Explore Group - Auckland

來紐西蘭絕不能錯過的sailing體驗！ 風和帆的關係讓人震撼與興奮，船長非常棒，讓我們每個人都親自掌舵一會兒，感受帆船航行方向的奧秘！ 可愛的助理忙碌的張帆與收帆，也讓我們了解船帆和風力間的不可思議力量。真是長見識的一小段航程。

We went on two trips with Explore while we were in Auckland: one whale tour and one trip to Tiritiri Matangi. The latter was fabulous, quick, and virtually seamless. The former turned out to be 6 hours ferrying other groups of passengers between various ports while we incidentally found a pod of dolphins. The dolphin sighting was truly amazing, but it felt like not the best deal for a whole day on the boat. 3 stars for the whale tour, 5 stars for the Tiritiri trip.

There are many marine tours departing from Auckland, but among them, I definitely recommend Explore Group New Zealand! There’s no doubt about it. As a resident of Auckland who often goes on various marine tours with my son, I never imagined there would be a tour that offers such meticulous guidance and commentary, plus a walk on Rotoroa Island, all for $155. However, while we’re used to any rough seas, even people who don’t usually get seasick might feel it on this tour. Regarding young children, it can be very dangerous for preschoolers. If you have multiple preschoolers, it’s best to reconsider the trip. My son is used to boats, so he can balance his body with the movement, and I brought a safety belt for him on board. Since it’s a long boat trip, some kids might get bored, and it’s a tough journey where strollers can’t be used and carrying children would be challenging. Just because we enjoyed it doesn’t mean I can recommend it for families with small children. This tour is suitable for children who love the sea, are used to boats, and are physically and mentally robust. If that’s the case, there’s no other company that offers such a wonderful experience at such a low cost for parents and children! For marine tours, it’s Explore Group New Zealand!

It is great experience to watch the dolphins, we also manage to see gannets diving into the sea, it is very nice experience (Not showing the dolphins and gannets in my photo because that's for you to see 🙂

We did the Explore Auckland Harbor Dinner Cruise and loved it! It’s a nice sail boat you’re on with about 16 folks in total and 3 crew. The crew was great. They explained everything and gave lots of background and info as we sailed. The food was nice and easy to eat while sailing. It does get windy and can be choppy. So be sure to layer. Overall a lovely experience. I highly recommend. It was our favorite excursion so far.

我參加的行程是Auckland Harbour Sailing Dinner Cruise with 3-course meal，整個體驗可以從白天看到夕陽，再從夕陽看到夜景，船並不大，乘客大概十個人左右，加上三個工作人員，船上有提供晚餐，可以從海上看到奧克蘭市區天際線和港灣大橋， 船上的餐食不差，如果前一天來得及回覆email的話還可以選菜色。 我搭乘的時候其他客人都是西方人，他們講英文閒話家常有點跟不太上所以有時候會有點無聊。 海風很涼，搭乘的時候記得加件外套。

Sailing on an America’s Cup racing ship was an adventure of a lifetime! Many of us enjoyed the opportunity to take the helm.