Things to Do on Waiheke Island

With so many things to do on Waiheke Island it’s a great location to explore. You can take a ferry from downtown Auckland to Waiheke and then use public transport, taxis, or rent a bike to get around the island. For those who want something more organised there are plenty of great Waiheke Island tours that take in many of the sights.

5 Free Things to do on Waiheke

1. Spend the day at the beach. Oneroa is a great swimming beach, white sand, clear water, and if you’re lucky phosphorescence on summer nights. Bring a hat and some sunscreen, a good book and pack your lunch. It’ll be the best cheap day out ever.
2. Take a walk. Try the Stony Batter historic reserve for some history with your scenery, or try Little Oneroa to Palm Beach with a stop at Enclosure Bay. Find more walks on Waiheke Island.
3. Whakanewhea Regional Park, great for a picnic or a walk or a bit of bird spotting. Just leave your dog at home.
4. Go Mountain Biking, wither at the Rangihoua mountain bike trails at Onetangi Sports Park or in Whakanewhea Regional Park. It’s free to take your bike on the ferry.
5. Snorkeling at Enclosure Bay, or try the rock pools at Palm Beach.
6. Browse the Ostend Saturday Market.

6 of the best things to do on Waiheke Island

1. The beach. Palm Beach, Oneroa or little Oneroa all offer great swimming; or for some pants off fun, venture round the rocks at the far end of Little Palm Beach where clothing is optional.
2. Wine tasting. There’s so much good wine to be had on Waiheke you’ll struggle to sample it all, but it would be rude not to try. Start with Cable Bay and don’t miss Obsidian, Mudbrick and Stonyridge.
3. Eat. Waiheke is famous for its wine but don’t forget about the food. Try the Oyster Inn for the best local seafood.
4. Hire a stand up paddleboard and get out on the water.
5. Go Ziplining at Eco Zip Adventures. It’ll get your heart pumping. and work up a thirst for more of that wine.
6. If your there at Easter then don’t miss the famous Jazz Festival.

Romantic things to do on Waiheke Island

1. Pack a picnic (don’t forget the wine), rent some e-bikes and find a shady spot under a tree or a secluded beach.
2. Go wine tasting at Cable Bay Vineyard. Get a little bit tipsy, then maybe a little bit handsy, then get an uber back to your hotel…
3. Dinner at Mudbrick restaurant. The food is amazing but so is the view back to the lights of Auckland city at night. A couple of glasses of wine and see what happens…
4. A night at Delamore Lodge. It’s pretty pricey but all that money buys a lot of romance. You want to be as romantic as you can as many times as you can to get your money’s worth.
5. Go skinny dipping. There’s nothing romantic about a nudist beach – but skinny dipping on a moonlight night with that special someone is something else. Take a walk on Little Oneroa, after midnight, midweek, warm summer evening, no breeze, nobody around, no inhibitions… Watch out for crabs though.