Waiheke Island: a comprehensive guide to experiencing Auckland’s best getaway

what to pack

I’ve put together a post about what to wear to Waiheke with links to all of my outfits. check it out here.

getting there

Getting to waiheke is super easy. the most popular route is a ~40 minute ferry ride from Auckland CBD to Matiatia Wharf, the main ferry terminal on the island, located on the western side. we’ve bought tickets online ahead of time through fullers both times we’ve been to Waiheke, but there are other providers available as well. If you’re looking to spend the day on the eastern end of the island, then the ferry from Auckland to Man o’ war might be a better option. More details about the western vs Eastern sides of the island below!

Island overview

getting around

Uber does not exist out here, but there are plenty of taxis to utilize for getting around. There are always several taxis available at the Matiatia ferry station, but if you are arriving at an off-time (very early or late), I would recommend scheduling ahead. I’ve found that Waiheke Island Taxis is super reliable and easy to schedule through. Their phone number is +64 0800 372 4111. one thing we heard from a taxi driver that is worth sharing – if you are on the Eastern end of the island, it can be difficult to get a taxi as they typically have to drive from the more populated, western end of the island to pick you up. To get around this, you can schedule and pay for a taxi ahead to ensure you will have a ride.

Renting a car is another option, but we opted not to do that since we knew we would be spending a lot of our time drinking at wineries. 🙂

stay

I’ve stayed in both the Palm beach and Onetangi areas on Waiheke – both were recommended to me and Clay by Auckland locals. Both are great options depending on what you’re looking for. In general, I felt like Palm beach was a bit quieter and had a more picturesque beachfront, while Onetangi had more restaurant options and is closer to more wineries. I have also heard the Boatshed Hotel in Oneroa is fabulous, but I haven’t been!

Palm Beach

When just the two of us went to Waiheke island for a weekend, we stayed in the Palm beach neighborhood. this was a super cute neighborhood – there is really only one main restaurant and one convenience store in the area, both of which are steps from the beautiful white sand beach. the Airbnb we booked was also perfect for what we needed it for and the view from the balcony was amazing! the only downside was that the driveway was insanely steep, so walking up (and even down!) was somewhat treacherous.

Onetangi

we’ve stayed in Onetangi twice – once with my parents and two of their friends, and once with Clay’s family. with my parents and their friends, we stayed in this airbnb. The airbnb itself was great and in an awesome location – We were steps away from the restaurants nearby and the beach, and even walked to Casita Miro winery from it (although it was a bit of a hike). there are two great beachfront restaurants for dinner (ki maha and three Seven Two) as well as a bar/grill that’s open all day (charlie Farley’s).

With Clay’s family, we stayed up the hill from Onetangi beach in this airbnb. The views were absolutely stunning and the airbnb itself was awesome, but it was about a 20 minute walk to restaurants and the beach. the views made up for the walk though!

Eat and drink

There is definitely not a shortage of places to eat and drink on Waiheke Island. I’ve separated this section out into different types of establishments we went to: cafes, wineries, Restaurants (e.g., for dinner), and distilleries. we really liked everywhere that we went!

cafes

Arcadia. both mornings we were in Palm Beach, we ate breakfast at Arcadia. This restaurant is steps from the beach and offers a range of breakfast options from smoothies to eggs to a breakfast burger. They also serve lunch and dinner! the food was great and fairly priced, but don’t bother getting their croissants… (more on that in croissants around the world).

The Palm Beach Store. next door to Arcadia, you’ll find a no-frills convenience store appropriately named the Palm Beach Store. This mini-mart meets coffee bar has amazing iced coffee (make sure you get it without ice cream… unless you’re into that, and in that case, go for it). it was still sweet even without the ice cream and i have no idea how they made it, but it was 10/10. Also the cinnamon brioche bun was worth trying and a step up from the sad croissant we had next door.

Charlie Farley’s. This bar/grill in Onetangi is open all day, so we went here for Breakfast one morning. Very good food and coffee and a decent amount of options! there are also a lot of outdoor tables that overlook the beach.

Wineries

These are in no particular order! we loved all of the wineries we went to and they each offered their own unique flair. I recommend eating lunch at a winery and definitely book ahead of time to do so. Most places don’t require a reservation for a wine tasting, but it still might be worth considering (especially if you are visiting in the summer).

