Contrary to a popular belief Auckland is not the capital of New Zealand, Wellington is, but Auckland is in fact the largest city in this country.
Auckland is usually the first port of call for tourists arriving from overseas and rightly so. With the largest international airport in New Zealand It’s a super convenient location to start your New Zealand Road Trip.
Auckland is where I started my adventure in New Zealand, my year on a Working Holiday Visa.
It was the first place where I experienced the excellent kiwi hospitality, tried the local food and bought my car, which would carry me all around New Zealand for the next 12 months!
Since I am not a massive fan of museums and other man made structures I wanted to invest my time in this city searching for its best viewpoints. After all Auckland’s skyline is quite impressive! Here’s what I found.
1. Mount Eden lookout
First photography location in Auckland is Mount Eden. It is accessible by foot and it lies approximately 4 km from city center. Mount Eden is the highest non-manmade point in Auckland.
It is actually an inactive volcano and once you get to the top you get to see the crater. Not only do you get an awesome 360 degree view of the city, but you can also say that you climbed a volcano.
2. Cyril Bassett VC lookout
I stumbled upon this photography location by just driving around on the other side of Stanley bay whilst looking for a good place to take a sunset photo of Auckland’s skyline.
It was my favourite spot, but the sad news is, you need a car to get there. If you’re doing a North Island road trip though, chances are you’ll have to hire one anyways.
3. Stokes Point Reserve
Located directly under the north side of the harbour bridge, and although frightfully windy, Stokes Point Reserve is a fantastic photography location to take capture Auckland’s dramatic skyline both during night time and daytime.
4. Skytower Observation Decks
The highest manmade structure in New Zealand and the only photography location which I visited in Auckland and I had to pay for.
Two observation decks offer great 360 degrees views of the city both day and night. The downside is, you will always be behind a window therefore it can get a bit challenging taking the photos, especially at night, because of the reflections you will get from the light inside.
From the lower deck you can watch people doing the Skyjump, but the view is spoiled by the ropes used for the activity. From the top deck, labeled as ‘Skydeck’ you have uninterrupted views of the city. Entry prices start at NZ$ 35.
Best places to stay in Auckland
Best Value
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- Perfect place to stay and interact with other travelers
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Top Rated
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- Clean rooms with comfortable beds
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For Luxury Fans
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- Friendly and welcoming staff
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Whilst Auckland would definitely not be my number 1 choice when looking for photography spots in New Zealand if you do find yourself in this city I hope this posts will help you out with planing your visit.
In my opinion, New Zealand isn’t about cities, it’s about nature, hiking and road trips. Auckland is very well situated to venture out and visit some of the premier hikes on the North Island.
