Ahhh Waiheke Island. Our final stop in New Zealand. And sadly, our final international stop on our unbelievable trip around the world.

A few days on Waiheke will show you what life is all about. The island is idyllic, peaceful, friendly and so freaking charming. The pace is slow, but not too slow. There are beaches, wineries, great restaurants, spas, boutiques - what's not to love? There are also hiking trails and remote parts of the island that allow you to really "get away from it all". Best of all, Waiheke is only a 35-minute ferry ride from Auckland, New Zealand's most accessible and metropolitan city.

We checked into our amazing guesthouse and were immediately in love with the place. We couldn't take our eyes off of the view.

View from our guesthouse, Enclosure Bay.

Already enchanted by our short time on the island, we hopped in our car to check out a few beaches and wineries. Our first stop was Sandy Bay Beach, a small and quiet beach on the north side of the island.

Mid-morning stroll along Sandy Bay beach.

We started our tastings at Te Motu Vineyard.

Our next stop was to Batch Winery. The place had a cool modern vibe and we ended up with some bottles to take home.

We finished up tasting and drove along the hilly roads of Waiheke to dinner.

We enjoyed dinner at Casita Miro, a Gaudi-inspired Spanish restaurant located on a vineyard.

Our view from the Casita Miro dining room.

The following morning, we woke up for breakfast served on our balcony. Not a bad spot to get some writing done...

We decided to spend the morning at Little Oneroa beach with a bunch of locals playing in the surf. I couldn't get enough of the gorgeous shells I found along the beach.

There is also an unbelievably simple but awesome pizza truck (Dragonfired) at the beach serving pizza made in a woodfired oven.

Exploring the Waiheke charm at Little Oneroa beach while we waited for our pizzas. — Exploring the Waiheke charm at Little Oneroa beach while we waited for our pizzas.

Yum!!  We had to fight ducks and seagulls for every bite but it was worth it! — Yum!! We had to fight ducks and seagulls for every bite but it was worth it!

After a little nap and NFL-playoff watching at our guesthouse, we headed out to catch the sunset and have dinner at Cable Bay Vineyards.

Taking in the view at Cable Bay.  We could see the Auckland skyline in the distance.  It was a great spot for our last night on Waiheke. — Taking in the view at Cable Bay. We could see the Auckland skyline in the distance. It was a great spot for our last night on Waiheke.

We woke up early the next morning with mixed emotions about our upcoming flight back to the States that night. We decided to go for a little run/hike around some of the lesser-traveled parts of the island to process our feelings.

But first, we got attacked by some roosters in the parking lot.

On the trail, which ran through residential neighborhoods, alongside bays and beaches, through wooded areas and everything in between.

A gorgeous look down the hill we just ran up!  This country is beyond stunning. — A gorgeous look down the hill we just ran up! This country is beyond stunning.

Finished with our hike, we headed back to our guesthouse to pack and shower before taking the Auckland ferry back for our flight.

All I can say is that if New Zealand was not previously on your travel list, you have to add it. We just had the most incredible five weeks exploring so many of the country's nooks and crannies, and we feel like we only scratched the surface. The scenery is breathtaking, activities amazing, the people are friendly, the food is pretty great, and the list goes on.

Thank you New Zealand - it's been real!

- Michelle