Often described as the ‘Hamptons of Auckland’, Matakana Coast is a popular destination to escape the hustle and bustle of city life.
Wedged between idyllic countryside and white sandy beaches, Matakana offers something for everyone – whether it’s an action-packed holiday you’re seeking, or one to relax and unwind. With the new motorway shaving precious minutes off the drive, it’s not only quick to get there (a mere 40 minutes north of the Auckland Harbour Bridge), but the drive is now smooth and scenic. While a day trip from Auckland is more than doable, with Matakana’s bounty of golden beaches on its doorstep, a vibing village, bustling farmers’ market, fantastic restaurants, boutique wineries, an arthouse cinema, plethora of artisan food producers, and a vibrant art and music scene…you’ll be wanting to stay as long as possible. Here’s a guide on where to go and what to do while visiting.
EAT
A foodie’s dream, there are just so many ways to indulge your palette. Spend Saturday morning at the Matakana Farmer’s Market whose stalls brims with homegrown delicacies and artisanal produce. Listen to live music by the river while you devour beef brisket burritos, Italian woodfired pizza, or French crepes. For a sit-down meal riverside, the seasonal all-day menu at Matakana Market Kitchen (MMK) will impress. Also in the village, the famous nitrate-and-sugar-free bacon butties at Matakana Bacon Company are a must, as are the freshly baked bread and pastries from Ringawera Baker and newly opened Goose Bakery & Café. Sampling handmade chocolates at Honest Chocolat is compulsory, as is the award-winning coffee from Matakana Coffee Roasters! For beautiful food in a beautiful setting, check out The Glass House Kitchen at Brick Bay – the seasonal menu features Brick Bay’s own produce. Rothko Restaurant also celebrates local produce, while the modern Asian cuisine at Jin Jin is great for dinner. For a relaxed vibe, the Sawmill Brewery + Smoko Room has a fantastic sharing menu, and the kids will love the large outdoor area. For brunch or lunch, Farmer’s Daughter is a local favourite thanks to its farm-to-fork, ocean-to-table menu – don’t miss their Fresh Pasta Friday’s, 11am-2pm. After a day at the beach, stop for a scoop of gelato and sorbetto at Charlie’s Gelato. While in the vicinity, head to Matakana Smokehouse for all your takeaway smoked and fresh fish needs. Lastly, be sure to keep some change for the many roadside stalls selling homegrown, in-season fruit and vegetables.
DRINK
While red varieties such as pinot noir, syrah and cabernet sauvignon form the backbone of the district’s wine industry, whites like pinot gris, viognier and chardonnay follow closely behind. Check out Brick Bay for their highly acclaimed range of unique wines and spectacular lake and vineyard setting, as well as Heron’s Flight Vineyard for their exceptional wine and ‘build your own platters’. Other cellar doors worth visiting are Matakana Estate, Sculptureum Vineyard, Runner Duck Estate Vineyard and Omaha Bay Vineyard (OBV). If unable to visit any wineries, you’ll find all the local Matakana wines at the cosy The Vintry bar, available for tastings, by the glass or takeaway. Two local breweries, Sawmill Brewery + Smoko Room and 8 Wired Brewing Barrelworks & Taproom, have also put Matakana on the map with their unique craft beers.
STAY
From one-bedroom villas to luxury lodges, there are ample accommodation options. In the heart of Matakana Village, the popular Black and White Barn and White Cottage offer stylish lodgings. For a more rural setting, check out Plume Villas, Riverside Matakana, Matakana Estate Lodge, Woodhouse Mountain Lodge or Bluestone Estate. For couples on a weekend escape or solo travellers looking for a reset, the one-bedroom cottage in the dreamy grounds at Bali Garden Wellness is idyllic. For a boutique glamping experience in a luxurious Mongolian style yurt, try the Green Tent.
ART
Get your art fix at the carefully curated exhibition of over 70 sculptures by New Zealand’s leading contemporary artists while you walk around lakes and through beautiful native bush at Brick Bay Sculpture Trail. Or unlock your imagination by meandering through Sculptureum’s whimsical sculpture-filled gardens and six art galleries onsite. For art galleries specialising in New Zealand artists and makers, visit Artform Gallery, Art Matakana Gallery and OBV Gallery. Celebrating leading Māori creatives, Unity Collection has a beautiful array of art, fashion, and design. The iconic Morris and James Pottery is also a must for its selection of ceramics and pots. Or, if you prefer making your own creations, the newly opened Clay Friends offers walk-in ‘Play with Clay’ sessions.
