Auckland is the gateway to New Zealand

Auckland is the gateway to New Zealand for most visitors, and it's just 50km or 40 minutes' drive from historic Helensville.

New Zealand's largest city, there are almost 400,000 people living within the city's boundary and 1.18 million in the greater Auckland area - that's about a third of the entire country's population. The city's population is expected to grow by about 50% over the next 50 years.
Built on a narrow isthmus between two island-studded harbours, Auckland is reknowned for its beauty, with 100km of coastline crammed with stunning beaches, 23 regional parks, two marine reserves and a landscape dotted with 48 volcanic cones. With all the water surrounding the region, it's no wonder Aucklanders boast the largest boat ownership per capita in the world - that's why it's called "The City of Sails".

The city has a huge range of activities and attractions to offer visitors. You can dine at more than 800 restaurants, catch awesome views from atop the tallest tower in the Southern Hemisphere or from one of the city's volcanic vantage points, or take in the theatre at the world-class Aotea Centre. There's the Auckland Museum, National Maritime Museum, the historic Auckland Art Gallery, Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World, the Zoo.

While English is the main written and spoken language, Auckland is recognised as having the largest concentration of Polynesian people in the world, and you'll hear many people speaking Maori, or Polynesian and Asian languages.

Seasons in New Zealand are the reverse of the Northern Hemisphere, with summer from December - February and winter during June - August. While conditions vary the length of the country.