in March is the region’s biggest cultural event, attracting thousands to Western Springs. The annual Pacific Island Secondary Schools’ Competition, also in March, sees young Pacific Islander and Asian students compete in traditional dance, drumming, and singing. This event is open to the public.At the geographical center of Auckland city is the 1,082-foot Sky Tower, a convenient landmark for those exploring on foot and some say a visible sign of the city’s naked aspiration. It has earned nicknames like the Needle and the Big Penis—a counterpoint to a poem by acclaimed New Zealand poet James K. Baxter, which refers to Rangitoto Island as a clitoris in the harbor.The Waitemata Harbour has become better known since New Zealand staged its first defense of the America’s Cup in 2000 and the successful Louis Vuitton Pacific Series in early 2009. The first regatta saw major redevelopment of the waterfront. The area, where many of the city’s most popular bars, cafés, and restaurants are located, is now known as Viaduct Basin or, more commonly, the Viaduct. A recent expansion has created another area, Wynyard Quarter, which is slowly adding restaurants.These days, Auckland is still considered too bold and brash for its own good by many Kiwis who live “south of the Bombay Hills,” the geographical divide between Auckland and the rest of New Zealand (barring Northland). “Jafa,” an acronym for “just another f—ing Aucklander,” has entered the local lexicon; there’s even a book out called Way of the Jafa: A Guide to Surviving Auckland and Aucklanders. A common complaint is that Auckland absorbs the wealth from the hard work of the rest of the country. Most Aucklanders, on the other hand, still try to shrug and see it as the parochial envy of those who live in small towns. But these internal identity squabbles aren’t your problem. You can enjoy a well-made coffee in almost any café, or take a walk on a beach—knowing that within 30 minutes’ driving time you could be cruising the spectacular harbor, playing a round at a public golf course, or even walking in subtropical forest while listening to the song of a native tûî bird.

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You’ll finish your journey in the nation’s largest city, Auckland. Home to around a third of the entire New Zealand population, Auckland is a stylish, cosmopolitan city set around two grand harbours. It’s packed with fascinating museums, world-class art galleries and stylish shops featuring local designers.Disembark after breakfast as you say farewell to the crew and take away memories of a truly unforgettable cruise.Please book your flight to depart out of Auckland after 12:00 PM.^Flights on board the two helicopters are at additional cost, subject to availability and regulatory approval, weight restrictions, medical approval, and weather conditions. #Spa treatments at additional cost. The itinerary is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons. As such Scenic cannot guarantee the cruise will operate unaltered from the itinerary stated above. Please refer to our terms and conditions for further information.