Tiritiri Matangi island

Do go to Tiritiri Matangi island if you get the chance, and even if you don’t go, do go. Even if you really can’t make it – make sure you go!

You’re unlikely to regret it, and even if you do, you surely haven’t really, if you think about it deeply.

A quick ferry trip from downtown Auckland will take you to this cute little island paradise!

Tiritiri may not have such a lovely history, what with inter-Maori wars and large scale kiore (native New Zealand rat) poisonings (that also terminated most of the Pukeko population), but since the 1970’s an extensive reforestation project has turned it into a special little sanctuary – especially if you’re one of New Zealand’s endangered birds!

Now visitors can enjoy a walk amongst native birds such as the takahe, little spotted kiwi and our (quite smelly) blue penguin! Come and enjoy an intensity of birdsong rarely heard on the mainland. And even if you don’t come, do come.And the little beach near the ferry landing was so attractive that I miraculously mustered up the pluck to strip down and go for my first swim since winter! This in October! It was very cold but felt somehow great!