Auckland is by far the fastest growing city in New Zealand. Popularly known as The City of Sails, Auckland conveniently located between the Huaraki Gulf of the Pacific and the Manukau harbor. This essentially means it is surrounded by water. It is a populous cosmopolitan city which has attracted tourists from the world over. The reason why it is called ‘The City of Sails’ is because is harbor is spotted with yachts and boats all year round.

Tourists are attracted to Auckland by the warm temperate climate experienced during summer. It is the warmest and sunniest place in New Zealand with temperatures ranging from 25 degrees in summer to 16 degrees centigrade in mid year.

This city has a good number of sailing clubs which is very appealing to sailors who want to venture into the open seas. The night life is vibrant and colorful especially during summer and more often than not tourists are spoilt for choice among the numerous and enticing restaurants hotels, cafes and clubs. For water lovers, Auckland offers an assortment of swimming beaches especially at the Waitemata harbor which boasts of vat beaches and superb surfing spots. These beaches are well preserved and you will always find life savers patrolling them. Good examples of beaches include among others, Devonport, Takapuna and the Mission Bay. Spots such as Piha and Muriwai along the west coast are very popular among surfers. The Piha canyon is also very popular among canoeists.

Lovers of art and culture will always want to visit the Auckland Town Hall and Aotea Centre. Here you will find a number of cultural events in progress such as the opera, symphony, orchestra, plays and cultural conferences. The Auckland Art Gallery plays host to various unique pieces of art and national treasures. You will also want to visit Auckland War Memorial Museum, the National Maritime Museum, and the Museum of Transport and Technology. They have managed to preserve a rich history and most of the cultural and ancient artifacts can be observed in these places. You can ask for a souvenir to remember your visit there.

If you are travelling to Auckland with family especially young kids or you are interested in animals then make it a priority to visit the Auckland Zoo. You will be intrigued to find a host of exotic animals most of which you have never seen. You will also want to pass by the Kelly Tarlton's Underwater Encounter and World and see for yourself the variety of sea creatures present there. You will witness first hand colonies of penguins in their natural environment and have a chance to swim with real life sting-rays and sharks.

If you like the great outdoors, you may want to go hiking in the Waitakere ranges, just west of Auckland. They provide you with unique perspective of the diverse plant life in Auckland. Hellensville offers good site seeing and fishing expeditions and you will have a chance to sky dive harbor cruise or take a dip in the natural thermal pools. Auckland indeed has a lot to offer and airfare to Auckland is very reasonably priced.