Aucklanders are often accused about not caring about what happens ‘south of the Bombay hills’, the natural division between Auckland and the rest of the country. But when you're living in a cosmopolitan metropolis built on two expansive harbours, overlooking the rest of New Zealand is understandable. One in four New Zealanders live in the ‘City of Sails’, named after Aucklanders' love affair with boating.
It's not the official capital, but the country's economic powerhouse is more important to New Zealand than some of the people in the provinces often accept. Most newcomers to the country arrive in Auckland, and most are perfectly happy to settle there. Nowhere else in New Zealand is there such a cosmopolitan mix of cultures and nationalities, and nowhere else in the country is as tolerant and forgiving of people's differences.

Framed by the Waitemata and Manukau Harbours, the ocean is important to the million-plus people living on Auckland's sprawling isthmus. The rugged beaches of the west coast, the islands of the Hauraki Gulf, and the waterfront bars and restaurants of Viaduct Harbour are all good reasons to enjoy a relaxed and easygoing lifestyle. And when they tire of swimming, surfing or just mucking around in boats, this truly international city has a busy calendar of concerts, sports events and festivals.

More personal pleasures include the most diverse restaurant scene in the country, either in central suburbs like Kingsland, Ponsonby and Parnell, or in more distant neighbourhoods where New Zealand's proximity to Asia is made deliciously real. And while most Aucklanders are happy with a few chilled beers and a barbecue, the region's vineyards in West Auckland, Matakana and Waiheke Island produce some great alternatives. Maybe Aucklanders should care more about the rest of New Zealand, but can you really blame them for being a little short-sighted?