Generally the national capital cities are the centre of powers. They usually have interesting government buildings, tourist places, museums, parks, etc. That was the main motivation for me to stop into Wellington New Zealand. The city is closely related to the settlements of Māori people (in the Palliser Bay area).
Overall, I loved my stay in the impressive capital city. Wellington is absolutely worth spending at least a few days. In this post I will share some of the general observations about Wellington, the capital of New Zealand. The next post (Wellington City – Top Things to Do & Places to Visit) is aimed at providing more information about the important places to visit in the city.
Where is Wellington New Zealand?
Well, the capital city is situated in the in the southern tip of the North Island. Rimutaka mountain Range and Wellington Harbour surround the city on the western and eastern side, respectively. The sparkling city provides you a blend of coastline and hills.
Auckland to Wellington
I took a flight from Auckland to Wellington. Initially, I wanted to travel by train, but a train journey takes more than 12hrs. In order to save time, flight was the only option.
If you are flying from Singapore, then you can check with the Singapore Airlines or Jetstar. They offer very good connectivity from Singapore.
Wellington accommodation
There are a variety of hotels available in Wellington. You may find a good one with online booking (e.g. Booking.com). I will recommend you to stay in the city centre area. Although the city centre doesn’t have a huge geographic span, it does contain a good number of places worth visiting. The parliament building, library, etc. are located directly in the city centre. There is also a McDonald’s outlet open for 24 hours (in front of the railway station).
Wellington New Zealand airport bus
You can take the bus number 91 from the airport to the city centre. The buses are also known as the Airport Flyers. It takes roughly 20 minutes to reach the city. You’ll pay NZ $11 for a one way bus ride. During my bus trip, there was a kid on the bus who kept shouting all the way.
There are free telephone services available at the airport, and you just have to dial the phone if you need any help. The helpline representatives are very friendly and informative.
Get around
Wellington is well-suited for the people who love walking. You can cover the entire stretch around the city centre area just by walking. Lots of historical places, including Parliament, Old St Paul’s, etc. are located at the walking distances.
As such, there is no Metro train service in the city. However, there are regular bus services to visit the places in and outside the city. For example, if you want to go to Karori Park, you can get a bus from the city centre. In case you have transportation related queries, you may use the Metlink helpline number -0800 801 700. They provide you complete information about route fares, routes, etc. The bus fare can be paid using cash or the Wellington stored value cards. Bus drivers are very friendly and feel free to ask them if you need relevant information.
Queens Wharf
The Queens Wharf area is full tourist, throughout the day. Here you’ll also have a chance to dig deeper into the colonial history of wellington. The sunset view in the evening is worth checking out.
You should also check out the cranes placed in the water. In fact, I was fascinated by the heritage cranes. These cranes were brought from Europe (e.g. Glasgow Wharf) and were used for construction and other works in New Zealand.
Once upon a time, the Queens Wharf used to be full of such cranes. Now there are only two left, and you will definitely notice them as you walk along the Wellington Queens Wharf.
You can also find historical stuff, museums, and art galleries along the Queens Wharf. The whole area can be covered by strolling.
Wellington cable car
A cable car ride is a must when you are in Wellington. In fact, the car is often referred as the icon of the Wellington city. It operates from 7am to 10pm. One way fare for an adult is NZ $4. However, for a return ticket, you get NZ $ 0.5 discount. This is the easiest way to reach the botanical garden. The ride from the Kelburn terminal to the botanic garden takes hardly 5 minutes and there are three stops in between. Frequency- every 10 minutes. For further details, check this one out – Wellington Cable Car Timetable & Fares.
Relaxed and friendly vibe
Similar to any other city in New Zealand, Wellington also has a relaxed and friendly vibe. Not much of rush. Most of the shops in the city would shut down by 7pm. If you go to eat out after 9pm, you may have to struggle to find a proper eatery.
People in wellington are very friendly. It was winter when I was there and everyone looked relaxed. There weren’t many foreigner tourists. I did meet a few Singaporeans – I mostly recognised them by the Singlish accent. 🙂 I guess the Singapore Airline is contributing well to the Wellington’s tourism.
The countdown supermarket
The Countdown supermarket lets you buy the convenience items at a reasonable price. I especially liked eating salads. However, they don’t provide free spoon/forks – you’ll need to buy.
Wellington light festival
The Wellington Light Festival is another great event to experience if you are in the city. I was fortunate to be here on time. As you walk along the Queen’s wharf, you will see so many different venues for the festival. At quite a few venues, it can be very noisy. The event was sponsored by the Singapore Airlines. I will write a dedicated post about the light festival.
Scenery
The city centre itself may not have the best scenery of Wellington. However, similar to Auckland, you have to go beyond the city centre to see the beautiful scenery. Zealandia Ecosanctuary is a must visit, and I will write a separate post about it. The Wellington Botanic Garden is also worth checking out.
If you happen to visit the botanical garden, do check out the Lady Norwood Rose Garden, it’s part of the botanical garden. The roses are fresh and full of fragrance. There is also a cafeteria near the rose garden.
Historical buildings
Wellington has a good number of historical sites. The Old St Paul’s is kind of a must visit if you are into the history.
Most important places to visit
I will list down some of the must visit places in Wellington. For further details, please refer to my next post (Wellington City – Top Things to Do & Places to Visit). 🙂
- The Beehive (Parliament Buildings) – A free hour long guided tour is provided. I really enjoyed the tour and it’s fair to say that it’s a must if you are into history and politics. You can’t take photos inside the building. In fact, you have to put your phone in the locker near reception. A new tour commences each our, throughout the day.
- Old St Paul’s – The historical church is located close to the Parliament. This is a popular venue for weddings and funerals.
- Te Papa Museum – Allow at least a half day, free entry. There is also a cafeteria inside the museum.
- National Library
- Wellington Cable Car
- Zealandia Ecosanctuary
- Karori Cemetery Office
- Futuna Chapel
- Carter Observatory
- Oriental Parade
- Victoria University of Wellington
- Turnbull House
- Plimmers Ark Remains
- Museum of Wellington City and Sea
- City Gallery Wellington
That’s it for this post on Wellington New Zealand. If you need a visa for New Zealand, do check out my articles about New Zealand visa application in Singapore.
You can also check out my other posts about New Zealand tourism from my trip, or the other countries, or the complete navigation list. You can also find more about me.
Let me know your suggestions!
Wish you a great travel in New Zealand. 🙂
Last updated: Tuesday, July 17, 2018
To je to, co je hodnotny obsah! 🙂