Jess is a Wanderer travelled to the west coast of New Zealand's North Island to visit the Awhitu Peninsula.
This part of New Zealand haas got to be one of the most beautiful places in the world. With sprawling hills and grasslands stretching for miles, there's just nothing to spoil these spectacular views.
At the tip of the Awhitu Peninsula is a spot called Manukau Heads. At this spot is a famous lighthouse which is privately owned and operated. It's well-maintained and you can donate a gold coin to help with the upkeep of the place.
There's a set of steps leading up to the lighthouse and the views from the top are breathtaking. The walk is easy - taking less than five minutes and you can spend as long as you like enjoying the view, standing at the viewpoint or climbing to the top of the lighthouse. On a clear day you can see all the way to Mount Taranaki and the city of Auckland sticks out with its Sky Tower in the distance.
We ended up here because there was rain forecast for the entire weekend across the whole island. As a result, we literally drove to the only spot which had sunshine on the cards. It was a brilliant decision and one that certainly didn't disappoint. The views at the lighthouse and on the peninsula were were absolutely worth driving across the other side of the country for.