The wide sweep of Waitemata Harbour slices Auckland in two and is the city's most prominent natural…read morefeature. It was because of this easily navigable waterway that Auckland became New Zealand's capital in 1840. Wellington is now the capital but Auckland remains New Zealand's economic center. We explored this area almost daily by foot and found lots of shopping, dining, transportation and entertainment venues. There were lots of cruisers in the area with their luggage waiting to get on and off their ship.

For all the land lubbers out there, you're missing out. There are so many cool places to see on…read moreAuckland's doorstep, all you have to do is jump in a boat and explore the Waitemata Harbour from the water. For example, on the way up towards Hobsonville, just past the Chelsea Sugar works, there are a few quite idyllic beaches only accessible from the water. Heading out towards Waiheke you can find Brown's Island, Motuihe (my fave), Rakino, or drop anchor and drink yourself silly in Issy Bay, known to locals as "drunk's bay".

I have only just got into windsurfing and was looking for a windsurfing school in my area. A friend…read morerecommended i visit Pete down at Pt Chev- Auckland Windsurfing. Pete is the owner of this small yet very busy business. He has been windsurfing for over 15 years and clearly knows his stuff. He's an excellent (and patient) teacher! I had my first lesson last week in 20 knot winds; slightly brave for a first time! For those of you who aren't familiar with the area Pt Chev is a sheltered bay facing west. Its a great spot to learn. A beginners lesson for 90 minutes is $60 which i personally think is great value. This includes board, sail, wetsuit and booties. The first half of the lesson is on the land, going through the basics of the gear, plus learning about the wind direction and best windsurfing conditions. The second half you get into the water and onto the board. The strong winds and choppy waters were not ideal conditions for a first timer so i would suggest going on a calmer day, i still had a great time! In fact i went back the next day when it was calmer and had another go. After one lesson i felt confident enough to go out on my own . Can't wait to get out again! You can also rent a great range of windsurfing gear down there and also SUP boards. Highly recommend checking it out!

Oh the memories…read more.. When I first finished high school, I spent the better part of a summer leaning to windsurf at Madloop. I was off to Summer Camp that year to be a windsurfing instructor so thought it best I learnt what I was doing. Madloop are based at Lake Pupuke, near the Slyvan Park entrance - look out for the brightly coloured trailer and van at the lake's edge. They have a whole heap of rigs and are able to cater from beginner to advanced (for rentals), children to adults. They also have wetsuits so just turn up in your bathers and your good to go. Al, who runs the school is awesome. He has years of experience and is great with kids and adults alike. He normally has about 3-4 staff helping him out, who in my experience are pretty awesome too. But what's great about learning to windsurf at Madloop is you always feel safe - the staff are great at judging the conditions and after all, you are in a lake so there's no risk of being washed out to sea. Learning to windsurf is not cheap ($45/hours) but they do have a summer deal at the moment where you can get six lessons for the price of five. To book, get in touch via the website. It's heaps of fun..trust me!

Mad loop operates on the sheltered (well mostly) waters of Lake Pupuke. Al has taught four of my…read morefamily - cousins- to windsurf over a holiday break and I can highly recommend his team to get the kids motivated and up and sailing. The gear is good especially the wetsuits which are pretty essential. If windsurfing is not your thing Al has branched out into Hobie cats as well for a more leisurely and probably drier experience

The PCC is over a hundred years old, dating back to 1900, and was the first designated cruising…read moreclub in Auckland, and one of the first in the whole Empire. That's a lot of history, and the club wears it well. The mooring areas for the PCC are the huge docks next to the bridge, with the clubrooms on the headland in front. The clubrooms themselves aren't that flash, but they aren't meant to be. We've used the clubrooms many times for meetings for our dragonboat association since they graciously offered us their use, and they have been a really great asset and group of people to work with. Members can pop by the bar anytime for a couple of cheap handles, and talk out their old sea stories or chat about upcoming regattas, but the best time to visit their grounds is on Auckland Anniversary Day, when hundreds of the boats moored there take to the harbour in a breathtaking show of sails and sunshine. They also offer the chance for non-members to come sailing on one of the clubs boats, so even if yuo don't have one of your own, you can still get out on the water. Great place, great people, what more could you ask for?

