February 21, 2026

This place is beautiful. Wait until you see the photos.

Chongae and I were in Auckland, New Zealand in February of 2023 before I started to blog about our adventures. At that time, we spent time enjoying Auckland Harbor, dotted with colorful yachts. Auckland, popularly known as the “City of Sails,” has around 135,000 yachts and launches sitting in its harbor, which is more per capita than any other city in the world. Interestingly, there are around nine sheep to every person in New Zealand; since there are roughly four million New Zealanders, that also makes New Zealand have more sheep per capita than any other country in the world. New Zealand also produces 200 pounds of butter and 143 pounds of cheese per person each year. We also visited the Auckland War Memorial Museum, one of New Zealand’s most visited attractions, it embodies both a guardian of heritage and a living space for reflection on identity and sacrifice.

This time we were ready for a completely different adventure. Waiheke Island is a 45-minute ferry ride from downtown Auckland, and the vibe shifts instantly upon arrival: slower, sunnier, wine-in-hand type of relaxation. The reason being that when 19th century immigrants discovered Auckland’s Mediterranean-type weather, fertile soil, and pastoral hillsides, vineyards were sure to follow; today, Auckland is home to many of the country’s most respected award-winning wineries famed for their beautiful scenery.

Vineyards such as Solijans Winery, Nobilo Winery and Matua Valley Wines, are three of the country’s premium wineries world-renowned for New Zealand Rieslings, Sauvignon Blancs and Pinot Noirs. Waiheke Island is home to boutique wineries that produce
high-quality wines, including merlot, malbec, cabernet franc, and chardonnay. Tours of the island’s famed wine estates are booked months in advance. Although we did not stop at any wineries Chongae and I spent the day enjoyed the unspoiled beauty of the Auckland Wine Trail and the spectacular scenery around each curve. Here are some examples of that scenery.

One of the shortcomings of a World Cruise is that although you get to see many places around the world you have limited time in each port. Waiheke Island is a place Chongae and I could surely spend more time.

Thanks for traveling with us