Jamie Gallant

Starting from the Auckland Ferry Terminal (-36.842505, 174.767258), jump on the Fullers Ferry to Rangitoto Island (-36.786279, 174.858345). A short, beautiful 30-minute ride through the city's harbor will end at the island's wharf.  Rangitoto is a volcano, the youngest and largest in the Auckland volcanic field. It is also home to the largest forest of Pōhutukawa trees in the world. According t...

It lacks salt, but Lake Taupō is quickly becoming one of the favorite places to visit on the weekends. An easy 3.5-hour drive south from Auckland, Lake Taupō is Australasia's largest lake and roughly the same size as Singapore. The Romans and Chinese both wrote of seeing an immense fire in the sky when the last volcanic eruption occurred here around 1800 years ago.  The opportunities here for p...

This 8km paddle (one way) begins in the quaint Bohemian village of Puhoi (-36.512036, 174.661521) nestled in-between the scenic hills north of Auckland. You'll find ample parking and an excellent launching area at the historic wharves just across from the Puhoi General Store (be sure to return here for their famous $10 fried oysters and chips post-paddle!). If you don't own any watercraft, Puho...