Sunday, 19 June 2016

20 days to go: 20 things to do in Auckland for under $20

The countdown to #PanPacs2016 is well and truly on with just 20 days to go, and to celebrate, we’re giving you a list of 20 things to do for under $20 in Auckland.



Many of these activities are perfect for the festival rest day, when no games will be played, on July 14th.

1 – LightPath - central city

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Take a stroll on one of the newest additions to Auckland city’s walkways. Also known as the Nelson Street Cycleway or the ‘Magenta Mile’, Auckland’s LightPath is an old section of the central city motorway turned shared footpath and cycle way. The LightPath was opened in December 2015.

2 – Mighty Matariki Markets - central city
Celebrate the Māori new year at the Matariki (eyes of god/cluster of stars) Markets at Silo Park on the weekend of 16th and 17th July. Over 50 stalls of art, craft, fashion, and of course...a whole lot of food.


3 – Piha - West Coast



The home of NZ's equivalent to Bondi Rescue - Piha Rescue - Piha Beach is one of the most popular and picturesque beaches in the country. But looks can be deceiving, it's also one of the most dangerous. Just a 30 minute off-peak drive from the West Wave Aquatic Centre.


4 - Kitekite Falls - West Coast
CDM Polo boys at Kitekite Falls at Pan Pacs 2014

Whilst located in Piha, the Kitekite Falls deserve a spot on the top-20 of their own. The three-tiered waterfall cascades over 40 metres of rock in the Waitakere Ranges. A short bush stroll will get you there, you can even swim in the natural pool at the bottom and go under the waterfall, that is, if you can handle the brain-freeze. 

5 – Ferry over to Waiheke Island
If you find yourself with some time up your sleeve, Waiheke Island is the perfect place to go for an escape from the poolside, although, you will be breaking the $20 budget. Catch a ferry from the Auckland CBD across the Waitemata Harbour, and you'll be in another world in 40 minutes. Calm beaches, wineries, art galleries, and some of the country's top restaurants are all located over on Waiheke.


6 - Auckland Art Gallery - central city
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The largest art institution in New Zealand, Toi o Tāmaki has over 15,000 artworks. Open 10am-5pm everyday - check out the website here.


7 – Climb a volcano


Take your pick - there are about 50 of them in Auckland (although the number is hotly-debated - all dormant, of course!). Many of them are easily accessible - if you have some to kill and fancy getting some fresh air whilst at Diocesan, St. Cuthbert's, or Epsom pools, take a stroll up Mt. Eden for epic panoramic views of the city. Or, if walking is not your thing, you can even drive.


8 - Auckland Winter Gardens - Auckland Domain
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If you're funky about flora and fauna, or just down for some mad Herbology vibes, get amongst the Auckland Winter Gardens. Located at the Auckland domain, the Winter Gardens were designed way back in the early 1900s.


9 - Waiwera Thermal Resort & Spa - Hibiscus Coast
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If you find yourself midway through the tournament thinking; "I haven't yet had enough of pools", then here's another one you can visit. Waiwera (meaning hot [wera] water [wai]) is the perfect place to unwind in the naturally hot thermal pools, or have a go on the slides.


10 - Devonport - North Shore

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Also known as 'the Bubble', other than via water, there's only one way in and one way out of Devonport: choose the funner option and ferry across to Auckland's favourite seaside village. Home of NZ's biggest star Lorde, and arguably cooler things like North Head (also a volcano - full of war tunnels accessible to the public, dating back to the 19th century), the Navy Museum, and Cheltenham Beach. Do the twin peaks by exploring both Mount Victoria and North Head.

11 - Auckland Museum - central city



The Auckland War Memorial Museum is one of New Zealand's most iconic buildings - but it's what inside that makes it special. Everything you need to know about the winter exhibitions you can find here.

12 - Viaduct Harbour
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Where Auckland city meets the ocean, the Viaduct is the entertainment hub of the central city. Over 30 restaurants and bars nestled amongst berthed vessels and super yachts. Art & Sound kicks off just around the corner at Silo Park - light and projection-based artists will transform Silo park with moving image and light from 5pm until late on Friday 15th and Saturday 16th July.


13 - Ponsonby Central
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Potentially one of the best places to eat in the city, Ponsonby Central is a food lover's dream. Fresh produce, coffee, and even DIY caramel or chocolate-injected donuts. Arguably the most-Instagrammed place in Auckland, Ponsonby is susceptible to some pretty good banter as pointed out in this 2014 parody.


14 - Sky Tower
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Even though adult entry is $8 over budget, a trip up the Sky Tower is unforgettable. Unprecedented views of the city, glass elevator floors, and a restaurant 182 metres above the ground.


