Top Auckland Hotels

Dominating the skyline is the Sky Tower, and a trip to the viewing deck offers spectacular 360 degrees views of the city. The volcanic cones of Mt Eden and One Tree Hill near the city, and North Head on the North Shore, don't quite reach the same dizzying heights, but still offer some lovely views of the city.

History and art lovers can visit the city's many galleries and museums. The Auckland Art Gallery and neighbouring New Gallery are home to over 12,000 pieces of European, Maori and Pacific Island art. Numerous small private galleries are also dotted around the city. The Auckland Museum tells the story of New Zealand's early days, and transportation enthusiasts will enjoy both the Museum of Transport and Technology and the New Zealand National Maritime Museum. The Howick Historic Village is an award winning tribute to Auckland's early settler days.

Outdoor enthusiasts can explore dozens of beaches, plus 37,000 hectares of parks, marine reserves, and gardens. The rugged west coast beaches of Piha and Muriwai have excellent surfing, with many safe sandy beaches on the east coast's North Shore. Albert Park in the central city is a pleasant place to relax, with Cornwall Park popular with runners and walkers.

The Auckland Domain is an extinct volcanic crater, home to summer concerts in the park. Further out of the city, the Auckland Regional Botanic Gardens in Manurewa cover 64 hectares of park like grounds, and for walkers, there are hiking trails galore in the Waitakere Ranges, west of Auckland. Golfers can choose from over 30 golf courses in and around the city.

Thrill seekers can bungy jump from the SkyTower, make the Auckland Harbour bridgeclimb, hire windsurfers in Mission Bay, surf the rugged west coast beaches and experience the invigorating feeling of sailing on an America's Cup yacht.

Auckland produces award winning wines from over 80 wineries. Wine tastings and lunch at a winery cafe is always a pleasant day out. The main production areas are in Henderson and Kumeu to the west, Matakana to the north, Clevedon to the south, and Waiheke Island – 35 minutes by ferry.

Other attractions are the Auckland Zoo, home to New Zealand's largest collection of native and exotic animals. Kelly Tarlton's Antartic Encounter and Underwater World is a great underwater aquarium experience, and the Stardome Observatory offers something for the stargazers. For a scenic ride on a vintage steam train, visit the Glenbrook Vintage Railway south of Auckland in Franklin. Family fun in the water can be had at the Waiwera Thermal Resort, 40 kilometres north of the city. With 26 hot pools and 8 slides, there's a lot of water here! Rainbows End is a popular fun park in South Auckland and the hair raising rides offer a great buzz to young and old alike.

Auckland possesses a lively collection of cafes, restaurants, pubs, bars, and night clubs. Eating and drinking has improved hugely over the past decade and, due to a combination of world class local wines and some wonderful cuisine, Auckland now offers a range of restaurants to suit all tastes.

Seafood is a regular feature on menus. Popular city areas for eating and drinking can be found in Herne Bay, Ponsonby, Parnell and on the Mission Bay waterfront. The Viaduct Harbour, home to two America's Cup campaigns, and the neighbouring Princess Wharf are great places to start with a sunset drink, and then move on to some of the many dining establishments. Takapuna and Devonport on the North Shore, although a little quieter, both offer a range of bars and restaurants. A short trip on a ferry will see you in Devonport in 10 minutes, with an excellent view back to the city.

Live bands are a regular fixture at pubs and are a well known breeding ground for up and coming local musicians. Closing times do vary, but pubs and bars usually close between 1-3am, with some clubs open until the small hours.

Skycity is home to Auckland's only casino, and with 5 bars, 5 restaurants, cinemas, a hotel and live entertainment, there is lot of fun sitting under one roof.

Cinemas are dotted throughout the city, and there are regular performances at the city's many theatres. Classical music, ballet, opera, rock concerts, musicals, comedy, dance and other performing arts all take place at the city's major venues, namely the Aotea Centre, the Edge, the Bruce Mason Theatre, the Auckland Town Hall, the Maidment Theatre, the Covert Theatre and the historic St. James Theatre and Civic Theatre.

Auckland has a variety of shopping and it's hard to leave town without a souvenir or two. Outdoor markets, high street shopping and covered malls offer something for everyone.

Bustling weekend markets in Otara (Saturday) and Avondale (Sunday) are a cosmopolitan affair offering fresh fruit and vegetables, seafood and cooked foods of Pacific Island, Indian and Asian flavours. The Avondale market also sells collectibles, second-hand and imported goods. Takapuna on the North Shore, hosts a busy Sunday morning market selling second hand goods, plants, home cooking and preserves. Aotea Square, in the city, has a lively Friday/Saturday market selling arts and crafts, fashion, traditional carvings and pottery. Most items at these markets are fixed price, although there's nothing lost to try some haggling over second hand items.

Three popular high street shopping streets are found in Newmarket, Ponsonby and Parnell. These upmarket and pricey stretches house some classy designer and fashion stores, complete with trendy cafes for the weary shopper. The inner city streets of Vulcan, Chancery and Durham Lanes offer unique boutique shopping. Large malls and plazas are located in the residential suburb areas. These offer plenty of variety in fashion, books, music, sportswear and homeware, all at reasonable prices. Botany Downs, St. Lukes and the 7 Westfield shopping centres are some of the larger malls. For a bargain visit Dress-Smart in Onehunga, where over 70 factory outlet stores offer fashion wear below retail prices.

