What an amazing time! Learn about the Arataki Pathway to learning, take a Bush walk to a…read morewaterfalls, go to Piha beach, and go on the large Kuri walk. What an adventure. Be prepared for all kinds of weather. Stop in at the Piha Store and get a fresh cup of coffee and a pastry treat before adventuring around. It's absolutely beautiful here. The sand is magnetic on Piha so bring a magnet for the kids to experiment. Highly recommend visiting. Our guide was fantastic for bush and beach she was so informative and fun!

Here's what we do with any international visitors who we collect from the airport, an obligatory…read moretrip to Arataki Visitors Centre before we explore the city any further. This is one of Auckland's most scenic visitor centres, perched atop the Waitakere Ranges on Scenic Drive it offers superb views of our twin harbours, the Waitemata and Manukau, from outside decks. Ideal photo opportunity. From here you can see our stunning native bush because you are literally on the treetops. You get a perspective of the city centre with Rangitoto and Skytower your landmarks, and on the other side is the Nihotipu Dam. The visitor centre has great displays of the area, some gorgeous artwork and great Maori carvings. This is also a hub to get information about trekking in the Waitakere Ranges and there is always a ranger or two to discuss your options. Don't head out into the bush unless you are armed with the correct information and are equipped with the correct gear. Speaking of bush walks, there is an easy 40 minute round trip bush walk across the road from the visitor centre which gives you and your visitors a little taste of the areas bush tracks.

Bus & ferry information with clean restrooms & seating while we waited for the next ferry. Lots of…read moreclean pamphlets & maps. Spectacular views of the bay from here. The ferry ride is :40 to Auckland.

Let's be honest, no one's going to Tiri just for the Visitor Centre, but since you're going anyway…read moreyou may as well check it out. Of course the island itself is amazing for its open sanctuary status, its birdlife and its history. And along with DOC it is supported by the Supporters of Tiritiri Matangi and they operate the visitor centre and shop. The shop has an awesome collection of souvenirs, including jewellery, clothes, books, housewares, games and greeting cards, among many other things. The best part is that the majority of the items in the store are also New Zealand made, which goes to show that the Supporters support not only the conservation of this island but locally made products by New Zealand designers. The profits from the store go back into the island so it's a fantastic way to give back as well as taking home some awesome presents for others or for yourself. The visitor centre has heaps of information boards and displays about the wildlife and history of the island. Also plenty of tables and chairs both inside and out to relax on after exploring.

The folks in at Harvey World Travel Warkworth are the best. I must be a pretty tiresome customer…read moreas I can, at times, be slightly indecisive. When I went in to book my South East Asia adventure they were very patient, and answered my endless onslaught of questions. I think what I like best was their enthusiasm. Booking a trip is exciting, and they were nearly as excited as me! I could have spent hours trawling the web, but sometimes it's nice to sit face to face with an expert and discuss the options. I booked my return flights to Bangkok as well as several internal flights. They were able to put most of the flights all on the same ticket, which actually saved me money. Harvey World travel is also a good place to start for some inspiration on your next trip - they know which places are best to visit at what time of year and when sale times are likely