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Maungawhau Visitor Experience Centre is free to visit and explains the history of Auckland ’ s maunga and their significance to Maori people .
Auckland Museum is another excellent place to visit to learn more about Maori culture . Te Marae atea Maori Court , set in the heart of the museum , presents the past , present and future of Maori in Aotearoa ( the Maori-language name for New Zealand ) through a range of masterpieces such as a full-sized , ornately carved meeting house and Te Toki a Tapiri , one of the last traditional war canoes . The museum also hosts two Maori cultural performances daily , which include the world-famous haka .
ISLANDS
One of the best things about Auckland is its proximity to islands in the glittering Hauraki Gulf . Waiheke Island is a premier day-trip destination . A 40-minute ferry ride is all it takes to be whisked off to this
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island of white-sand beaches and boutique vineyards . Sip shiraz or Bordeaux-style blends at one of Waiheke ’ s cellar doors , or go for a decadent lunch at Tantalus Estate , Mudbrick Vineyard & Restaurant , or Te Motu , where dishes are made from vegetables plucked from the onsite garden . Stop by The Oyster Inn in the village of Oneroa to taste oysters harvested the same day from the pristine waters off the southeast of the island .
Another island worth visiting is Tiritiri Matangi , a sanctuary for rare native birds . Walking trails weave around the countryside , and guided walks help visitors spot birds such as saddlebacks and takahes , which are extinct on the mainland .
Catch the ferry to Rangitoto Island , a towering volcanic cone that dominates the Auckland skyline . A short hike through pohutukawa forest and rocky lava fields to the summit affords sweeping views back towards the city .
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Above : Vines at Mudbrick Vineyard
& Restaurant , Waiheke Island
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image : awl images |
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