Souvenir and duty free shops exist in abundance in the Queen Street / Downtown areas and in Skycity. These shops have an extensive range of New Zealand gifts, souvenirs, jewellery, garments and handcrafts, so pick up those rugby jerseys, sheepskin slippers, woollen scarfs and native timber bowls before you leave town!

If you run out of time before departing New Zealand, the upgraded Auckland International Airport now offers an excellent range of shopping.

Internet cafes are increasing in Auckland and visitors in the central city should not have trouble tracking these down. Many of the hotels have coin operated internet kiosks, and wireless internet is slowly making its way into the lobbies of some hotels (as at mid 2004).

Public transportation in Auckland is poor in comparison to cities such as Singapore and Hong Kong. Having said that, many of central city highlights are within walking distance, and strolling around the city can be a very pleasant experience.

Public bus systems feed the city centre from the suburbs, and can be a useful way of getting to those attractions residing just out of the centre of town, and to some of the regional parks. The Auckland Explorer Bus is a hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus and a great way to catch the city centre highlights.

Licensed meter taxis operate throughout the city, and can be telephoned, picked up from taxi stands or flagged down on the street. Although most drivers know where they are headed, it is worth carrying directions with you. Taxis can be hard to find late at night, and if you have a flight to catch it is advisable to book a taxi in advance. The 21 kilometre journey from the airport to the central city takes between 25 and 40 minutes, depending on the time of day.

Private shuttle buses operate on airport routes, and can be picked up at the airport on arrival, or booked in advance on leaving town. Shuttles are great for groups, and those with large amounts of luggage.

The Auckland Airbus service departs from the airport and city every 20 minutes during the day and every 30 minutes during the evening. Tickets are available from the airport and city visitor centres.

Trains are a little used transportation method in Auckland. Although boasting the new Britomart Transport Centre in the downtown area of the city, trains are infrequent and unreliable. However, if you're willing to chance your arm you may enjoy the ride!

Water taxis, ferries and charter boats are a pleasant way to explore both the harbour and outer-lying islands of Auckland. Ferries depart from the piers situated in the downtown area of the city.

Rental cars are available at the airport for pick up and drop off, and can also be arranged for inner city collection by hotel tour desks. A car in Auckland certainly gives some flexibility for day trips out of the city, and a good map is handy.

New Zealand is a nation of car owners, and Auckland city suffers from painfully slow traffic during the morning and evening rush hours. It's advisable to avoid entering and leaving the central city and surrounding arterial routes during weekdays - 7:30 to 9:30am and 4:30 to 6:30pm.

Many of the attractions in and around Auckland can be visited as day trips. Sightseeing and tours can be arranged by hotel tours desks or through Auckland's tourist information centres. Visitors may also book directly with tour operators.

The hop-on hop-off bus operates half and full day trips. Visits to wineries, beaches and even some of the outlying islands can be done in a day, but staying a night on Waiheke Island always allows a more relaxed visit to its many pleasant wineries and beaches.

There are options aplenty for getting on the water. Watertaxis trips take about 45 minutes, luxury charters can be enjoyed for a day, evening or overnight, sailing trips can be half day or longer, and the Dolphin Explorer for dolphin and whale watching is a wonderful day trip.

For slightly longer trips, 2 and 3 days guided bus tours can be taken south to New Zealand's geothermal and Maori culture centre in Rotorua. Similar length trip north to the picturesque Bay of Island is an enjoyable few days.

Each year Auckland hosts a number of cultural, cuisine, musical and sporting events.

The year begins with international tennis, as both men's and women's events are held early January at the Stanley Street tennis centre in Parnell. January 29th, sees everyone with a boat take to the water in the Auckland Anniversary Day sailing regatta which is a stunning spectacle of sails, big and small.

February, usually a hot month, provides something for everyone including the Teddy Bears Picnic in the Auckland Domain, the Devonport Food and Wine Festival, the Jazz and Blues Streetfest in Mission Bay, international polo in Clevedon, and the Chinese New Year Lantern Festival.

During March catch the "Round the Bays" fun run which is quite a spectacle with 100,000-plus smelly, sweaty runners all making their way along the 10 kilometre stretch of Auckland's Tamaki Drive waterfront. Waiheke hosts their Jazz Festival at Easter and at this time of year the sports converge with both international cricket and Super 12 rugby on offer to the sports enthusiast.

The Ellerslie Flower Show (usually held in November) is the largest garden exhibition in the Southern Hemisphere with growers exhibiting their best blooms to the visiting public. Tickets are usually required in advance.

Auckland's premier horse racing events are held on Boxing Day (26th Dec.) and New Years Day (1st Jan) each year. Hold all tickets, as it's a day for elaborate hats and flowing champagne as the Ellerslie Racecourse comes to life. Those wanting a more casual day, can take a picnic lunch and make their way to the centre of the course for a fun filled day in the sun.

Check it all out at www.eventsauckland.com

Upon arrival, the Auckland International Airport has plenty of information at its tourist information centre, so don't stress if you do arrive without transport or a list of things to do.

Information centres at the Viaduct Harbour (downtown waterfront), and at the Skytower have a mass of information and helpful staff. Alternatively, free-phone 0800 AUCKLAND (from within New Zealand), or log on to www.aucklandnz.com