Auckland Cruises
Auckland is the largest city in New Zealand and is located on a Isthmus between the Tasmanian sea and the Pacific ocean. Spanning from Manukua Bay in the west and Waitemata Bay in the east, it is one of the few cities in the world that bridges two bodies of water and is usually the gateway to the country. Created by many volcanoes that make up suburbs of the city, visitors can explore the geological history of the area. One of the most striking examples of this is Rangitoto Island, which is a simple island hop from the port. Visitors are invited to summit the crater through incredible newly formed volcanic rock. In the centre of the city the 192m Sky Tower dominates the skyline, giving visitors a panoramic view of the city. For adrenaline junkies, visitors can jump off the top of the tower! For people, however, who like to keep their feet on the ground visitors can visit the wine regions in, for example Wiaheke Island. The Maori culture of the country can also be explored with Potiki adventures. Auckland port is large and offers 3km of berthage and handles 4.9 million tones of break bulk cargo.
Valued for its rich, fertile soil, the area was inhabited by Maori people in 1350. With the introduction of the Europeans and, therefore firearms, the balance of power between the tribes was severely destroyed. These tribal wars paved the way for European settlement and after the treaty of Waitanga, Auckland was named the capital of the country. This continued until the 1860s, when the administration moved to Wellington. Auckland expanded into the busiest port in 1920.