Auckland Region – Guide for Backpackers [2023]

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Backpacking in Auckland Central

With towering buildings, it can sometimes feel like Auckland City is in its own little bubble. Especially because Auckland Central has snippets of everything. There’s all the convenient services, shops, entertainment venues and nightlife, plus, plenty of squares and big green open spaces. The Auckland Domain is the largest of these green areas. A number of walks take you through wooded areas that you would never think could exist in a city!

Things to Do in Auckland Central

• Check out Maori carvings, WWII memorabilia and more at the Auckland War Memorial Museum (get your ticket on Klook, Viator or Tripadvisor)
• Take the ferry to Devonport to explore the WWII tunnels at North Head and swim at Cheltenham Beach
• Climb up Mt Eden for amazing city and island views
• HIke the Coast to Coast Trail for a true backpacking experience in the city
• Explore the bushwalks and Winter Garden in the Auckland Domain.

With a whole lot of backpacker hostels, no doubt you’ll find yourself staying in Auckland Central at some point. Don’t waste your time here; check out what there is to do with our guide, Auckland Central – Guide for Backpackers.

Auckland nightlife is as if it has been made for backpackers with a super cheap bar crawl and backpacker events. Just check out our Guide to Auckland Nightlife for more information.

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Backpacking the Hauraki Gulf Islands

From the downtown Ferry Building – a big orange building easily spotted from the end of Queen Street – you can take a ferry ride to one of the islands of the Hauraki Gulf. Around 50 islands are dotted around the Hauraki Gulf, part of the Pacific Ocean that lies next to Auckland. Check them all out in our Auckland Hauraki Gulf – Guide for Backpackers or The 10 Best Islands in Auckland to Visit. Otherwise, here’s a quick rundown…

Rangitoto Island and Motutapu Island

A highlight is Rangitoto Island, Auckland’s youngest volcano, which offers amazing bush walks over black volcanic rock. Find out more in The Guide to Rangitoto Island and Motutapu Island.

Waiheke Island

For beaches and vineyards, head to Waiheke Island. This island is civilised with bars, activities, fun methods of transport, and relaxing beaches. There’s so much to do, so be sure to see Waiheke Island – Guide for Backpackers.

Great Barrier Island

Excellent backpacking that is way off the beaten track is at Great Barrier Island. It may take a 4h30min (off-season) or a 2-hour (peak season) ferry ride to get there, but with so much to discover like natural thermal pools and the scenic coast, it is worth the journey. And guess what, we have a guide for that too: Great Barrier Island – Guide for Backpackers.

Tiritiri Matangi Island

New Zealand has some incredible native wildlife, which is best seen at Tiritiri Matangi. See the 3-eyed lizard and a “living dinosaur”, the tuatara, the takahe with its shocking blue feathers, and the little blue penguin. Learn more about the island and book ferry tickets on Viator, Tripadvisor or Klook.

For more information on these incredible islands, take a look at Auckland Hauraki Gulf – Guide for Backpackers.

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Backpacking Auckland North Shore

Moving into the upper suburbs of Auckland, North Shore is the area you arrive in when you cross the Harbour Bridge from Auckland Central. Alternatively, take a quick ferry ride across the water from the downtown Ferry Building.

Delve into the World War Two tunnels in North Head, Devonport. North Head also offers great views looking back on the Auckland skyline and over to Rangitoto Island. Venturing further north, go shopping in Takapuna and take a bushwalk in Birkenhead at Le Roys Bush Reserve or the Birkenhead Domain.

Finally, with 20 beaches lining the North Shore coast, you can pretty much take your pick on what water activity you want to do. It’s not uncommon to see paddleboarders and kayakers out on the water. Take the North Shore Coastal Walk to make sure you hit all of the beaches. A lot of the beaches on the east coast are especially scenic with the distinct volcanic shaped Rangitoto Island out in the distance.

Discover more about North Shore in our guide, Auckland North Shore – Guide for Backpackers.

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Backpacking in the Other Suburbs of Auckland

The Auckland suburbs stretch far and wide in the Auckland region. 13 suburbs are divided between 5 districts. Within some districts, there is wilderness, walks and waterfalls, while in others there’s shopping and entertainment. We have a whole separate guide to the suburb, which you can check out at Auckland Suburbs – Guide for Backpackers. Otherwise, here’s what’s going on there to see if it’s worth the backpacking mission!

The Best Auckland Inner Suburbs

The inner suburbs mainly offer alternative shopping than what is found in Auckland Central. However, there are volcanic cones to climb in Mt Eden and One Tree Hill and birds to feed at Western Springs.

Manukau

Going further over yonder, there’s the district of Manukau, which is likely to be the first and/or last place you go to in New Zealand, because this is where New Zealand’s busiest airport is. As well as catching your flight, you can catch a theme park ride at Rainbow’s End, and shop in the large shopping centre, Sylvia Park.

Rodney and Franklin

You’re always close to the sea in Auckland, but the best place to go for beaches is Rodney, where its coast has wildlife from a gannet colony at Muriwai to a superb snorkelling spot off Goat Island. The best surf beaches can be found at Waitakere, especially at the renowned Piha black sand beach. Waitakere also holds waterfalls and rainforest in the Waitakere Ranges. Find out more in Waitakere Ranges – Guide for Backpackers. More walks can be found in the Hunua Ranges in Franklin, Auckland’s southernmost district.

Like we said, we have much more information on backpacking the Auckland suburbs over on Auckland Suburbs – Guide for Backpackers.