"Waiheke Island (off the coast of Auckland)" Waiheke Island by jaycee1401

Above picture of me and a mate in Onetangi beach fishing at sunset. This island is so relaxing and extremely friendly people. I loved it.

Waiheke Island was a much needed find for me. I was in Auckland at the time and can honestly say it was the worst city of my travels. I met some good people but it seemed as though every English backpacker in the world was there, not what I was looking for, so I got up at 5am one morning, packed my backpack and headed to the harbour. I jumped on a ferry to Waiheke which is about 45 minutes away from Auckland. I stayed at the islands only hostel which made me feel right at home. The beach is stunning and clean with built in BBQ in the central area. I safely hitchhiked around the island in a few hours, strangers greeting you in the street with a smile or a good day, could of stayed there forever. The island was so peaceful, almost untouched by the busy city 45 minutes away, I loved it.

• Pros:So relaxing and relatively cheap
• Cons:no nightlife at all, food is expensive
• In a nutshell:ideal for couples