Just west of Auckland is a stretch of wild black sand beaches. Back in the before times, Joe and I went on a luxury mini staycation at the epic Waitakere Resort. We explored nearby Piha and Karekare, ate amazing food, and surfed – the perfect little break!
We based ourselves at the Waitakere Resort and Spa – while this area is totally driveable from where we live on Auckland’s North Shore, the aim was a relaxed staycation! The room was spacious and I loved the gorgeous blue and green-toned furnishings. But of course the real winner was the view down the ranges, all the way back to the city.
The resort was quite quiet, something I don’t imagine has changed in pandemic times. That made it feel very relaxed, but also meant there wasn’t much atmosphere in the restaurant. The food was delicious, but on the pricey side, so we decided one night eating there was enough.
The resort was perfectly located for a short drive to one of our main destinations – Piha Beach. With Lion Rock sitting proud in the middle, this is a popular black-sand beach on Auckland’s west coast.
Our first day, we blew away the cob-webs with a walk along the beach, and we came back another day for a surf on Piha’s pumping waves. Where I discovered (again) that one really needs to surf more than a couple of times a year to do well, but still loved being out on the water! In summer there’s a surf patrol, but it’s definitely not a beach to swim at unless you’re a strong swimmer.
All that walking and surfing really worked up an appetite – luckily the Piha Cafe (FB link) is on hand for everything you could want! I highly recommend their brekkies and coffee.
Super generous with the avocado – my kind of cafe! And why I ordered this twice… not a crime.
Lion Rock and duck friend
The super cute mini Piha Post Office!
Of course, one cannot survive on breakfast alone – so our other night we headed into Titrangi to Deco Eatery. With Middle Eastern influences and gorgeous decor, our dinner was so enjoyable. The food was all delicious, with some great small plates and options for different dietary-requirements.
Our last adventure was out to Karekare Beach. There’s nothing here except long stretches of black sand, made famous by Jane Campion’s 1993 move The Piano. While it looks very different to that brooding landscape on a bright sunny day, it was another great spot to stretch the legs and watch the waves pound.
Our little West Auckland staycation was the perfect way to chill out together after a busy New Years’ celebration – little did we know in January 2020 that there was a whole lot more staycation in our future!
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