Auckland West

Where the mighty Tasman Sea comes battering onto Auckland's shores, 这是大自然最狂野不羁的一面.  与平静形成鲜明对比的, tranquil east coast, Auckland West delights in its reputation as one of the city's most unspoilt areas.

Explore the many cliff top walking trails around Piha and Anawhata, 去伍德希尔森林骑山地自行车, tramping in the Waitakere Ranges, or enjoy a leisurely lunch in one of the vineyards of Kumeu.

West Coast Beaches

There are four main beaches on the west coast that are well worth a visit. 沿着这条路往下走 Waitakere Ranges, you'll find Piha. 有时狂野无情, the climate in this coastal village is the very reason why the more adventurous surfers choose to come here, to challenge the waves coming in from the mighty Tasman Sea (the TV show, "Piha Rescue", was filmed here).

The black sands of the two main beaches add to the tempestuous atmosphere of unpredictability, and the iconic Lion Rock stands sentinel in the bay, 你都不敢下水了.  You can swim here safely, as long as you stay between the flags set out by the Piha Surf Club.  Walk to the pretty Kitekite Falls for some shady relief, 在上面岩石的神奇池塘里游泳.

To the north, Muriwai is an impressive, large flat beach that's also popular with surfers.  Close to the beach is the Muriwai Gannet Colony which is home to over a thousand pair of gannets who return to the area each year from Australia, between September and April. 

横河滩(又称横河滩 Bethells Beach) is a large, dark sandy stretch of sand that meets the mouth of the Waitakere River as it flows into the wild surf of the Tasman Sea.  Karekare Beach is part of the Karekare Regional Park and gained wider attention due to its starring role in the 1993 film The Piano. 

Waitakere Ranges

At just over 40 minutes from the heart of the CBD, the Waitakere Ranges showcase 40,000英亩崎岖的海岸线和雨林, 250km of walking tracks, 还有一些雄伟的瀑布. It's a magical place, packed with mystical glades, fairytale waterfalls, 美丽的岩石池和破坏性的地形. 

Woodhill Forest

An adventurer's paradise, 伍德希尔森林是大自然的游乐场，有31个,000 acres of native pine forest stretching from Muriwai to South Head, just 45mins from Auckland central.  Any fans of the outdoors will find something to keep them entertained, 每项活动都被“划分”到特定的区域, from mountain biking, horse riding, quad biking and 4WD parks, to beach buggying at Woodhill and tree-climbing at Tree Adventures - a tree canopy park offering manual ascents of anything between 3 and 14 metres.

Fancy throwing yourself off one of the tallest trees in the forest?  No problem, just strap yourself into the flying fox, and away you go.  Even if you're not into that full heart-in-your-mouth thing, 这里有绵延数英里的步道, 深受新手和有经验的徒步旅行者欢迎, plus dog-friendly trails, ideal for blowing away those Sunday morning cobwebs.

Helensville

This tranquil town on the Kaipara River sits at the south of the southern hemisphere's largest harbour, and is the ideal place to kick back and just enjoy the beautiful surroundings and friendly welcome.  Kauri milling was an important industry in the early days of Helensville, and many of the town's buildings date from this era.  The hot springs at Parakai, 3km to the north, is a popular attraction, the natural geothermal waters considered both healing and revitalising. 

Kumeu

就在城市西北25公里处， Kumeu is a town surrounded by lush vineyards and orchards, 被认为是奥克兰的传统葡萄酒产区.  It's where many winegrowing Dalmatian and Croatian families settled during the 1940s, and it's this ethnic diversity that has greatly contributed to the variety of speciality shops, 酿酒厂和餐馆是该地区的特色.  It's a fabulous place to come and sample some of the more unusual of New Zealand's wines, beers and cheeses.