I'm not going to pretend that the chocolate wasn't a highlight.

Yes, the vivid orange mandarins dangling en masse from their trees and the bulbous, ripe avocados for sale on the road side were tempting. But the chocolate... mmmmm.

Makana Chocolate Factory is stop number three on our Discover Kerikeri tour. The tiny boutique chocolate factory sits modestly on the rural outskirts of Kerikeri amongst the abundant fruit trees that the far north town is best known for. So prolific are the orchards here that Kerikeri has earned the moniker 'the fruit bowl of the north'.

But nobody told me about the chocolate.

Wandering inside I'm instantly bathed in the warm, viscous aroma of chocolate in the making. "Welcome to Makana," says a smiling woman proffering a silver tray of chocolatey treats.

Through a window, white-clothed workers craft row upon row of bite-sized sugary goodies. One woman is repeatedly sinking her gloved hands deep into a barrel of creamy melted chocolate. I pop a chocolate in my mouth to contain the drool.

"Here at Makana, everything is made by hand. We use only the freshest ingredients and no preservatives," explains our chocolate-proffering friend. "That's why you'll find use-by dates on all our products.

"But it's also why they taste so good!"

I wander the tiny store mentally sifting through the luggage I've brought with me on this holiday. How much chocolate can I fit in my bag? What if I take out that pair of boots? And that jacket? Anything else I can replace with chocolate? Eventually I settle on a selection of the classic truffles and a box of sugar-free chocolate coated macadamia nuts.

Extricating myself from the warm depths of Makana I meander next door to The Kauri Workshop. Like its deliciously aromatic neighbour, this shop contains a popular local delicacy: 50,000 year old kauri timber. Sleek carved bowls, ornaments and toys adorn every surface of the small workshop-cum-store.

This tour is becoming a serious danger to my wallet.

The Discover Kerikeri Tour is a leisurely afternoon excursion from Paihia. In air-conditioned comfort we're shuttled to six stops of interest over three hours. Driver Phil is a passionate local and regales our small group with regional history and facts along the way.

Kerikeri is home to around 6,000 people and two of the country's most historically important buildings. The Stone Store - New Zealand's oldest surviving stone building - is a tall, solid, grey rectangle that perches on a sweeping corner overlooking the Kerikeri River. Neat rows of sash windows are dotted across every wall. Beneath the sandstone arch of the doorway, the smooth concrete entry steps droop in the middle - a nod to the thousands of people who visit every year.

Whilst tourism is big in Kerikeri, it is beginning to take its toll. As we approach the Stone Store we rumble across a short stone bridge. "Unfortunately," says Phil, "the amount of heavy traffic across this bridge is causing vibrations, which are beginning to crumble the old store." As a result, the local council is building a bypass and removing the bridge to prolong the life of the store.

Now 172 years old, the Stone Store has seen its share of history. It was built between 1832 and 1836 as a storehouse for the nearby mission house. In subsequent years it changed hands frequently, serving primarily as a kauri gum trading store. It was also used intermittently as a library, an ammunition store and a billeting house during local land wars. In 1848 one of the area's first European settlers - James Kemp - took over the property, using it as a general store. The Kemp family retained control of the building until 1976 when the New Zealand Historic Places Trust purchased it and undertook extensive conservation work to restore it as a visitor attraction. The Stone Store reopened to the public in 1998.

Inside, a sweet earthy smell tickles my nostrils as I browse the hundreds of artefacts on display. Later our Stone Store guide, dressed in character in a flowing gingham dress and a soft woollen shawl, whisks us across the manicured lawn to the wide, two-storeyed weatherboard Kemp House.

Also known as Kerikeri Mission House, Kemp House was erected in 1821 by Reverend John Butler and is now New Zealand's oldest European building. At the door a sign kindly states: "These are New Zealand's oldest floors. They will last longer if you take off your shoes". Barefoot, I tiptoe from room to room, passing thin single beds adorned with vacant-looking dolls; a dining room laid out in exquisite finery; and creepy sepia photos of long-dead residents. The dusty floorboards creak beneath me. I shudder in the suddenly cool air.

Our last stop plants us firmly back in the Kerikeri of today. Keriblue Ceramics showcases the artistic creativity that Kerikeri has become known for in recent years. With its 2,000 annual hours of sunshine, laidback community and a growing arts appreciation, Kerikeri is an artisan magnet.

Part of the Kerikeri Arts & Crafts Trail, Keriblue offers up funky ceramic tableware handmade and hand painted on site.

Watching the crafters working intently on their beautiful creations I begin to wonder, once again, how much clothing I can remove from my luggage to make way for new purchases. In a bank-balance induced panic I make one tiny purchase and race out to the waiting van for my ride back to Paihia.

Amelia experienced the Discover Kerikeri Tour courtesy of Fullers Bay of Islands, Intercity Group (NZ) Ltd and www.fourcorners.co.nz