Hello!
Worry not intrepid travellers! I have compiled a trusty guide – tips and tricks if you will – for enjoying your best life in New Zealand’s capital city!
#1: Groceries
We’ll start off with the thing on everyone’s mind. From the selection of trendy cafes and restaurants to basic groceries, food (along with clothing and pretty much everything) can be pretty expensive here. Of course, there are exceptions. For instance, I would highly recommend checking out ‘Everybody Eats’ which takes in left over food from other restaurants and ensures it doesn’t go to waste by offering it to people of any budget and, by supporting it as best you can, you would be helping a valuable and thoughtful enterprise. Moreover, remember the exchange rate basically makes everything look double the price! This caught be off-guard to begin with, however and I would nevertheless recommend using a budget and meal planner to keep things from adding up too much! Pak n Save is the cheapest supermarket here, however, if like me you find it awkward to get to, Countdown is your next best option. New World, too, can also sometimes be the better option for certain things.
- There is also a farmer’s market every Sunday morning on the waterfront and more than worth a look, because the fruit and veg is way cheaper there!
#2: Accommodation
If you are looking to go as a student and are considering student accommodation, I would also encourage you to follow both your flat and the university itself on Instagram and/or Facebook. This is where you’ll find out about events and freebies/giveaways etc. – and there sure are a surprising amount of them! Whilst I can only really speak for Kelburn flats, I would regardless highlight it as a great option for those looking for a little more independence. I was in a flat with three other international students and campus was only a 5-10min walk away with the city only a 20min walk or so. Very convenient! However, if you are looking for more of a community and want to participate in flat events/giveaways, I would rank Everton Halls a little higher – although they are more like first year accommodations.
#3: TRAVEL!!!
If you are a year abroad student like me, you may not get much of a UK summer when you set off as you will be starting term half way through the New Zealand academic year in July. That being said, the New Zealand summer will more than make up for it! You will get November to February off for their summer period with no assignments or expectations, and I would make the most of it. As best you can, see as much of the country as possible!
Rent a car if you can, because the roads are mostly very quiet and there are many places you can only get to by car. If you can’t do that, the Intercity bus is also an amazing option – it will take you all over the country between the different cities.
On that note, don’t miss out on South Island. Get the ferry across at some point and make sure to check out Queenstown, Dunedin, Tekapo, Arrowtown, Picton etc! Hostels are generally very good and I did Workaway to save on money and get to know local people/families.
#4: Sun Cream and UV Protection
Wear sun cream! I can’t stress this enough. Not only will the intense sun damage your skin, but if that wasn’t enough, the UV rays are no joke. They can and will catch you throughout the year unless you regularly apply sun cream and stay out of the sun as best you can.
#5: Buses/Trains
Remember to pick up a Snapper card if you’re planning on staying in Wellington for a decent amount of time. Public transport in New Zealand is, unfortunately, not very good and I was irritated to discover that nearly every city requires that you buy a different/separate bus card in order to use the buses. In Wellington, you will need a Snapper card which allows you reduced prices both on the buses and the trains.
- On that note, don’t be afraid to hop on a train to Lower Hutt which is just a short train ride from central Wellington and is home to some stunning walking and/or cycling routes and coastal views!
#6: Have Fun!
A cop-out piece of advice here, because that’s what every travel guide has to include at some point. It just feels like it fits. But, a nugget of wisdom I was bestowed with is that you should do as much as you can now, because you may not get the same opportunity again. That’s not to say that you will never return to New Zealand (in fact, I am hoping to return again as soon as I can!), but there is no guarantee your circumstances will be the same. You will only be who you are right now once. It’s either uplifting or a bit of a downer depending on how you read it, but I would regardless encourage you to make the most of every second. New Zealand is an amazing place and the people in it are one-of-a-kind and fun is not difficult to find!
#7: Must-See Sights and Experiences
Because of my vague #6, please enjoy a more rapid-fire list of things to check out – let’s go!
- Check out the Cable Car (It’s not just a convenient way of getting up the steep hill on a wet/windy day when you’re bone-tired, but it is a historical landmark and the visuals in the tunnel are enough to take your breath away.)
- Te Papa Museum (It wouldn’t be a complete list without including New Zealand’s national museum! From land to sea, dinosaurs to animals to plants to an unmissable Gallipoli exhibit featuring larger-than-life wax models from the world-renown Wētā Workshop, Te Papa is a must-see!)
- Mount Victoria (If you have the energy, the best times to check out the views of the city from the top of Mount Victoria are at sunrise or sunset. Otherwise, a clear sunny day offers gorgeous panoramas of the city and harbour that are well-worth the hike to the top. Moreover, if like me you are an avid Lord of the Rings fan, there are a couple of filming locations on the way up. The best one of these is ‘Hobbit Hideaway’ where, in The Fellowship of the Ring, the hobbits hid away from one of the black riders! Although the tree was added for the film, the location is still very much there and worth a picture or several!
- The Botanical Gardens (See a painter’s pallet of flowers and plants from across the world including sections dedicated to unique New Zealand flora? Of course, it’s a necessary stop when you’re in Wellington! At the top of the cable car and situated with more gorgeous views of the city, the gardens make for a perfect picnic destination or afternoon stroll – particularly if you’re looking for somewhere quiet to do some reading!)
- Tour the “Beehive” (The government building sure is an interesting sight to take in and whether or not politics are your thing, you would be remiss to miss out on a free tour of this unique hub at the centre of New Zealand’s political power.)
- Duck Island ice cream (There are numerous places in the city if you’re searching for a sweet treat on a sunny day, but my recommendation would be Duck Island on Cuba Street. The heart of creativity in the city, Cuba street itself is often highly regarded for those visiting Wellington for its funky bars, restaurants, and shops. It is a great base to explore the city from and it is also home to Duck Island ice cream which offers a delicious spread of ice cream (including vegan options) that are some of the best I have ever tasted!)
- Tip Top and Tim Tams (staying on the theme of Wellington treats (because I can’t hide my sweet tooth!), I would like to take the time to recommend these New Zealand favourites. Tip Top is yet another ice cream brand that can be found across the country both in tubs and cones and, as I have mentioned in another blog entry, Goody Goody Gumdrop is a particular Kiwi favourite. Tim Tams are a gooey chocolate biscuit that actually remind me of McVities’ Penguin Bars, so take that as you will! They are particularly delicious when dipped into a cup of tea – ask New Zealanders about a ‘Tim Tam Slam’!
- Wētā Workshop (There are two Wētā Workshops in New Zealand and, admittedly, I only went to the one up in Auckland. See my blog detailing my North Island escapades for all the details about that incredible experience! Wētā Workshop is an award-winning film effects company that has worked on such famous productions as The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and Avatar among many others. Whilst I am not sure what the tour in Wellington entails, I did take the time to check out their Lord of the Rings museum and gift shop which is free to enter and more than worth a look if just for the pictures with the trolls outside!)
- Beaches (I am not an enthusiastic beach-goer, however I have eyes enough to see that all the beaches around Wellington are absolutely stunning (and good for sunning!) Moreover, whilst I have never tried it, Lyall Bay looks to be a hotspot for anyone interesting in surfing – or even if you want to spend an afternoon watching the surfers instead.)
Ok, so I cheated a little with the last one. That was definitely more than 7 ‘Must-Do’s, but I was not about to have a list of 13! I hope you found at least some of it useful, but in truth even if you listen to nothing, I am pretty confident you will still have an incredible time if you ever find yourself here. What I didn’t quickly figure out by myself, I was enthusiastically told by those around me both at the university and from chance encounters from passing strangers. You will be well looked after!
Enjoy your travels!
