3 Days on Waiheke Island
Waiheke Island is the second largest island in the Hauraki Gulf. A true gem belonging to the Auckland Region that is not to be missed! Waiheke Island gives the perfect mix of beach and easily accessible hikes – a nature lovers dream. If you’re more into wine than hiking though, don’t fret, there are vineyards aplenty across the island.
My solo trip to Waiheke Island was one of my favourite things I did in New Zealand’s North Island.
In this post I’ll give you a little insight into visiting this gem, letting you see it is well worth a visit!
How to get to Waiheke Island? Ferry from Auckland – a 40 minute ride.
How long to go for? As little as a half day or as long as a week or more (for a real holiday/relaxing escape).
What to expect? Beaches, walking trails, vineyards and more. It can be as much of a relaxing or energetic trip as you would like to make it!
Where to stay?
- Budget travel:
- Waiheke Backpackers Hostel (rated 9.4 on Hostelworld), located in Onetangi
- Hekerua Lodge Backpackers (rated 9.1 on Hostelworld), located in Oneroa
….and if you don’t want to stay in a hostel, there are plenty of excellent accommodation options available on Booking.com or Agoda (I find these sites generally give good rates, for example especially if you have the Genius discount on Booking.com). More luxurious stays are aplenty!
Would I recommend visiting Waiheke Island? YES
My Waiheke Island Adventure
How long did I go for? 3 nights
Where did I stay? Hekerua Lodge Backpackers
Main areas I visited: Oneroa, Church Bay, Palm Beach, Onetangi
Day 1:
I boarded the ferry to Waiheke Island from downtown Auckland, sticking out amongst the day trippers, the only person seeming to be carrying their life with them. A lot of people just visit for the day, but I decided a proper little island retreat would be a good idea, so a 3 night stay it was.
40 minutes later I was transported from the bustling city, through the beautiful Hauraki Gulf, to the laid-back island vibe I so desired.
A public transport bus arriving swiftly at the ferry terminal, I hopped on and set off for Oneroa. A short journey later, I trudged from the bus to my hostel with all my belongings, ever so thankful to finally arrive at Hekerua Lodge Backpackers after what felt like a very long 10-15 minute walk. Travel tip: Pack light!!
Hekerua Lodge is somewhat tucked away, giving it a remote feeling despite being not too far from the main town. Therefore a good location, a welcome escape, contributing to the island life feeling.
After checking in and dropping off my belongings I soon headed out for an explore of the local area.
Oneroa
A short walk from Hekerua Lodge took me to Little Oneroa Beach, a secluded beach to the east of its larger counterpart, Oneroa Beach.
A small playground, picnic area and a shop makes Little Oneroa Beach a very tempting option on the island.
From here I took a walking trail towards Fisherman’s Rock. Seeing the views over Oneroa Bay – the two beaches and the surrounding area – instantly made me very happy to know I had more than a day to enjoy the island.
After some time down at the rocks I headed back in the direction I came, the clouds dispersing and the sun becoming brighter. It was the perfect time for a late lunch on Little Oneroa Beach, a chill session following for the remainder of the afternoon/early evening. This was actually my first ‘proper’ experience of New Zealand beach life, and a very welcome one at that. I mean, where it felt like New Zealand really could be a beach paradise. This was my kind of place.
Day 2:
I started my first full day on Waiheke Island in the best way – with a morning run. Although I wasn’t feeling motivated, the beautiful scenery soon made me glad I gave in!
I made my way to Oneroa Beach (having somewhat pushed it aside for Little Oneroa Beach the previous day), heading out and back along the road by the beach, before turning back on myself and going along the beach itself then returning to the hostel. A lovely wake-up shake-up!
Oneroa – Church Bay
After breakfast I set off on my main adventure for the day: A stunning walk from Oneroa to Church Bay.
Setting off from the hostel I headed to Oneroa town, taking residential streets before I came across a bush trail, Atawai Whenua Reserve path, which tempted me more than the streets! This led me to bypass Mataitia Wharf, gaining a birdseye view of the ferry wharf, before the trails made way to a scenic coastal path. The views were stunning, I could understand why this is a popular circuit walk for day trippers – put it on your itinerary if only visiting for a day!
On arriving at Church Bay, with the intention of going ahead to Cable Bay (it was so lovely I wanted to just keep walking), I discovered the path was closed off. I therefore began to head back to Oneroa, continuing in a loop direction, veering from the coast.
As I was heading along the road in the direction of Oneroa, a Dutch girl pulled over in her car and asked if I needed a ride (I wasn’t really in a particularly scenic walking spot, it really was just a road for driving), so I accepted the offer. A lovely end to my walk!
Palm Beach
After arriving back at Oneroa centre and deciding I had been active enough for the day, I took the bus to my next stop: Palm Beach.
A relaxed afternoon ensued on another beautiful beach. I didn’t do much exploring of the area here, just sticking to the beach. A well worth stop on the trip however!
Day 3:
Another morning, another explore with my running legs. I headed down to Surfdale and along the Esplanade by Blackpool Beach before heading back uphill towards Alison Park then Oneroa Beach, returning to the hostel afterwards. A hilly but lovely 10km run exploring a new area. Would also make for a great walk.
A rather overcast and cooler day, I tried to make the most of it regardless. I made use of the public transport again, taking the bus to my destination of the day: Onetangi.
Onetangi
Around a 30 minute bus ride further east from Oneroa sits Onetangi. Here lies the longest beach on the island, Onetangi beach. This spectacular stretch of sand is said to be the whitest sand on the island, a claim I would believe to be true (not having the chance to visit every beach to confirm!).
This island town, I am certain, would be bustling on a warmer, peak season day. The restaurants and cafés by the beach would be filling out, the picnic area and BBQ facilities in use, however not so much on a cool, dull, occasionally drizzly, November day. It was very quiet on my trip, with only a few people walking along the beach. Yet I stayed a while walking, reading, eating lunch, taking in the serenity.
Following a relaxed couple of hours or so, and feeling the need to have a little explore, I ventured up First Avenue, taking me to Pohutukawa Reserve. From here I planned to cross over into Waiheke Forest for a walk but, unfortunately, the path was closed. An option to check out if you’re in more luck than I was. I had a nice stroll regardless, being rewarded with views down to Onetangi Beach. I decided to call it a day afterwards and head back to catch the bus to Oneroa for another chilled hostel night.
This was the final part of my Waiheke Island trip, departing the next morning back to Auckland.
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Waiheke Island surprised me, in the best way. I honestly had no idea what to expect beforehand. My thoughts were that it was going to be smaller, with less on it – less transport, shops, accommodation, residents, etc. It was a perfect mix of feeling remote while also not at the same time.
Don’t even second guess a visit to Waiheke. It is so worth it!
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Check out my post here for inspiration on another great trip from Auckland, the Bay of Islands.
