Escape downtown Auckland for the Hauraki Gulf islands.

Jumbled urban sprawl, an appalling public transport system and noisy flyovers that take a leaf out of Los Angeles, Auckland is not the best introduction to clean, green New Zealand.

But as the country's prime international gateway and largest city (1.2 million people call it home), you'll probably pass through here at some stage.

Nestled between the Waitemata and Manukau habours, this self-proclaimed "City of Sails" has the stunning Hauraki Gulf islands right on its doorstep and here lies Auckland's greatest feature: escape the city by jumping a ferry to the idyllic vineyard-strewn Waiheke island (40 minutes) or to volcanic Rangitoto (20 minutes).

When they're not enjoying their harbour, Aucklanders can be found browsing boutiques or kicking back in the restaurants of gentrified inner-city suburbs like Ponsonby, Newmarket and Parnell. For those who prefer a little grit in their lattes, the K' Road injects some much-needed soul and seediness into central Auckland.

Also in downtown Auckland, the vast Domain park, occupying the site of an extinct volcano, allows for some decent leg-stretching. It is also home to the Auckland Museum, a good introduction to Maori and Pacific Island culture.

Of course it wouldn't be New Zealand without the obligatory adrenaline activities, and for those who simply can't wait to hit Queenstown, a 75-kilometre-per-hour base wire jump from the observation deck of the 328-metre-high Skytower - the Southern Hemisphere's tallest building - is a terrifying taste of what lies ahead on your Kiwi travels.