Rangitoto Island - the youngest volcanic island of New Zealand - is located in the Hauraki Gulf, part of New Zealand's largest city Auckland.

Island declared a nature reserve, a lot of native plants entered in the Red Book. Rangitoto area is about 23 square kilometers, it has the shape of almost perfect circle whose diameter is 5, 5 km. Rangitoto volcanic island of origin. The height of an extinct volcano, located in the heart of the island reaches 260 meters. Large areas are covered with solidified lava Rangitoto black.

Island deprived of rivers, plants take moisture from rain and only groundwater. Despite this, Rangitoto is covered with dense vegetation. It grows more than 200 species of trees, several species of orchids and more than forty species of fern. And it is here is one of the world's largest pohutukawa forest tree (metrosideros felted) - an evergreen plant with a large crown of the world. In late December, pohutukawa begins to bloom with bright colors mostly red and purple hues, giving an unusually beautiful views of the island.

The rich and varied vegetation of the island is particularly valuable, so tenderly protected by the state. Travelers who arrive here by ferry from Auckland, are asked to carefully wipe their shoes to her left seeds of plants which, when mixed with plants of the island could disrupt its unique fauna. So the authorities protect the island from the rodents that could harm rare birds living here, and plants. The island is everywhere set traps for mice and rats, and tourists coming to the island, visiting the presence of these rodents. You can not burn fires, put up tents, and even to bring their dogs. Nature must remain intact, and the presence of man - invisible.

For tourists on the island conducted trails with improvised observation deck board scaffold, signposts, benches and small homemade pavilions. However, that all signs of civilization to an end. New buildings are not allowed to build, so the buildings of the island there are only the old wooden buildings of the mid-20th century, and Keeper.

During the Second World War, the island was closed to visitors, it was used for defense against the Japanese fleet. Today, on its northern shore, you can see the broken ships of the time.