Boutique hotels
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Hotel DeBrett
- Style
- Art deco goes Pop
- Setting
- High Street's fashion hub
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The Boatshed
- Style
- Nautical chic
- Setting
- Bayside bliss
Auckland Overview
New Zealand
- Cityscape
- Handsome high-rise harbour
- City Life
- Boats, beaches, boutiques and bands
Surrounded by volcanic peaks and water, it’s hard to ignore the natural beauty of New Zealand’s largest city, situated on the North Island.
Beneath the shimmering surface, however, there’s something more: a young culture building an international reputation for design, the arts and the high life. The rest of the population of the country might regard Aucklanders as arrogant, but there’s no denying they've reason to be proud. From hot shopping to cool beaches, Maori culture, vineyard hopping, surfing and boating, the 'City of Sails' has the chutzpah of a capital city – even though its smaller rival Wellington actually wears that crown. Don't miss the surrounding Hauraki Gulf either, dotted with idyllic islands such as laid-back weekend haunt Waiheke.
Absolutely Auckland
Many cities grow up in close proximity to volcanoes, but 50 of them? That’s how many make up the Auckland Volcanic Field, and not all of them are extinct. Rangitoto (www.rangitoto.org), on an island off the city’s North Shore, was the last to erupt about 600 years ago, and you can walk to the summit in about an hour.
Local knowledge
- Taxis
- Hail one or head to a rank. If you’re travelling from your hotel or a restaurant, ask the concierge or maitre d’ to call one for you (particularly if it’s cold!). They’re not the cheapest way to get around the city but definitely one of the easiest. Auckland Co-Op Taxis (+64 9-300 3000; www.cooptaxi.co.nz) is a good bet.
- Tipping culture
- It’s by no means obligatory (although some places do add a service charge) and employees in the hospitality industry don’t rely on them as a source of income. Of course, if you experience excellent service a tip of five to 10 per cent is appreciated.
- Siesta and fiesta
- Shops usually open between 9am and 5.30pm every day. Banking hours are 9.30am to 4.30pm during the week. Restaurant hours vary greatly, but don’t leave it too late to eat – some restaurants only take orders until 10pm or so. Bars and pubs normally open around noon and can go until late into the night, especially on the weekend.
- Packing tips
- Kiwis will tell you Neil Finn wrote the Crowded House hit Four Seasons in One Dayabout Auckland (actually, it’s about Melbourne) and that should give you a hint. Take something warm, something for a hot day, something for a glam night out, something for a day on a yacht.
- Recommended reads
- Witi Ihimaera, considered one of NZ’s greatest living writers, reimagines the country’s colonial history through Maori eyes in The Matriarch. Hibiscus Coast by Paula Morris is a fast-paced, fictional view of world of art forgery in Auckland and Shanghai.
- Cuisine
- Auckland is fiercely proud of its food and wine, and with reason. Best described as Pacific Rim fusion, the style of cuisine brings together elements from South-East Asia and the surrounding Pacific nations with Mediterranean and European traditions. What that means is that you can eat virtually any style of food you can dream of. Plus, the produce is first rate, much of it produced locally and using environmentally sustainable methods.
- Regional specialities
- The other huge attraction for gourmands is the proliferation of excellent wineries across New Zealand. Even close to Auckland, you can tour the vineyards of Matakana and Waiheke Island, where Bordeaux and Syrah styles are popular. Check out Te Whau (www.tewhau.com) or Stonyridge (www.mudbrick.co.nz) vineyards on Waiheke.
- Currency
- New Zealand dollars (NZ$)
- Time zone
- GMT +12 hours
- Dialling codes
- Country code for New Zealand: 64. Auckland: 09 (drop the zero if you’re dialling from overseas)
- Do go/don't go
- The warmer months (November to April) are perfect for enjoying life outdoors, though you should avoid the weeks after Christmas when NZ kids are on school holiday. June to August is the winter high season for ski bunnies on the South Island, so factor in a few days in Auckland to get an urban fix.
Don't go home without...
visiting Otara Market. The world’s biggest Polynesian bazaar, held every Saturday from 6am till noon, is hidden in the city’s south, on Newbury Street, off East Tamaki Road. Buy exotic fruit and veg, woven baskets, paua shell jewellery and tuck into cheap eats galore – but it’s the crowd which is just as entertaining.
