The Key Ingredients for a Wellness Weekend in Auckland

Auckland has plenty of options to get active and do some exercise. Head to Sala for a top-notch workout class in Ponsonby, or if yoga is more your style, East West Yoga is the place to be for Hot Yoga, Hatha, or Vinyasa. If you want to get active outdoors though, try one of Auckland’s many parks for a walk or run, or hire a bike at Adventure Capital and hop on the Northwestern cycleway, which will take you out of the city alongside the motorway, as far as you’d like to go.

Another great place to get moving is Waiheke, just a ferry ride away. Terra & Tide run great guided walks through the Waiheke bush, which are educational, too, so you can learn more about NZ’s native flora, and they even do multi-day walk packages including accommodation and food. Terra & Tide also do sailing tours, and wellbeing workshops, designed to help you recharge and ease up. Also on the island, learn about gins and botanicals at the Botanical Distillery, an events company which will introduce you to the ancient art of distillation.

Sometimes you just need to rest, be pampered, and turn off your mind. Lucky for us, there are plenty of places to get a top notch massage around Auckland. East Day Spa will take care of you from their central city spot, and you can get a facial and a massage at Forme’s locations across town. Chuan spa at the Cordis Hotel uses traditional Chinese treatments at its premium environment in the central city, and Ikoi Spa is the place to go for Japanese pampering, like its signature sawdust enzyme spa.

If your locks could use some zhushing, look no further than M11 studio or Colleen. For the best facial in town, opt for every influencer’s favourite treatment with an Emma Lewisham Regenerative Facial at Spring Spa in Ponsonby or St Heliers.

Auckland’s food scene is packed with great places to eat that don’t sacrifice health for flavour. If you’re looking for a delicious meal without the meat, head to Khu Khu on Ponsonby Road for vegan Thai, or Forest on Symonds Street for a hyper-local three-course meal. Misters and Scarecrow also specialise in balanced meals suited for health-conscious diners, and Little Bird Kitchen offers world class plant-based eating. If you’re interested in making something yourself, head to Huckleberry for organic produce and groceries worth taking home.

Meditation may have gone mainstream off the back of app-based solutions, but there’s nothing like the real thing. Kadampa Meditation Centre in Mt Eden gives regular meditation classes based on real Buddhist practices, with the aim of reducing anxiety and increasing mental clarity. You can also drop into the Auckland Buddhist Centre for group meditation on a Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday morning. Mindfulness Auckland also provides a range of meditation and therapy options, including one day retreats, to help you reduce stress through mindfulness.

Treating yourself to some artistic inspiration is a great way to recharge, and Auckland is an excellent place to immerse yourself in rich, diverse cultures. You could fill a whole day going to art galleries, and in the evening head to a gig to hear some of Auckland’s best musicians. There are always great gigs on at Whammy Bar and Galatos, so be sure to check the 95bFM Gig Guide for to-the-minute updates.