Matakana: Of Grape Wine and Fine Dining
About an hour drive from New Zealand’s biggest and busiest city Auckland is the small town of Matakana, New Zealand. With this, the town is slowly being discovered by many tourists. It offers vast vineyards and is well-known for its farmer’s market. Matakana, New Zealand is a foodie’s haven. Serving the town is also Auckland’s airport, Auckland International Airport (AKL).
Best Time to Visit
Matakana, unlike the rest of the world, has summers during the latter months of the year. From December to February, the town is brimming with tourists, local or foreign alike. Many live music festivals and events are held these times around such as Shipwrecked Music & Arts Festival You can also expect higher rates for Matakana NZ hotels during these times. If you want to enjoy the town peacefully, visit a little earlier. You can score good deals on hotels and tours between October and November.
What to Do & Area Attractions
A visit to the Matakana Weekend Farmer’s Market taking place every Saturday is something you should not miss while in town. You can find many charming souvenirs and small gifts to bring back home. You can also sample on various locally-produced wine and snacks. Sculptureum is situated just on the outskirts of town where you can find cute, colorful, and life-sized art sculptures. Kite camps are also quite popular in town. One of them is the Blue Adventures Kite Camp where you can take lessons about kitesurfing and other related things. Get to visit the Makatana Village. With a swimming pool, a bbq place, and a playground – Matakana Motel is undoubtedly one of the great choices to stay in while in town. The upscale, five-star Riverside Matakana is also another choice and boasts of its own private boat jetty, a heated outdoor pool, and the serene view of the Glen Eden River.