Filipino News 158 online version

MATAKANA – Here’s a
side trip that should be at
the top of every Aucklander’s
bucket list of travel
destinations, simply because
of its close proximity
to Auckland.
This popular day trip is
a mere hour’s drive north
from the Auckland city
centre on a multilane
highway that weaves
through rolling countryside,
coastal views and
quaint townships and
offers one a slower pace of
life in peaceful surroundings
the further out you
venture.
Along the way discover
a string of delightful
jumping off points where
you can unwind and
explore at your leisure:
Puhoi. Warkworth. Matakana.
Leigh. Omaha
Beach. Snells Beach …
And for those who like a
tipple as a means of
escapism, the delightful
Coast Wine Country will
put you in the right spirit.
This region is too broad
a landscape to do justice
to in just one article, so
the focus here is the
delightful Matakana
township and surrounds
and its main attraction -
the rustic Matakana
Village Farmers Market
held every Saturday
morning from 9am to
1pm.
It is prudent
to leave
Auckland
before 9am to
ensure that
you arrive in
time to discover
the cornucopia
of
delights that
overflow
from the display
stalls at
the market.
The market
is a splendid
showcase for
local growers
and producers
and artisan foods.
Here they can flaunt
their super fresh fruit and
veges, organic produce,
preserves, pickles, olive
oils, breads, gourmet
spreads, chocolate, feijoa
wine, kombucha, locally
made cheeses, artisan hot
pastries, salted caramel
truffles, pizza, delicious
homemade nut butters
and jams, honey, specialty
meats, sausages, cooked
oysters and pau fritters.
Highly recommended
are the waffles topped
with bacon and banana,
the Russian fudge and the
moreish cheeses.
The markets are cute
permanent stalls with
wooden tables located on
the river’s edge where you
can eat and listen to live
music.
Once you’ve had your
fill of the market it pays to
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Matakana
Beckons.
Bucket List
Destination -
Just a Short
Hop Away.
wander
around
the surrounding
Matakana Village.
Discover art galleries,
By Mel Fernandez
antiques, second-hand
shops, vineyards, wineries,
cafés and restaurants
that are sprinkled
throughout the area.
A premium tour over
here is the Matakana
River Cruise that unfolds
the history and shows the
tidal environment of mangroves,
native bush and
farmland. The trip takes
about an hour.
The area boasts rolling
countryside, picturesque
coastlines, beaches, hidden
coves and some walking
tracks. So much to do
if you have the time and
the inclination.
WINERIES: Sample
award-winning wines at
some of Matakana’s boutique
vineyards. Indulge
in a leisurely lunch overlooking
the vines or join a
small group tour to several
properties.
Plan to visit three to five
wineries while you’re in
Matakana - there are lots
more in the area.
The Matakana Coast
may be a relatively new
wine-growing region, and
over recent years the
region has produced several
award-winning wines
and the number of vineyards
in the area has
grown dramatically.
As a day tripper you
can fit in a couple more
side trips if you feel up to
it. We breezed through the
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matakana-beckons
following:
OMAHA BEACH
Omaha is only 7 km
away. The waters are
great for surfers and
swimmers as the waves
are moderate.
Nothing beats eating
fish and chips by the
water and then going for a
long walk along the sandy
beachfront.
GOAT ISLAND
MARINE RESERVE
Further
up the coast
near Leigh
is Goat
Island - New
Zealand's
first marine
reserve. If
time permits,
try
snorkelling or go on the
glass bottom boat.
On this day trip we got
to sample a little of everything
the Matakana
region offers. But it was
hectic.
Next time round we
would prefer to stay a
couple of days at Omaha
beach and enjoy more of
what the region has to
offer at a more leisurely
pace.
Hello there!
There is every
chance that
you will meet
mates from
Auckland
unwinding in
Matakana.
Check out
other exciting
travelogues
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Aotearoa’s border to reopen in stages from 27 February
The New Zealand border
will reopen to vaccinated
Kiwis and other current eligible
travellers from
Australia at 11.59pm on 27
February and to the same
groups from the rest of the
world two weeks later on
13 March.
The Government’s reconnecting
plan will see all
New Zealanders and key
visa holders able to start to
enter the country over the
coming three
months, assisting
with the economic
recovery and immediately
address
worker shortages.
“This is a very
carefully developed
plan that replaces
MIQ for the vast
majority of travellers
while ensuring
we maintain
ongoing measures to reduce
the spread of COVID-19 in
our community
from recent
arrivals,”
COVID-19
Response
Minister
Chris Hipkins
said.
“By the time
we start to
reopen our border,
we’ll be
one of the most
vaccinated and most boosted
countries in the world
and the COVID-19 Protection
Framework will be
well established in helping
to manage COVID outbreaks.
“Our plan has built in
protections to help manage
risks such as future variants.
A phased approach to
reopening reduces the risk
of a surge of cases, while
prioritising the return of
New Zealanders and much
needed entry of skilled
workers.
“Having MIQ for every
traveller was a temporary
setting for when none of us
had protection. New
Zealanders need to reconnect
with one another.
Families and friends need
to reunite. Our businesses
need skills to grow.
Exporters need to travel to
make new connections,”
Chris Hipkins said.