Makana Confections, Kerikeri, Bay of Islands

Whenever I'm back in New Zealand and traveling up north, I always try and visit Makana Confections - it's a little jewel of a chocolate shop in the historic town of Kerikeri, which is just a short drive from the Stone Store and Rainbow Falls.

Makana is the ultimate chocolate experience, you can see how their delicious chocolates are made the old fashioned way, taste a few delectable samples and browse their shop for gifts or a get a small indulgence for yourself.

Their truffles are wonderfully smooth and flavourful - I often purchase these as gifts for friends. My favourite moment is when you open the box and are enarmoured by the rich chocolatey aroma that meets you, and once you taste one, it is hard to stop - so I would recommend getting the larger box!

My favourite would have to be the Macadamia Butter Toffee Crunch - it just melts in your mouth and is so rich and smooth - I have to make sure there are people around to share it with me - otherwise I end up eating the whole lot and feeling awfully sick!

What I really love about Makana is their online store - so even if you can't make it to one of their stores, you can get your Makana Chocolate fix by ordering online.