LANGUAGE

English

CURRENCY

New Zealand Dollar

BEST TIME TO VISIT

March to May & September to November

NEAREST RAILWAY STATION

Auckland Railway Station

NEAREST AIRPORT

Auckland Airport (AKL)

EMERGENCY HELPLINE NUMBER

111

INTERNET ACCESS

New Zealand currently has limited access to free WiFi services, although the situation is gradually improving. Free WiFi hotspots are found predominantly in urban areas and are not common in small towns or rural regions. All of New Zealand’s Public Libraries have a free WiFi service.

VISA

Citizens of 60 countries, including Australia, the UK, the US and most EU countries, don’t need visas for NZ (length-of-stay allowances vary). See www.immigration.govt.nz.

Visa application forms are available from NZ diplomatic missions overseas, travel agents and Immigration New Zealand. Immigration New Zealand has more than 25 offices overseas, including the US, UK and Australia; consult the website.

Visitor Visa

Citizens of Australia don’t need a visa to visit NZ and can stay indefinitely (provided they have no criminal convictions). UK citizens don’t need a visa either and can stay in the country for up to six months.

Citizens of another 58 countries that have visa-waiver agreements with NZ don’t need a visa for stays of up to three months per visit, for no more than six months within any 12-month period, provided they have an onward ticket and sufficient funds to support their stay: see the website for details. Nations in this group include Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, South Africa and the USA.

Citizens of other countries must obtain a visa before entering NZ. Visitor visas allow stays of up to nine months within an 18-month period, and cost $170 to $220, depending on where in the world the application is processed.

A visitor’s visa can be extended from nine to 12 months, but if you get this extension you’ll have to leave NZ after your 12-month stay has expired and wait another 12 months before you can come back. Applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis; you may need to provide proof of adequate funds to sustain you during your visit ($1000 per month) plus an onward ticket establishing your intent to leave. Apply for extensions at any Immigration New Zealand office − see the website (www.immigration.govt.nz) for locations.

HOTEL

If your idea of a holiday is the best views, the best beds, the best food, and the last word in service, Auckland’s luxury hotels won’t disappoint. For longer stays, there are plenty of fully serviced apartments, which give you more flexibility and independence. Among the best options is CityLife Auckland A Heritage Hotel, with 210 one- to three-bedroom suites and hotel rooms from NZ$275 to NZ$989. Or treat yourself to their penthouse suite for NZ$1,818. It’s located directly above central Queens Street and is a handy walk to all the main attractions.

You won’t find many B&Bs in the central city, but they are plentiful a little further out in the suburbs.

In the Inner City

Inexpensive — For a sensibly priced stay in a landmark building right in the heart of the city, Scenic Hotel Auckland, offers 100 very comfortable rooms priced from NZ$230 to NZ$529. Ask for one of the eight rooms on the northwest face, which boast incredible views straight down Queen Street. It’s a modest but perfectly situated option with a good cafe and bar at street level.

Budget travelers will find a clean, affordable spot right in the heart of the city at the 120-room Kiwi International Hotel. Recently renovated, it offers en-suite (NZ$95), economy (NZ$65), or family rooms (NZ$139), plus a family apartment (NZ$149) that sleeps five. It’s within walking distance to all major attractions, shops, and restaurants, and it has its own bar and restaurant and Internet access.

In Ponsonby

Moderate — If you want an excellent motel close to Ponsonby action, look no further than Abaco on Jervois. They offer a range of immaculate, modern rooms priced from NZ$125 to NZ$205. Executive and premium suites on the middle and top levels are the best and biggest. Premium suites have a Jacuzzi, shower, separate lounge, desk, kitchen, and free Internet. The complex is directly across the road from popular restaurants, bars, and cafes.

In Remuera

If you’re travelling by camper, you’ll find excellent facilities at Remuera Motor Lodge & Inner City Camping Ground. Its park-like setting includes motel units; tent, caravan, and campervan sites; communal facilities; a swimming pool; and Wi-Fi access. Unpowered tent sites are NZ$17 per adult per night (NZ$10 children under 15); a powered site is NZ$20 per night per person; and motel units are NZ$75 per night per person (NZ$15 each extra adult, NZ$10 child).

In the Western Suburbs

Beach lovers should consider Bethells Beach Cottages where two sunny, self-contained holiday cottages and a self-contained apartment are set in lush, private gardens — the ultimate Kiwi getaway — for NZ$250 to NZ$355, plus NZ$35 to NZ$45 for each extra adult guest and NZ$18 to NZ$23 for each child. Owners John and Trude Bethell-Paice are very eco-aware and their accommodation has Green Globe 21 status aligned with Waitakere City Eco Plan. The pair have extensive knowledge of the Auckland region and are happy to help their guests find the best places to visit. And let’s not forget the free Scandinavian hot tub!

Near the Airport

If you have an early-morning flight or you’re checking into Auckland at night and want a quick bed, you can now stay in one of two new hotels right beside the airport. Hotel Novotel Auckland Airport, Auckland International Airport, Ray Emery Drive opened in mid-2011 in time for the Rugby World Cup. It is physically attached to the International Airport, so you just get your bags from customs, walk through one set of doors and into another to check in. It has excellent facilities and while rooms range from around NZ$165 to NZ$300, they have excellent online special deals. For the budget-conscious traveler, there are even better deals just a couple of minutes from the airport, at the brand new Formule 1 Hotel, at the intersection of Leonard Isitt and John Goulter drives, Auckland International Airport.

COST OF LIVING

Auckland is obviously the main entry point for those coming to New Zealand, but it’s definitely not the main reason itself. This is a city that is worth a look around for a day or two, especially if you are dealing with jetlag, but not one worth lingering in. It’s one of the more expensive places in New Zealand as well.

Prices in Auckland largely depend on the current strength or weakness of the New Zealand dollar to your own currency. There’s been quite a bit of volatility in the past few years, and when the NZ$ is strong this can be an expensive place.

There are plenty of hostels and hotels waiting for you, and prices are reasonable in the central backpacker neighborhood, which is where you want to be if you are only in town for a day or two. Budget meals are easy to find though the city’s cuisine might disappoint at the same time. Hotels in Auckland have two very predictable seasons, though prices don’t change too dramatically between them, especially on the bottom end of the price scale. The high season in Auckland is from October through March, which of course is late spring to early autumn, when days are warm and long. The low season for hotels in Auckland is generally from April through September. Still, there is quite a bit of tourism near the beginning and end of that period, and quite a bit of business during the whole year, so it’s usually wise to book a place in advance if you can manage.

Visiting the Sky Tower is the most popular thing for first-time visitors, and if you’re loaded you can do a sort of simulated bungee jump off the thing.