This month we are excited to give you some well-known, and perhaps not so well-known, information about Auckland, New Zealand! Auckland is the biggest city in New Zealand, with almost half the population living there. Our school is located in the heart of the city, and is an excellent base to discover Auckland and its surrounding areas, as well as venturing a little further in the weekends!
We’ve compiled a ‘must-see/do’ list of things to do while you’re in Auckland (but do note that these are just a few things – there are just so many options available):
Go for a harbour cruise on the Hauraki Harbour and soak up views of the City of Sails from the water. There are more yachts per capita in Auckland than in any other city in the world! One in three households in Auckland owns a boat.
If you’re brave, go for a bungy jump from the Auckland Harbour Bridge, OR jump off the Sky Tower! Did you know that the Sky Tower has 1267 steps from street level to the Sky Deck? It would take an average person 29 minutes to climb to the top if they walked at 4km/hr, but we prefer to take the elevators. 🙂
Scale one of the central volcanoes for a great (and free) view of Auckland! There are over 50 volcanoes in Auckland’s volcanic field … One of our most famous ones is Mt Eden and is only a 10 minute bus ride from the city centre. Maori used the dormant volcanoes to build their pa sites, favoured for their height and ability to see your enemies coming!
Visit Waiheke Island, a 35 minute ferry ride from Downtown Auckland, and sample some of our great wines! It’s the second largest island in the Hauraki Gulf, behind Great Barrier Island, and has some fabulous vineyards and olives!
Visiting the black sand beaches of the west coast of Auckland is an absolute must – the sand is black due to a mix of volcanic sand (from several volcanic explosions), and magnetic iron oxide ash. The beaches are rugged and have big surf – make sure you take your jandals if the sun is out, because the sand is hot hot hot, and take care in the surf – always swim between the flags to make sure you don’t get into trouble!!
When in New Zealand you must sample some of our unique food items: hokey pokey ice-cream, pineapple lumps, pavlova (it’s kiwi, even though the Australians claim it 🙂 ), fish and chips on the beach (kiwi style), tim tam and toffee pop biscuits, paua, just to name a few! Don’t forget to try our lamb and seafood … NZ has fresh and very high quality food!
No trip to Auckland is complete without a ferry ride to Rangitoto Island (and then climbing to the top, of course!) – it is one of our most famous landmarks, and is the second newest piece of land on the planet, and is only around 550 years old. It rose up after a series of eruptions, and is made up of lava, volcanic rock, and native flora and fauna. The island still has lava tubes, which are tubes left behind after liquid lava has passed through, some of which visitors can explore (take a torch!).
Although there is so much more, we thought we would just give you a little taster! If you would like more information about LSI Auckland click here. You can also access more information about LSI Auckland and the city via our blog! Not only is there a bunch of things to do in and around Auckland, you can also discover the rest of beautiful New Zealand in your weekends – we look forward to welcoming you to Auckland, New Zealand!