Top picks:

• Arm yourself with your beach towel and a book and head to Medlands Beach
• Pull on your togs and walking shoes for the Kaitoke Hot Springs walk
• Get up early and race to the eastern beaches for a spectacular sunrise
• Book a fishing charter and head for the Broken Islands

Fact file:

• Captain Cook named Great Barrier Island for the barrier it forms between the Hauraki Gulf and the open sea
• There is no street lighting so bring a torch with you
• More than half of the island is administered by the Department of Conservation (DOC)

Why visit?

Defining the limit of the Hauraki Gulf, Great Barrier Island Aotea is one of the most tranquil and unspoilt places you will ever find. Its golden beaches, crystal clear waters and vast native forests are home to relatively few people. Nature, in all its rugged beauty, is king. Such is its feeling of splendid isolation; the BBC chose to film its Castaway series here.

From tramping through native forest to sea kayaking around the coves and inlets of the island’s coast, there are endless ways to explore this adventurer’s paradise. Inland well-formed tracks through the forest will lead you to secluded hot springs, swimming holes, waterfalls and historic kauri dams.

Great Barrier is also a great place for bird watching, golf, boating, surfing, diving and fishing. There’s a wide range of accommodation on the island, ranging from luxury lodges to bed and breakfast accommodation, cottages, backpackers, six Department of Conservation campgrounds and two backcountry huts. While the nightlife isn’t what usually draws people to Great Barrier, a well-earned drink at the end of the day can be had in the pubs, cafés and bistros on the island.

Location

View Great Barrier Island in a larger map