New Zealand has always been an on and off interest in my bucket list, but I finally decided to take the opportunity to visit Auckland and the surrounding beaches on New Zealand’s North Island.

Auckland is the gateway to exploring the North Zealand and the Northland Region. My journey began here in what the locals call “The City of Sails” this is due to the amount of sail boats that are docked in the Harbour.

If you’re from Melbourne or Sydney or have ever visited them, you’ll notice straight away how Auckland compares to them, from its rich culture and being surrounded by a beautiful harbour the city is influenced by these Australian cities. Of course, it still has its own identity and history from Kiwi\Maori cultures. This is noticeable from the wood carvings and flags that are around the city.

Being a country that is surrounded by water beaches are never too far away. I hired myself a car from Scotties Car Rentals near Auckland Airport and took off to explore some amazing beaches.

I headed to the town of Piha which is about a 40-minute drive from Auckland on the west coast of the island. Piha is a well-known surf beach for its black sanded beaches. The town is quite small but once you reach it you’ll soon get that laid-back feeling. I could have taken Millions of pictures of this stunning beach as it was great place to relax from the busy city.

35 minutes north of Auckland is the town of Orewa which I also visited. With its three-kilometre white sanded beach, it is a great beachside town for swimming, surfing, kayaking, windsurfing and kite surfing. For a small township shopping around the area is quite good – from authentic New Zealand souvenirs and local brand shops.

Thank you to the flight crews from Emirates and Air New Zealand for great customer service onboard and to the hotel staff at Goodview Hotel Auckland for a comfortable stay. Accommodation was an apartment room with kitchen facilities, private parking, modern bathroom and free wifi throughout the building.

Ready to book your trip to Auckland and other parts of New Zealand? Head to TZULS travel partners for awesome deals on flights, accommodation, vehicle hire, attractions and many more.

As they say in Maori “mihi mo inaianei” Goodbye for now

TZULS 🙂

*Feature Image captured by Bradley Hogg © 2018 (@bhogg_96)