Lighter Quay is part of a recent waterfront development that has vastly upped Auckland waterfront's…read morestocks. What was once a dishevelled industrial area is now an attractive high-end business district lined with expensive waterfront apartments and capped off with one of Auckland's top hotels, the Sofitel. This hotel opened with a bang and the restaurant is still nice but I have not heard anything about the nightclub for some time. The whole area is very picturesque and the apartments/office buildings have a classical/modern architecture that is easy on the eye. I'm a particular fan as it adds an extra loop to any waterfront walk/jog excursion. Big ups Auckland City.

My kids wanted to get some Laser sailing in during a brief stop in Auckland. Alan @ Meltemi…read moreBeachcats was great - good communication via email / SMS before the day, fully-rigged Laser in great condition ready to go, and no problems with us sailing in the middle of a big storm that was blowing through Auckland that day. My kids had a great time sailing on Lake Pupuke. Highly recommended.

I had my first sailing trip with Meltemi Beachcats this month and left feeling somewhat…read moredissatisfied with the performance of the trainer. It was really a shame because the company has everything going for it: good location, sail boats in excellent condition however, the staff member that took me, Josh, was very unenthusiastic and unhelpful which put a real dampener on the experience. Even though it was my first time he was not a very good teacher. He seemed to prefer just to relax on the side of the boat, occasionally telling me that I was doing in wrong instead of how to do it right. Very dissatisfied.

Three warnings about booking with Med Sailing: 1. Beware of…read morethemed weeks such as fitness and yoga week - those weeks are bookings by another travel group. Med Sail does not disclose that these weeks are "collaborated with another travel agency." You could get stuck being the lone outsider with a non-inclusive group from India or somewhere, like I was. 2. Don't expect to sail - for the entire 7 days we didn't. Except for 30 minutes for a professional videographer to make a commercial for Med Sail! The rest of the time we ran on diesel the whole trip. Other boats around us were sailing. Excuses: "there's not enough wind, it's raining, the wind is in the wrong direction, we have a schedule to keep, we don't have that far to go." What is the point if you don't sail! I didn't sign up to motorboat around Croatia. 3. Don't take your issues to the owner, Geoff - he doesn't care. If you have a problem, such as #1 above - getting stuck on an undisclosed group booking - don't bother emailing Med Sail owner who is defensive and blames you for your age or nationality or something. If you doubt my words, I have his aggressive emails to publish to the world. Roger has a more sympathetic ear.

From the owner: We offer 7-day sailing holiday trips in Croatia and Greece. Whether you'd like a cabin charter or…read moreprivately charter the whole yacht for you and your friends and family, we've got you covered.

The Sky Tower is undoubtedly one of Auckland's most iconic landmarks, standing as the tallest…read morestructure in the Southern Hemisphere. Opened in 1997, this marvel of engineering is a key part of Auckland's skyline and now visitors have a chance to experience the city from incredible heights. Built as part of the SkyCity complex, the tower serves multiple purposes, including telecommunications, observation decks, and as home to several dining experiences, including the Orbit 360 restaurant where we dined. Up we go into the tower and treated to panoramic views that stretch across Auckland's harbors, islands, and the distant mountain ranges. It's a quintessential tourist stop, but one where the jaw-dropping vistas fully justify the tourist reputation.

Sky Tower Auckland - An AMAZING Experience!…read more WOW! From the moment we stepped into the elevator, the adventure began! The fast ride up to the 51st floor was exciting, and along the way, we got to learn about the history of the Sky Tower. What a wonderful touch to an already incredible experience! Once we reached the viewing level, the sights were absolutely breathtaking! Seeing Auckland from high above is something you have to experience for yourself. And then, heading up to the 60th floor? AMAZING doesn't even begin to describe it! The views are spectacular, the height is unbelievable, and the whole experience leaves you in awe. Whether you're visiting Auckland for the first time or rediscovering this beautiful city, Sky Tower is definitely a must-see attraction. The ride, the history, the height, and those unforgettable panoramic views make it all worthwhile! Bring your camera, take in every moment, and prepare to be amazed. Sky Tower Auckland is an experience that takes sightseeing to a whole new level -- literally! Marie