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• Is this real?

It’s amazing that this is on the outskirts of Auckland. Fo Guang Shan is a gorgeous and genuine Buddhist temple in East Auckland. This is a rare find in New Zealand - traditional Chinese architecture, elegant gardens tended by monks in saffron robes, heavy bells and solid statues. It is supremely peaceful, delightfully interactive, and leaves you with a light serenity as much as it excites your imagination. The temple features worship rooms, a large open space for gentle strolling, incense for burning, a gift shop and the Waterdrop Vegetarian Cafe. There’s no question: of the Asian-variety fake-meat restaurants in Auckland, Fo Guang Shan’s is the most beautiful. The atmosphere, plant life, hardwood furniture and outdoor seating option are a welcome and relaxing contrast to the inner city’s tucked-away secret tofu-fryers. The food is different too - still a focus on fake meat but with more attention to variety than others. Unlike most fake-meat places, the focus is on what it is, rather than what it’s not. The menu takes pride in its pickled vegetables and chewy moist mushrooms. Not everything is vegan - but the staff are able to fill you in on what’s good. I’m a fiend for a good laksa, and its smooth herbaceous broth is a good match for the setting. The extensive menu also includes rotis, hot-pots, and a wide selection of fragrant teas. If this temple was much, much nearer my house I would know every one of the staff. The prices are reasonable, and you get the feeling that any profit is going to a pretty good place. Visiting the water-drop is a great day-out on a bicycle (although on some heavy trafficed roads this might compete with your inner-peace), or alternatively a half-day out by public transport or driving. Its southerly location means it’s accessible by detour while driving out of Auckland. And if you’re heading on a road trip, dropping in might be a good move.