Traveling to Auckland as a Budget Backpacker

Is Auckland Budget Backpacker Friendly?

After spending much of your time relaxing on the beaches in Thailand and exploring the jungles of Vietnam, you travelers out there will probably be wanting a break from the tropical weather of South East Asia. Being the largest backpacker hub in the world, people can travel on a shoestring while making their way through countries like Cambodia and Myanmar. Eventually, however, you may be wanting a change of scenery. One of the places that top the list of destinations to see before you die is the land of the long white cloud: New Zealand.

Although the breathtaking snowcapped mountains, icy glaciers, and reflective lakes of the South Island is what originally had you dreaming of splurging on a ticket to New Zealand, you will inevitably end up in the sprawling city of Auckland. Being the largest city in the entire country, you may get a bit worried about if Auckland is easy to travel in as a budget backpacker. Being a bit more of a massive suburbia than an actual urban center, enjoying Auckland as an independent traveler is easier said than done.

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What To Do In Auckland

Dropped off from the Auckland Airport on Queen Street, you will find that most of the major sites in the city are located up and down this road. There are plenty of century-old buildings and charm to keep you occupied for a day or so, but you will quickly find yourself crossing off things from your itinerary faster than you have planned.

The most popular things to do in downtown Auckland are the town hall, historic ferry terminal, Sky Tower, Auckland War Memorial Museum located near Auckland Domain. Unfortunately, the price to go up the Auckland Sky Tower costs a whopping 32 NZD and even the ticket to get into the War Memorial Museum costs 25 NZD (Admission is free for Aucklanders). For budget travelers in Auckland, you are already paying through the nose for your hostel, so you would not be willing to fork over more money for an experience that will only last at most an hour.

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Urban Exploring in Auckland

Downtown Auckland is not that big. After wandering up and down the same several streets you will quickly find out that the gates of the endless suburbia wait not that far away from the Sky Tower. Although small, the urban center of Auckland has much to explore for those with a keen eye. The historic grey buildings, victorian style houses, towering glass frames of skyscrapers, and occasional splashes of street art leaves a lot to be explored in Auckland off the beaten path.

If you are looking to explore a bit more of the life and culture of Auckland, you will probably want to head over to one of the farmer’s markets or check out the boutique shops over at St Kevins Arcade. While this may give you a taste of local culture, you will still be constantly around shops and restaurants. Other than wandering around the city, you will find that most of the things to do in Auckland consists of spending money. Only with a photographer’s eye can you spend hours enjoying the subtle intricacies that make up Auckland.

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Best Parks in Auckland

While some of the most popular sites around the city cost a chunk of change to visit, hands down the best places to visit in Auckland as a budget backpacker is one of the parks around the city. Not only are these gardens and hills great escapes from the city, but it also brings a bit of classic rural New Zealand life to the heart of the big city. With everything from hiking trails to sheep grazing in the fields, exploring the parks will give you a taste of what you would find outside of Auckland.

The first park you will want to head to is the ancient volcanic crater now known as Mt Eden. Especially during the evening, you will be given breathtaking sweeping views of the Auckland skyline. A bit further out from the Auckland CBD the famous One Tree Hill stands tall amongst the waves of suburban houses. While you may not get as great views as from Mt Eden, you will find herds of sheep, rugby teams busy at practice, and even groups of people shooting arrows.

There are countless prehistoric volcanoes, hills, forests, and parks sprinkled throughout Auckland. On any given day you could get a chance to take a look at candid life in New Zealand.

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Half Moon Bay

Either by bus or by ferry, you can explore a part of Auckland hidden away by the rows of houses and cul de sacs. Half Moon Bay is a part of the city where you can escape the concrete city center, and walk down the sandy beaches of Buckland and watch the boats go out from the marina. There are still several bars and restaurants where people like to sit back and relax after a long day of work. But for all you budget backpackers in Auckland, you will find tons of nature hikes snaking along the water.

Other than the many beaches and hikes, there are still a handful of things to do in Half Moon Bay as a budget traveler. The nearby Howick Historical Village gives visitors a chance to take a look at the lives of the first European settlers in New Zealand with the help of reenactors and model houses. Much like the rest of Auckland you will find the same age-old hills and parks in the neighborhood, providing travelers with a different view of the city across the bay.

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Waiheke Island

If you are really wanting to get a break from Auckland, you can find all the natural beauty of Waiheke Island just a 40-minute boat ride across the water from the CBD. Although a return ferry ticket costs 42 NZD, you could spend the whole day on Waiheke Island exploring the beaches, walking the hiking trails, or tasting wine at one of the vineyards. Although many of the more adventurous things to do on the island cost a bit of money, there are still loads of coastal walks and natural beauty to be found.

Although Waiheke is an island located right across the bay from Auckland, it is still a huge area to cover. If you don’t have a car you still have the option of renting a bike. But even your basic bicycle will cost you about 40 NZD for a day. If you are a true budget backpacker in Auckland, you can still explore quite a bit of Waiheke Island even without a set of wheels. The quaint town center and white sands Onerea Beach are just a short walk away from the ferry terminal. Many of the hikes on Waiheke can even be done with having to head out to the other side of the island.

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Traveling to Auckland as a Budget Backpacker

When compared to the beauty of Queenstown and the South Island, Auckland can not compare with the natural beauty of the mountains and lakes of the south. The bottom line is that Auckland is more of a place to settle down and raise a family rather than an exciting city to be explored by budget backpackers. Don’t expect to find a city on par with the likes of New York or Hong Kong, where you can easily get lost in the winding streets and discover something new behind every corner.

Life moves slower in New Zealand and as a solo traveler on a budget you may feel limited in the things you could do in Auckland. With the hostels alone being expensive as it is, you will probably not want to splurge on a car rental or expensive tours taking you out to some of the more remote destinations on the island. But if you are up for the challenge, you can still immerse yourself in the culture of Auckland without spending an arm and a leg. A more authentic side of New Zealand can be found in the city, but you will have to keep an open mind and not expect to find the exact same sense of adventure that is in South East Asia.