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WITH A quality of life ranked amongst the highest in the world, Auckland's blend of the Hauraki Gulf, rain forest and modern city environment creates an incomparable lifestyle which visitors are invited to enjoy.
Open spaces, fresh air, ancient rainforests and glistening harbours. Whether relaxing on a boat on Waitemata Harbour or traversing through native forests, Auckland can offer you an opportunity to replenish yourself in two quite contrasting environments. It is this blend of cosmopolitan city-life and accessible outdoor playground that is the envy the world.
Auckland's temperate maritime climate bodes well for outdoor dining and a myriad of water-based activities, whilst its dramatic cone-shaped volcanic landscape (sculpted from a fiery past) provides endless opportunities for outdoor adventures.
If you're more the indoors type, Auckland Museum is located in a magnificent War Memorial building on a hill top in Auckland Domain.
Central to the Museum is its outstanding Maori collection which includes the carved house, Hotunui and the great war canoe Te Toki a Tapiri.
Extensive displays deal with the traditional arts and tribal styles of Maori culture brought to life by daily performances of song and dance. Featured nearby are important collections of the art and culture of the wider Pacific region.
New Zealand's unique natural history, particularly the extinct giant moa, attracts many visitors.
After a hard day walking around Auckland you'll need a top mean and Ponsonby has long been a popular dining spot for visitors and Auckland city dwellers. Slightly west of the central business district, Ponsonby has over 64 cafes, restaurants and bars to choose from.
The local dining scene highlights Auckland's diverse and dynamic culture, ranging from awarding-winning fine dining restaurants to international cuisine to takeaway gourmet burgers. Restaurants are found the length of Ponsonby Road and Jervois Road.
Right in the city, The Viaduct Harbour has become the hub for downtown dining in Auckland City. A place which has brought the waterfront of the City of Sails to life, in summer the Viaduct is crammed with local business people enjoying an afternoon drink in the sun.
Then, when the sun goes down, the bars and clubs come alive. The Viaduct has a selection of fine dining restaurants that include 'Pacific Rim' style cuisine, speciality pizzas and local seafood. Nearby on Princes Wharf, with views of the Waitemata Harbour, the White restaurant located in the Hilton Hotel is a popular choice for dining.
Parnell, just east of downtown, is another dining institution, while there has recently been a proliferation of new suburban cafes in areas such as Titirangi, just north west of Auckland city, and other areas such as Kingsland, Mt Eden and Eastern Bays.

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