I had 3 full days in Auckland and the North Island. I have been wanted to visit Auckland for quite some time. The City of Sails is on my bucket list. Auckland is the largest city in New Zealand and also the most populous one. Although 1.5 million might make it small by comparison. This is also the financial hub of the country. Auckland will be my last city before heading back to Singapore. The finale of my New Zealand trip! Welcome to Seeing The World In Steps 147th City!

Car Rental in Auckland

I rented a car for our time in the North Island and we got a rental from Europcar for 4 nights. Sixt and Europcar are my go-to companies for car rental. I also have mid-tier status with both of them. After comparing the rates, Europcar was cheaper and we got the entry-level rental for 321 NZD with basic coverage. This comes up to around 240 SGD. Prices were unexpectedly cheap and the difference was huge between the rates in the South. The rates were the same be it renting for 2 days or 4 which leads to the decision of me simply renting for the entire time I was in Auckland. This makes it convenient as it covered our transportation while in the city.

Perhaps it is due to the holidays. We just opt for the basic coverage with a 4500 NZD excess. My travel insurance covers up to 2500 SGD and as such I was quite comfortable with it.

Collection at Auckland Airport is straightforward. The Europcar Branch can be found immediately after exiting the belts. You will see the sign straight on. Although operations have since been moved to the carpark due to the recent flood damage. They have makeshift operations now at both the domestic and international terminals. There was no one in line and I was greeted by a very friendly associate. The registration was quick and the staff went thru all the details with us before handing us the key. It is lovely to hear that we got a car upgrade to an SUV. The car was excellent. We got an almost brand-new Kia Niro which was a gem to drive. The car is only a week old and had only 700 km on the mileage. It reeks of the new car smell. This is a stark difference from our car rental experience in Christchurch.

As usual, we went around the car to check for damages and snap some videos and pictures before getting ourselves comfortable.

Driving in Auckland

Driving in Auckland is pretty straightforward and it is similar to Singapore. After all, we are all modelled after the British system. We drive on the same side and the road markings are similar. New Zealand is one of the easiest places to drive. The low density and well-maintained roads make it much better. Traffic is significantly higher and busier over here in Auckland, especially during peak periods. In the city, parking is mostly paid. It pays to look around as some rates are rather hefty. Do note that some lots only allow you to park up to a certain time. Parking roadside is complimentary on public holidays.

Do download the app online to check the prices and find the cheapest option around the city. Gaspy is very useful! I find BP and Caltex the most expensive when driving in New Zealand. For the big brands, you can sign up for their membership to enjoy some savings. Most of the major stations are manned and you can pay in the store inside. You have the typical brands that you know. In contrast to the situation that we are used to, petrol stations are not open 24 hours so do check the operating hours before heading over.

While we might think that New Zealand is a generally very safe place. Do still take the usual precaution. Don’t leave bags or valuables on the seats where they can be seen and lock the doors. We saw a car broken into at Hagley Park leaving the tourists scratching their heads. It isn’t even a quiet spot but rather parking with plenty of other cars and people walking around.

Auckland

Cornwall Park

One Tree Hill

Auckland Harbour Bridge

Silo Park

Sky City Casino

Dining in Auckland

I had some really good meals while in Auckland. In addition to this, you got to check out my previous review of Hilton Auckland. The meal at FISH was one of the best I had in town.

Auckland Fish Market is another nice spot for lunch. We had some lovely seafood on the terrace. It is much smaller than expected but still worth checking out. We got some grilled prawns and fried stuff.

To satisfy our sweet tooth, we got Giapo. An artisan ice cream with all sorts of cones. Some are really out of the world. Do note that the more complicated it is the more expensive it is! Haha, we went for the more simple one and got the Broken Cone. It was great!

For our last night in Auckland and our last meal, we went to Depot! A restaurant that I have always wanted to try and visit while in town. It is buzzing the night we were here. I am lucky to get a table when we were there. We got the Grilled Kahawai and Pork Hock after a recommendation from the staff. It is awesome and we mopped up everything. This is one of the best meals I had in town. I will certainly recommend everyone in Auckland to visit this place.

Conclusion

We had a leisurely time in Auckland. 3 full days are enough for the city. Auckland City is rather niche and you can easily cover it in 2 days or so. We had a nice time checking out the city and the suburbs on the first day we had. We went on a day trip to Taupo on the second day and the last, we went to the outlet mall for shopping. If you have some time, the casino is pretty much happening too. I can’t say that I will be back in town given the amount of places in the world left for me to explore but I can certainly see myself coming for a night or so if it is my getaway to NZ.