Sign in with Facebook
2D Hammond Avenue, Auckland, ., New Zealand
Check Rates and Availability
of people enjoy staying here
4 Opinions
Siam-I-Am Thai Restaurant
Maori carvings
Albert Park
NZ126Meals
Hi,
Is there much to do in the Auckland airport? Somehow I am flying in midnight and on the domestic flight out only the next morning 6 AM. Are shops open and what can I do within the few hours?
Thanks!
Tracy....I'm so sorry for you....really, really sorry. Buy a book or try to find a good spot and get some sleep. There is nothing to do at Auckland airport...nothing. All the stores close around 22:00, and they're not great anyway. I've spent 12h there once.....terrible....and my flight delayed as well. Lucky me.
Depending on the day go to a pub in the city....
There are not even great pubs or restaurants. Be happy that you can stay at the airport. In Wellington they close over night ;-))
Yeah AKL airport sucks at night time, your best bet would be to head upstairs in international and head round to your left when you get up there till you can't go any further and try and get some sleep on those seats then when its near your domestic flight head over to the domestic terminals.
The reasoning for going hard left until you can't go any further is because at the first part where you can sit/lye down everyone comes and bangs on the window trying to get the attention of their friends/family etc that have just gone through security and it is a pain in the B U T T!!
Tamaki Drive is the main road between the Auckland downtown area and the eastern beach suburbs. Along Tamaki drive you can get great views of the CBD, the Waitemata Harbour, Rangitoto Island, and Devonport.
This photo is taken from outside Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World. Another good place to go for a view is Bastion Point. At Mission Bay, you can stop for a coffee (if you can find parking and you're feeling pretentious enough to join the "see and be seen" crowd).
For a quiet day in the Hauraki Gulf, visit Rangitoto Island (Fuller's ferry). Maps of walks can be found on the wharf. Enjoy the track up to the summit and then take a loop walk around the crater's rim. Bring good walking shoes and a picnic!
A delightful place to stop for a coffee and snack, and there is a table for two where you can have a light lunch. Very helpful staff who seem to truly care about your needs. However this is more a place to buy some wonderful Italian food supplies, ranging from mineral water and juices to recipe books and kitchen ware. With everything in between including various oils and pasta. Traditional Italian Breads baked daily.
Gournet meals.
Recipe books and cooking supplies, both edible and utensils etc.
Coffee beans and coffee machines/ A small but nice and certainly adequate lunch for me was a stuffed chicken let, nicely presented with coffee and briande. $13.
The ferries, departing from the terminal at the… guess… Ferry Building at the Waitemata Harbour end of Queen Street, are a great alternative especially for getting to Devonport/North Shore and avoiding traffic jams on Harbour Bridge.
The most important trips, however, are to the many islands in the Hauraki Gulf – Waiheke, Rangitoto, Great Barrier, Tiritiri Matangi, etc. Reservations are normally not necessary but if you want to go to Tiritiri Matangi which has limited access it pays to get your ticket in advance (with 360 Discovery), so you do not miss out on the day you want to travel.
Also the dolphin cruises start here, as do other charters.
The terminal of the big cruise ships is – if you stand in front of the Ferry Building – to your left. Just where a cruise-ship-like looking apartment buildings separates Waitemata and Viaduct Harbour.
The main ferry service company is Fuller’s.
You find a journey planner – like for buses and trains - on http://www.maxx.co.nz/
Specific info about Auckland’s ferry service on http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/auckland/Transport/ferry/default.asp
Fuller’s website is http://www.fullers.co.nz/
If you need a car ferry to Waiheke or Great Barrier Islands you have to use Sealink. Info here: http://www.subritzky.co.nz/
360 Discovery mainly operates harbour and dinner cruises, and charters. They also have tours to Tiritiri Matangi (NZ$ 66).
It is also the company that runs the ferry from Auckland to Kawau Island.
They also have a commuter service to/from Gulf Harbour which is north of North Shore, about half way between North Shore and Warkworth. The timetable is really only for commuters and travellers who stay up there. The ferries sail to Downtown Auckland in the morning and back in the evening – the other way round only from Wednesday to Sunday. Info here: http://www.360discovery.co.nz/
A single trip costs NZ$ 13.40
Spices Indian Cuisine is one of a number of food outlets at Food Alley food court in downtown Auckland.
Food Alley is located on Albert Street , just off Customs Street, and just a few minutes walk from Queen Street.
As well as Spices, I also saw a Thai food outlet, a noodle house, a fried chicken fast food joint, a Chinese restaurant and a Turkish kebab outlet on the ground floor on the food court. A sign pointed to a Japanese restaurant and a steakhouse upstairs. The surroundings are very humble with wooden tables and green chairs in the communal dining area, and the various food outlets around the edge.
I ate at Spices first during a 5 day stay in Auckland in March 2006. The meal left such a good impression on me that I made sure to return there again on my return to Auckland 5 weeks later.
As you would expect, curries are the speciality at Spices. Choose from chicken, lamb, beef, seafood and vegetarian curries, and from korma, vindaloo, tikka, rogan josh and several other sauces.
As well as curries, there are a few other meat and vegetarian dishes and a good selection of naan breads to accompany your meal (plain, buttered, garlic...). On both occasions that I visited Spices, I opted for:
Prawn Curry - Cost: 10 NZD
A hot curry with around 10 large prawns in a dish and served with a side plate of white rice. I opted for the "medium" curry (as opposed to the "spicy" one)......and it's a good jod that I did, because this was plenty hot enough!
I was very impressed with this curry!
Buttered naan bread - Cost: 2 NZD
The naan breads are excellent value at just 2 NZD. I can personally vouch for the tastiness of the buttered naan!
Coca Cola (500ml) with ice - Cost: 2.20 NZD
Drinks are purchased from a separate outlet, called Alley Cats, within the food court. You are offered a choice of ice cold soft drinks, milkshakes, beers (bottled and draught) and hot beverages.
Excellent quality (and value for money) curries on a humble food court. Very highly recommended, especially if you're travelling on a budget!!
Sponsored Links
Near Marco Polo Backpackers Lodge
Cheapest in Auckland
Great Hotels for Less
Sponsored Links
Latest Auckland hotel reviews
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Check Rates and Availability (from our partners)
