Make Mangere your gateway to the wonders of Auckland
Mangere in the southern suburbs of Auckland is often the first or last place many visitors experience on trips to New Zealand’s largest city for it is home to the main airport. Conveniently located about 20 minutes’ drive from the countless attractions of Auckland city centre, Mangere also boasts several hotels and restaurants, including some around Auckland Airport. Moreover, the suburb has interesting attractions of its own like vineyards, parks and heritage sites. Better still, Mangere makes a great base for exploring the natural wonders in Auckland’s backyard, such as nature reserves and beautiful landscapes shaped by volcanism.
Discover the family-friendly attractions of Mangere
Multicultural Mangere truly has something for all the family. Indeed, if you book a hotel around Auckland Airport you will be near to some of Mangere’s top attractions like Butterfly Creek. This popular park with an educational edge invites visitors to walk through its tropical butterfly house and experience fascinating dinosaur exhibits. Saltwater crocodiles, monkeys, insects and reptiles are also featured. Another family-friendly outing can be had beside the waters of Manukau Harbour at Ambury Regional Park. If you have young kids in tow, then this interactive working farm will delight them with its animals, including goats, cows, peacocks and lambs that can be fed during the spring. The park also attracts birdwatchers plus it boasts walking trails and a mountain biking trail for keep-fit fans. For shopaholics, there are shopping malls near the hotels of Mangere. These include Mangere Town Centre and the larger Westfield Manukau City, located about 15 minutes’ drive away.
Further sights not to be missed include Mangere Mountain in the Mangere Domain park. Splendid city panoramas await those who make the short climb to the top of the 106-metre dormant volcanic cone, which is one of many dotted throughout the Greater Auckland area. Having last erupted 18,000 years ago, it was subsequently the site of a Maori pa fortification. A similar volcanic landscape awaits at the Otuataua Stonefields, west of the airport. Here, there are stone structures dating back 800 years to a time when North Island Maori communities took advantage of the nutrient-rich soil by creating stone garden mounds for farming. Nearby, wine-swilling travellers will love Villa Maria vineyard, where the grapes have repeatedly been transformed into award-winning wines, despite the proximity of roaring jet engines at the airport. It offers tours, tastings and a swish restaurant with an outdoor terrace.
Parks and gardens galore
Enjoying a mild climate, Greater Auckland possesses lush parks where visitors can while away a relaxing afternoon. Some are right in Mangere’s backyard, including scenic Totara Park, which is one of south Auckland’s finest green spaces. Located about 15 minutes’ drive south-east of Mangere and its hotels, this tranquil park brims with walking trails. Meanwhile, green-fingered travellers will love the Auckland Botanic Gardens. Found roughly 20 minutes’ drive south-east of Mangere in Manurewa, this 64-hectare attraction is a paradise for plant lovers. Visitors can expect to see more than 10,000 plants from every corner of the globe plus superb collections of native plants and trees. There really is something for every season with themed garden areas spanning roses, edible plants, shrubs and African plants. Moreover, there’s a children’s garden and an arboretum showcasing the kinds of trees that would have grown in Gondwana, the ancient supercontinent from which Australia and New Zealand were formed. For thrill-seekers, the neighbouring Manukau suburb boasts New Zealand’s biggest theme park. Rainbow’s End features high-octane rides, including a classic corkscrew rollercoaster and log flume.
Explore the great outdoors around Mangere
Auckland’s geography frequently propels it to the upper echelons of quality of living charts because its modern urban spaces are surrounded by raw natural beauty. As a suburb on the south-western shore of a narrow isthmus separating the Tasman Sea from the Pacific Ocean, Mangere makes an excellent base for exploring the outstanding landscapes found to the south and west of Auckland. Walkers and cyclists can immerse themselves in the natural delights of the Waitakere Ranges Regional Park, found beyond the affluent and bohemian suburb of Titirangi, which is roughly 30 minutes’ drive to the north-west. Crisscrossed by walking and biking trails, this 16,000-hectare landscape of lush native vegetation, gigantic trees and rugged coastline features gorgeous waterfalls such as Kitekite Falls and Fairy Falls. The Hunua Ranges Regional Park, found about 30 miles south-east of hotels in Mangere, is another magnet for outdoors enthusiasts with its picnic areas, walking trails and expansive native forest. The cascading Hunua Falls are also not to be missed. Meanwhile, surfers can drive to windswept west coast beaches of black sand, like Piha and Bethells beaches, in under an hour.
A convenient and affordable alternative
Savvy travellers visiting New Zealand’s largest metropolis can take advantage not only of Mangere’s proximity to Auckland Airport, but also its relatively affordable hotel rooms that are often more competitively priced than those in downtown. With excellent road and rail links to central Auckland, Mangere can easily become a holiday hub from which it’s simple to reach top attractions like Auckland Zoo, Mount Eden and the monuments of One Tree Hill, the volcanic cone that was once the greatest Maori fortress in the land. Auckland’s iconic Sky Tower, which stands at 1,076 feet and offers tremendous city views, is also a short journey away from hotels in Mangere.