Man o’ war

This eastern end winery is more difficult to get to, but should not to be missed. Situated on the coast of the island, Man o’ war offers incredible beach views in the most relaxed, laid back environment. I recommend doing a wine tasting followed by lunch. We really liked the wines we tried during the tasting, but their rose is our favorite of their wines. the chardonnay was a close second! their food was beyond amazing as well – make sure you order the truffle fries and the lemon whipped ricotta. definitely maximize your time here – you will never want to leave!

There are also ferry services directly to man o’ war from Auckland city. you can book those tickets here.

Tantalus estate

This winery feels more high-end and sophisticated, and its architecture and valley views remind me a lot of some Italian vineyards in Tuscany. we opted to do their library tasting in the Cellar door and enjoyed the experience and the wine. Their restaurant is also apparently very good, but it’s a bit more expensive than other places.

Casita Miro

This spanish inspired winery in Onetangi is one of a kind!! we had the best experience here. We booked lunch in their restaurant and opted for their “fiesta menu”, which is a set menu of starters, tapas, mains, and a dessert for the table to share. The restaurant is decorated beautifully with many colors and patterned tiles, and it feels very different from other wineries on the island. The food was super fresh and flavorful, and we really loved all of it.

If you can’t make it for lunch, their cellar door is open for walk-ins only. I really liked their Viognier wine!

Te motu

recommended to me by a barista in Auckland, this winery did not disappoint. it’s a quick walk from Tantalus, so we had lunch at Te motu’s restaurant the Shed after our tasting at Tantalus. The food was absolutely unreal. we ordered a lot of things to try because too much of the menu sounded good, and we truly loved all of it. Definitely recommend the focaccia, lamb ribs, and coconut milk hopper. we didn’t do a full wine tasting here, but we did try their rose and chilled red, both of which we loved. they also have a dog named Skipper that roams around the restaurant!

Mudbrick

Mudbrick is a gorgeous winery on the western end of the island and super close to the main ferry terminal. The atmosphere felt very french-garden inspired with its well-kept greenery, white umbrellas, brick paths, and relaxing ambiance. There are views of the valley and water, with Auckland visible off in the distance. We ate lunch at their bistro with Clay’s family, and the food was amazing. we loved the lamb and the gnocchi!

Cable bay

This modern, minimalistic winery is down the street from Mudbrick and probably the closest winery to Matiatia ferry terminal. We did a tasting in their cellar door, which was both enjoyable and informative. we also had some snacks in their main restaurant area, which were great! Cable bay definitely has a different atmosphere than the other wineries we’ve been to on Waiheke island, which is part of what makes it fun to visit. They also have a shortcut path back to matiatia, allowing you to walk there in about 10 minutes.

Restaurants

The wineries generally cover the lunch options on the island, but finding a spot to eat dinner can be a bit more challenging as many places close relatively early. I really like three seven two, the Heke, and Ki Māha.

Three Seven two

a lovely beachside restaurant serving everything from seafood to pasta to steaks. there is something for everyone here! I recommend the rotolo pasta and the pork chop.

Ki Māha

another great beachside restaurant in Onetangi. the restaurant has a Vibrant/modern atmosphere and the food is awesome. Highly rec the caesar salad and also the ribeye! Clay and my parents also really liked their oysters (I am not a fair judge of them lol).

the heke

We heard about The heke through Clay’s job at Auckland City Hospital – one of the ENT surgeons owns it! its a restaurant, brewery, and distillery near Onetangi and has gorgeous valley views. it’s very family friendly (there was a playground and tons of space for kids to run around), but it’s also a nice setting without kids! we weren’t super hungry, so we just had the stracciatella with heirloom tomatoes and fried chicken – both were very good!

Distilleries

the heke

I have admittedly not tried the whiskey here, but we liked it as a restaurant (as mentioned prior) and I would definitely go back!

Waiheke distilling co

one of our taxi drivers told us we needed to go here, and he was not wrong. Another eastern end establishment, the Waiheke Distilling co has some of the prettiest views I’ve ever seen. its situated on a cliff top high above the beaches below and offers beautiful views of the water, surrounding islands, and the coromandel and its mountains in the distance. The drinks are good as well – I really like their Ruby Red gin! Definitely add this spot to your itinerary if you’re making your way over to the eastern end.