Wine Tour, Tastings and Beach Front Lunch: an honest review
The advertised price is NZ$290. This tour starts on Waiheke, so the crossing is on you: add NZ$46.50 off-peak or NZ$62 on-peak and the real number is NZ$336.50–352 per person. That is the figure to compare against the tours that do include the ferry.
What the day looks like
Five hours, three boutique vineyards in the Onetangi Valley, then lunch at a beachfront restaurant in Onetangi with a glass of local wine included. It starts and ends at Matiatia, so it slots around whichever sailing you buy yourself. Onetangi is one of the longer beaches on the island and eating on it is a genuinely good way to end a tasting run — more so than a vineyard terrace, if you have already spent the morning on vineyard terraces.
Usually included
- Five hours with a guide
- Three boutique vineyards in the Onetangi Valley, with tastings
- Lunch at a beachfront restaurant in Onetangi
- A glass of local wine with lunch
- Start and finish at Matiatia, so no transfer to arrange
Not included
- The ferry to and from Waiheke — the operator lists it as an exclusion
- Anything you drink beyond the tastings and the glass at lunch
- The rest of your day either side of the five hours
What the reviews say
4.8 from 585 reviews, which is a solid sample, and the same guides come up as on the other Matiatia-based days — Nooroa, Caleb and Debbie. “Caleb the host and tour guide has a good depth of knowledge on Waiheke and the vineyards.” (Colin). On the part you are paying the premium for: “Lunch was delicious and the wine was perfect.” (Tayler). Short, but it is the lunch that separates this from a straight tasting tour, so it is the right thing to be reviewing.
What no reviewer mentions, because reviewers rarely do, is the fare they paid to be standing at Matiatia at the start of it. That is the gap this site exists to fill.
What works
- 4.8 from 585 reviews — well tested
- Lunch and a glass included, at a beachfront restaurant rather than a cellar door
- Three vineyards in one valley, so less time in the van
- Starts and ends at Matiatia, so you pick your own sailings
- Guides named in the reviews and consistently praised
Worth knowing
- The ferry is an exclusion — the real cost is NZ$336.50–352
- The second-dearest day on this site once the crossing is added
- You have to get yourself to Matiatia and time it against the tour
- Three vineyards, against four or more on tours costing NZ$100 less all in
- Five hours plus two crossings is a full day, whatever the listing says
If you are coming from Auckland, price this against the tours that include the crossing before you decide. At NZ$336.50 all in it is competing with a NZ$185 day that includes the ferry and visits more vineyards, and it needs to win on lunch and on the beach to be worth the difference.
Who it suits
People already staying on Waiheke, for whom the ferry exclusion costs nothing at all — this is genuinely a NZ$290 day for them and rated 4.8. Also anyone flying in for a special occasion who wants lunch on a beach rather than in a barrel room. If you are day-tripping from Auckland on a budget, the maths is against it: the wineries’ tour includes the ferry pass and four or more vineyards for NZ$185. Before you compare anything, check what the crossing costs and read the wine tours side by side.
Ferry fares on this page were read on 12 August 2026: NZ$62 on-peak adult return, NZ$46.50 off-peak. Fullers360 revised its fares on 16 February 2026 and they are still moving, so check the operator’s own site before you count on a number. Tour prices come from the listing itself, read the same day.
Days that include the crossing
Best value wine dayFerry pass includedFrom Auckland: Waiheke Island Wineries’ Tour
Four vineyardsFerry ticket includedAuckland: Waiheke Island Scenic Wine Journey 4 Vineyards
Food-ledReturn ferry includedFrom Auckland: Taste Of Waiheke Island Day Tour
Frequently asked questions
Does this wine tour include the ferry?
No. The operator lists the ferry to and from Waiheke as an exclusion, and the tour starts and ends at Matiatia. Add NZ$46.50 off-peak or NZ$62 on-peak: the real cost is NZ$336.50 to NZ$352 per person. See the fare table.
Is lunch included?
Yes — lunch at a beachfront restaurant in Onetangi with a glass of local wine, after three boutique vineyards in the Onetangi Valley. It is the part reviewers single out.
Is it worth NZ$290?
If you are already on the island, it is a well-rated five hours and the price is the price. If you are day-tripping from Auckland, you are really spending NZ$336.50 or more, which is competing with a NZ$185 tour that includes the crossing and visits more vineyards.
Where does it start?
Matiatia, the wharf where the ferry lands, and it finishes there too. You choose your own sailings — the shape of the timetable is on the frequency page.