Highlights of the Day
We had a spontaneous trip to Waiheke Island, known for its vineyards and Mediterranean climate. Taking the Fullers360 ferry and hop-on-hop-off bus, we visited Stonyridge Vineyard, enjoying white wine, grilled squid, and an amazing tuna ceviche. A mocha crème brûlée ended our meal. The visit felt too short—we realized the island deserved a full day. On the way back, a bus driver taught us about silver ferns, used by Māori as natural reflectors. In the evening, we reunited with an old friend who treated us to Shanghai cuisine and fresh New Zealand Scampi. We also learned our first Māori phrase: Kia ora!
Logistics
Accommodation: JW MARRIOTT AUCKLAND (highly recommended)
Transportation: Rental Car
We slept in today and originally planned to visit the harbor.
On a whim, we decided to take a trip to Waiheke Island to explore its vineyards.
At Fullers360, we bought a combo ticket that included the ferry ride and hop-on-hop-off buses on the island. The ferry was packed, which surprised us since we hadn’t planned this in advance. Clearly, it’s a popular attraction.
Waiheke Island has a mild Mediterranean climate with plenty of sunshine and dry summers, creating ideal conditions for grape growing. That’s why the island is home to many vineyards. A friend later told me that local Chinese call it Gu Cheng Island because the Chinese poet Gu Cheng once lived here.
About 10,000 people live on the island, and around 2,000 commute to Auckland daily by ferry.
When we arrived, we couldn’t find our designated bus right away and ended up waiting 20 minutes for the next one. In hindsight, taking a public bus would have been just as convenient.
We got off at Vineyard Valley stop, which has several small wineries. Stonyridge caught our attention, so we decided to visit.
The winery was lively, and since it was lunchtime, we ordered a simple meal. Wine is a must at a vineyard, so we started with white wine. For food, we had grilled squid, which was delicious. The highlight was tuna ceviche, prepared with coconut juice, garnished with dried coconut and a touch of fish roe. The flavors were incredible, and I even drank the remaining sauce. 😀
For dessert, we tried a mocha crème brûlée—the first time I had a mocha-flavored version, and it was quite good.
We explored the vineyard for a while and realized it’s time for us to go back. There wasn’t enough time to visit another winery, which made us realize this trip deserved a full day.
On the way back, the bus driver shared an interesting fact about silver ferns. She pointed to the plants along the road and explained that while their tops are green, the undersides are silver. The indigenous Māori people once used them as natural reflectors to light their path at night.
In the evening, we visited an old friend and his wife. They moved to New Zealand 30 years ago and had met us twice before in the U.S. It was great to reunite at their home.
His wife, an amazing cook, treated us to authentic Shanghai cuisine, which was a comforting taste of home. She also introduced us to a New Zealand delicacy: scampi. This deep-sea lobster is known for its tender, flavorful meat. Served raw like sushi, it tasted incredibly fresh, slightly sweet, and wonderfully delicate.
We chatted about Māori culture. My friend mentioned that in business meetings, company executives always start with Māori before switching to English.
This trip also taught me my first Māori phrase:
Kia ora! – Hello! 😊
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