SHOPPING
Most shops are in the heart of Matakana Village, but there are also a few dotted around the district. For fashion, visit The Bach Matakana, Elle & Riley Cashmere, De Lovely, Heavenly Soles and Two Boutique. With the beach right on Matakana’s doorstep, Summer Sessions is everyone’s favourite surf and skate shop, while Omaha Surf & Supply Co. has a collection of surf, SUP, kiteboarding gear, and wetsuits. For an eclectic range of books and gifts, visit Matakana Village Books. For nurturing your skin, body and soul, the beautiful Tea & Tonic store will not disappoint. For gift options, browse Studio Matakana for its array of beautiful gifts, The Eco Room for its eco-friendly Kiwi-made products, and Pigment Art for its art materials and stationery from around the world. For the home, Matakana Old School Inc. has an impressive selection of vintage and industrial homewares, furniture, art, and lighting, while Matakana Home and Green with Envy are two modern homeware stores worth visiting.
BEAUTY & WELLNESS
Seeking peace and tranquillity is not difficult in Matakana. Set in a luscious Balinese-inspired garden, Bali Garden Wellness offers classes in yoga, pilates, Nia dance, qiqong and meditation, as well as a range of holistic wellness therapies, workshops, and retreats. BodyRe boasts a collective of practitioners for all your strength and wellbeing needs, including lymphatic drainage therapists, osteopaths, and a reformer pilates instructor. For beauty treatments from facials to waxing, head to Blush Beauty Lounge. Or, for a range of therapeutic massages, book in at Nourished Leaf, Senses Matakana or Divinely Feminine.
ACTIVITIES
If you’re feeling active, there’s an abundance along the Matakana Coast. Snorkel with colourful fish and marine life at Goat Island Marine Reserve in Leigh, or see the fish from in a Glass Bottom Boat. Open to runners, walkers or cyclists, the Matakana Cycle Trail weaves through farmland and bush, linking from Matakana to Omaha with a detour to Point Wells. For rentals and lessons in kiteboarding, SUP, and wing and foilboarding, contact Blue Adventures, or for surf lessons, head to Summer Sessions. Engage in a unique scavenger hunt with Mystery Picnics, or partake in guided day out options with Kiwiness Tours, including evening kiwi spotting at Tawharanui. For golfers, Omaha Beach Golf Club makes for a picturesque round. If bush walks are your thing, try the Ti Point Coastal Walk, the Quarry Loop at the southern end of Omaha, or tramp up the summit of Mt Tamahunga. The stunning Tawharanui Regional Park also provides five signposted walking tracks (from 20 minutes to 4 hours) for all abilities. Kids will love an excursion to Ninja Action World, Ti Point Reptile Park, Sheep World, Goat Island Discovery Centre and the Matakana Country Park. When your legs can carry you no further, see a movie at the boutique Matakana Cinema. The New Zealand International Film Festival will be on from 10-27 August.
BEACHES
As for spectacular beaches, you’re spoiled for choice. For any kind of wave action, head to Omaha, Pakiri or Tawharanui, or for calmer seas try Mathesons Bay, Martins Bay, Scandrett Regional Park or Brick Bay. Boasting four pearly-white beaches, Tawharanui Regional Park is the jewel in the crown. Picnic under pōhutukawa Trees, or jump in the rolling surf to swim, surf, or boogie board. The marine reserve offers great diving and snorkelling and at low tide you can clamber over the rocks to explore swimmable rock pools.
Marion Stewart
Marriage Celebrant
Marion provides beautifully crafted, inspired individual wedding ceremonies. Her skill in drawing out a couple’s love story provides powerful and enriching ceremonies embedded with humour, happy tears and love that captures the true essence of each couple. Her property in Mangawhai includes a pond, jetty, old native trees and yurt, providing gorgeous spaces for the more intimate wedding ceremony.
Matakana Village Books
Located a short 45 minutes from Auckland, Matakana Village Books is a boutique independent bookshop bursting with a beautifully curated selection of books, jigsaws, games and activity kits for adults, young adults and children. Expect gorgeous cards, gift wrapping, journals and diaries, along with expert recommendations for yourself or a gift and the chance of discovering your next best-loved author! Located on the lower level of the Matakana Village complex.
2 Matakana Valley Road, Matakana
matakanavillagebooks.co.nz
