Whangaparāoa – which translated from Māori means whale bay - is surrounded by beautiful beaches, natural parks and is everything you would find in the French Riviera, Amalfi Coast in Italy or Malibu, California. About an hour's drive from Auckland CBD, it is a self-contained, wonderful community full of mixed races and cultures, all thriving to make it a beautiful and safe place to live.
A one-day trip post-lockdown on the ferry to experience beautiful beach walks, hiking and canoeing at the Shakespear Regional Park are activities that should all be on your list. Shakespear has a 1.7km predator-proof fence across the peninsula, which protects local kiwi, resident invertebrates and lizards, as well as the birds that migrate from nearby Tiritiri Matangi island sanctuary.
Visit the world-class yacht harbour at Gulf Harbour or go windsurfing on any of the coast's popular beaches. Have an Asian-fusion inspired meal with locally brewed craft beer while listening to a live band at Whangaparāoa's newest social house, Paráoa Brewing Co.
Did you know that in 1944, scientists tried to build a tsunami bomb off the Whangaparāoa Peninsula? It was New Zealand's best-kept military secret, a mass destruction alternative to atomic weapons: Project Seal, the top-secret plan to build a tsunami bomb.
