Much like the Sydney Harbour the Viaduct Basin in Central Auckland is a splendid location tourists must visit. Viaduct Basin was formerly the commercial harbour of Auckland, but now it has been transformed to include upscale apartments, offices and fancy restaurants. The venue has been used in the past for the America’s Cup, a Yacht competition which was hosted by the Royal Yacht Squadron in the year 2000.
The earliest design for the Viaduct Basin is based on the basins in London. It was used as a harbour for fishing boats and there was a fish market and a number of warehouses in the area. In the initial construction there was a mechanical bridge installed. The bridge was raised during the times that fishing vessels entered the harbour. Even timber mills were established near the Viaduct Basin. It was also the entry point for immigrants arriving from the Pacific Islands and the Maori people.
Following the 90’s Viaduct Basin saw a massive change; apartments and restaurants were built in the area and most of the waterfront was occupied by working boats and fancy yachts. A large number of tourists visit the place to enjoy the delicious cuisine available at the restaurants and to watch public performances. There is a host of activities you can do when visiting the waterfront, the National Maritime Museum is but a few minutes’ walk from this place. You can also explore the tepid baths, they are historical indoor bathing pools built around 1914. The pools originally had separate male and female lanes; there were saltwater pools and heated pools which were frequented by competitive swimmers and the general public in Auckland city.
You can even do a tour of Victoria Park; the park is open to the public and it is a great place to relax and enjoy some quiet time. The Victoria Park Market is within these premises; you can buy arts and crafts from the market and it is the best place for New Zealand souvenirs.
When deciding on accommodation for your trip to New Zealand an Auckland city hotel would be a good choice. There are several Auckland hotel specials available for tourists so you can get rooms at an affordable rate. Check out Copthorne Hotel Auckland City for great vacation packages.
Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.
