How can you visit Auckland on a budget?

Arabia Weather - Being the gateway to New Zealand, there is plenty to see and do in Auckland, but the country's largest city is not on a budget.

Staying and eating here is particularly expensive, but with some simple local knowledge, you can see the city, without crying on your phone to your credit card company. In this article, we'll walk you through ways you can visit Auckland on a budget.

Visit Auckland at the end of February or March for lower prices

Auckland is a summer city, and the peak period for tourism is from mid-December to the end of January, which coincides with the summer school holidays in New Zealand, making it a very expensive time to travel around the country. For a cheaper stay, time your visit to Auckland around the time students return to school at the end of February and March, as these are the nice months to visit the city and the weather is warm, not as humid as the peak summer months.

There are also many free events to enjoy at this time of year, including live music and outdoor film screenings at Auckland's beautiful parks and beaches.

Choose accommodation that has a kitchen

Eating out at restaurants in Auckland is a surefire way to burn through your budget quickly, so try eating in for a few meals during your stay. The best way to do this is to stay somewhere that has a kitchen – whether it's a hostel where the kitchen is shared, or an apartment rental through Airbnb , Or hotel apartment.

Also, food and cooking ingredients are more available compared to restaurant prices, so visit the local supermarket and prepare some of your meals at your accommodation. If you prefer to stay in a hotel, try to find a hotel that includes breakfast with the price of the stay, and prices are often not much higher. From room rates only, the cost of buying breakfast every morning in Auckland can add up quickly - just a cup of coffee and a cake will set you back around NZ$10.

Get an AT HOP card to get a discount on public transportation

If you're spending a few days in Auckland, you can save money by using public transportation to get around the city.

Simply purchase an AT HOP card when you arrive in the city, which is available at many stores or Auckland Transport customer service centers throughout the city. It costs a card   NZ$5 , and you can top up as needed, allowing you to get a 20% discount (or more) on standard bus, train and ferry fares in Auckland, excluding the Skybus from the airport and the ferry to Waiheke Island.

AT HOP cards are prepaid. You can transfer between buses, trains and ferries on Auckland Transport and pay just one ticket across the zones you travel to. Ticket prices for AT HOP cards are limited to just NZ $20 per day.

Explore Auckland on foot

There are some amazing roads in Auckland, so you won't feel obligated to travel everywhere by public transport as the city has several pedestrian walkways , providing a way to move around the city without traffic and the walking distance depends on you; If you're looking for a challenge, try the Coast to Coast Walk which takes you from Auckland City, through Auckland Park and Cornwall Park, to Manukau Harbour.

For a nice and accessible option that starts in the centre, take the road along the harbour, and you can go west past Silo Park along Westhaven to the foot of the harbor bridge (and transfer to Ponsonby for lunch if you wish).

Alternatively, go east and enjoy a walk along Legging Drive to the famous Mission Bay, which is a good place for fish and chips (another cheap meal).

If you don't want to repeat the walk in the opposite direction, rely on the bus or Uber to get back into the city.

Use the red bus to get around the city center

If you'll be spending most of your time downtown during the day, taking the red City Link bus is a great way to get around. The bus service follows a route in the urban center between 8am and midnight and the cost of a ticket is only NZD 1 , but you can travel for free if you transfer from another bus or train using an AT HOP card as it is a good way to stop walking, but the roads are not Always direct, you will need to pay extra to travel far from the city centre.

Find cheap eats on Dominion Road or Sandringham

Some of Auckland's best food is some of its most plentiful, and you can find it along Dominion Road southwest of the center towards Mt Eden, Auckland's version of Chinatown. It's the best place to try delicious, authentic Chinese food at very reasonable prices. No matter where you stay in Auckland, you can usually find good Asian food nearby, and it's usually cheap. For excellent Indian cuisine, head to Sandringham, just a few blocks west of Dominion.

Also, the popular food markets that roam the different neighborhoods in the city are also good places to get food at a lower price. Auckland's roving night market, held in different locations on different days of the week, is a good place to start.

Get lunch near the university

If you're exploring the city, eat your lunch where the students eat it ; There are many cafes and other small restaurants on the High Street, Chancery Square and Lorne Street in the city center that offer good lunch deals at reasonable prices. Consider eating dumplings, noodles or tacos: they are all easy to eat, and can be taken and eaten in the nearby Albert Park and many restaurants. Asian cuisine in these areas offers excellent, authentic food at budget-friendly prices.

Head to the Marine Museum Harbor Cruise

The New Zealand Maritime Museum in central Auckland offers one of the cheapest harbor cruises in the city; For 53 NZD, you can sail around Auckland Harbor in a historic boat, plus museum admission. You'll pay the same amount or more to a boat operator just for a harbor cruise. Sailing is a great way to see Auckland from a different perspective, and the boats swinging around you will give you an idea. Why Auckland is called the “City of Sails” .

Get the bus to Mt Eden

Many of Auckland's best and most famous attractions are free, located in a beautiful coastal location, and you can enjoy great views just by walking to the top of any hill or dormant volcano)

You can also grab a picnic from a local grocery store or deli and enjoy the best outdoors the city has to offer on a sunny day.

For some of Auckland's best views, head to the stunning crater at Mount Eden for the price of a bus ticket from the city centre. And if the weather's warm, take a stroll to Cornwall Park at the top of One Tree Hill, or spend some time relaxing on the beach - all easily available from the city centre.

Visit the Auckland Museum on Anzac Day

If you find yourself in Auckland in April, head to the Auckland Museum on Anzac Day (April 25). On this important memorial day for New Zealand and Australian soldiers who died in the First World War; Entrance to the museum is free, and there is a beautiful dawn party outside the museum in Oakland Domain Park at sunrise, with smaller parties taking place elsewhere in the city.

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Sources:

lonelyplanet