15 - MOTAT
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A must-do for any machine or motor vehicle enthusiast, the Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT) provides a fun and exciting learning experience for visitors of all ages. MOTAT's core vision is to "use NZ's heritage, kiwi ingenuity, transport, technology and associated stories in a creative and interactive way to educate and inspire the innovators of tomorrow."


16 - Mission Bay 
Perfect for a quick escape from the pool at Sacred Heart, Mission Bay is one of Auckland's most popular beaches. Best enjoyed with ice cream or frozen yoghurt from KiwiYo or Movenpick.
A photo posted by Bingci (Grace) Xuan⚡️⚡️⚡️ (@bcxuan) on


17 - K Road
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At the top of Auckland's Queen Street you'll find Karangahape (K) Road. Auckland's home for everything vintage, arty, and second-hand, and as always, some pretty cool cafes. 


 18 - Queen Street

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The central city's main drag, you'll find everything you need on Queen Street. Aotea Square, cinemas, cafes, dining, shopping - the world's your oyster.


19 - West Coast Beaches


Piha included, the West Coast beaches are a must-do for rugged, authentic New Zealand beauty. Whatipu, Karekare, Bethells, Piha, and Muriwai are all equally untamed. Bethells Beach has even been graced by the one and only Taylor Swift, who shot her 'Out of the Woods' video there in 2015 and called it "the most beautiful beach I've ever been on in my life".


20 - Explore every water polo venue in the city


We're pretty sure you will have crossed this one off the list by the end of the festival - well done in advance.
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Saturday, 18 June 2016

21-day countdown begins!

With just three weeks to go until #PanPacs2016, today marks the start of our official 21-day countdown where we’ll be releasing things you may or may not know about the festival.

To kick it all off – we’ll be profiling Pan Pacs’ first-ever and therefore oldest venue, the West Wave Aquatic Centre.




The West Wave Aquatic Centre was purpose-built for the XIV Commonwealth Games of 1990, and 26 years on still enjoys hosting a range of national and international events.

Shortly after the Commonwealth Games, the first-ever Pan Pacific Youth Water Polo Festival was held at the venue. Every Pan Pacific champion team has been decided in that pool since the beginning in 1990. Other games have been played at Glenfield (1990), Sacred Heart (from 2002), AUT Millennium (since 2004), then most recently Epsom Girls’ Grammar School and Diocesan School for Girls. 2016 will be the first year that a large majority of matches are hosted at a different venue – the brand new Sir Owen G Glenn National Aquatic Centre. 2016’s second new venue is the Margaret Beale Aquatic Centre at St. Cuthbert’s College, that was also opened in 2015.

West Wave and water polo had the royal treatment in July 2005, when Prince William visited the New Zealand Water Polo Junior Men’s National Championships. 

Chris Hayward accompanied by Prince William at West Wave in July 2005 (photo: gettyimages)

Prince William can be seen with Chris Hayward, the founder of the Pan Pacific Youth Water Polo Festival. William even donned a whistle and started a game.

Most recently, West Wave hosted the 2015 FINA World League Women’s Intercontinental Tournament. The venue hosted the same tournaments in both genders in 2013.

From the stands during the 2013 World League at West Wave
West Wave is the home of the Waitakere City Water Polo Club, which was founded in 1984. The club won their first-ever national title at the 2015 National League finals, beating North Harbour in the men’s division to win in their home pool.

The Waitakere Blue Devils after winning the 2015 National League in their home pool at West Wave

West Wave will host a variety of games at Pan Pacs 2016 across the ages. Check out their website here.

Don't forget to use the hashtags #PPAuckland2016 and #PanPacs2016 so we can see your team's journey to Auckland this July.


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Wednesday, 8 June 2016

Pan Pacs 2016 now just 1 month away!

This time next month the 2016 Pan Pacific Youth Water Polo Festival will be underway in Auckland!
Excitement builds across the country as close to 100 local teams prepare to battle it out against one another - as well as over 50 teams from Australia, USA, and South Africa - in the largest water polo event in the Southern Hemisphere!



As we reach the final stages of preparation, it is evident that 2016 is the biggest year yet, with two brand new venues and over 20 more teams than we've ever had before. 
With just 30 days to go, we're building hype for the festival and at each milestone we'll release a few things you need to know before it all kicks off on July 9th. We have now released the tournament rules and information which you can view here.
Pictured is our main venue, the Sir Owen G Glenn National Aquatic Centre which was opened in 2015 and successfully hosted the 2016 National League Finals late last month.
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, and use the official festival hashtags - #PanPacs2016 and #PPAuckland2016 - so we can see your team's build-up to one of the best tournaments you'll ever play in. 
Preparations for the festival are coming along swimmingly, we will be letting you know everything you need in the coming weeks and we look forward to seeing you here in Auckland in a month's time!
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