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Because it is the capital city, the New Zealand Parliament and the head offices of many Government departments and large businesses occupy central Wellington. This is especially true in the areas closest to Parliament Buildings - the northern end of The Terrace and Lambton Quay areas and the Thorndon commercial area.
Much of the central city is built on reclaimed land that was raised up after a major earthquake in 1855. More land has been reclaimed since then. The shoreline as it was in 1840 is marked by plaques in the footpaths on Lambton Quay (hence the street name). There are several Quays which are now nowhere near the harbour. The harbour's former name was 'Port Nicholson' and the smaller bay surrounded by the city is called 'Wellington' or 'Lambton Harbour'.
Earthquakes have played a major part in forming the whole Wellington region, the exposed face of the Wellington fault being prominent as the line of hills adjacent to the harbour between Thorndon and Petone. There are several major earthquake faults in the region, some of which slip a metre or more in one jump every few centuries. Building regulations have meant that many older city buildings have been either demolished or strengthened, or require such work to be undertaken. Small and moderate earthquakes occasionally rock Wellington; so if the earth seems to move for you, it may not be just your imagination. Take shelter from potentially falling objects wherever you are - beneath door frames or heavy tables.
There are some places in Wellington where damage from the 1855 earthquake is still visible. The most accessible is a large landslip on SH2 between Ngauranga and Korokoro (just north of Rocky Point where the BP petrol station is located) where the dramatic change in terrain is visible. Bush has overgrown the slip but it is still visible. However, most people are oblivious to the location of this landslip as they drive by on the highway.
Wellington is known as the Windy City. The prevailing wind is from the northwest but the strongest winds are southerly. The wind speed and direction can be seen by the flag being flown from the Beehive. A large flag is flown only on calm days, a small flag is flown when windy days are expected.
The temperature in Wellington rarely drops below 0°C (32°F), even on a cold winter's night, while daytime winter temperatures are rarely lower than 8°C (46°F). During summer, the daytime maximum temperature rarely gets above 25°C (77°F). Away from the seaside, in inland valleys, frosts of up to -10°C (14°F) have been recorded and snow settles on the nearby ranges in winter.
Wellington sits at the southern tip of New Zealand's North Island. The city core lies along the western shore of highly-protected Wellington Harbour, with the city's suburbs spreading out in all directions. The city's primary urban core consists of the CBD and the adjoining 'city suburb' of Te Aro, to the south and east. A fairly dense zone continues south from Te Aro into the adjoining suburbs of Mt. Cook and Newtown, as well as Kilbirnie on the other side of the parklands of Mt. Victoria.
East from Te Aro, north-south ridges form Mt Victoria and, further east yet, the Miramar Peninsula, which forms the western side of the mouth to Wellington Harbour. These hills-and the isthmus between-are home to a number of suburban areas as well as parkland and beaches.
Several kilometres south of central Wellington is the rugged and stunning South Coast of the North Island, consisting of a string of small (and some large) bays, many with rocky beaches and interesting tide pools.
To the west, the suburbs between Karori and Johnsonville spread into the hillsides, with various parks and hiking trails, and then give way to open rural areas such as Makara.
To the north are the cities of Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt and Porirua, predominantly dormitory suburbs of Wellington, but geographically separate.
The harbour is the jewel of the city, on a bright calm day it is stunning from any vantage point. The harbour is almost a perfect circle with the city on the south western edge, Petone on the northern side and Eastbourne, a small seaside village, on the south eastern side and accessible by ferry from the city centre.
Wellington International Airport [url=http://www.wellington-airport.co.nz/]]is in Rongotai, about 5 km (3 mi) from the central city. It sits on an isthmus between the Miramar peninsula and Mount Victoria. The southerly approach is over Cook Strait, while the northerly approach is over the harbor.
Wellington airport is a major transit point for domestic travellers. There are frequent flights to [[Auckland[/url]], [wiki=a4771a6e1eadb532f2e8b5815028060e]Christchurch[/wiki], [wiki=3bdcdb0c74047706b1b262094ad8fb72]Palmerston North[/wiki], [wiki=d615ae8dee1c3a6cab71f98c4bbc3111]Rotorua[/wiki], [wiki=8be40808db75e76f64ff79ea4e0eab08]Hamilton[/wiki], [wiki=178c208a7826cd998f077494802f7706]Nelson[/wiki], [wiki=add4243fcae1f78ba2c06661fb79f8bc]Blenheim[/wiki] and many other destinations. International flights from [wiki=4442e4af0916f53a07fb8ca9a49b98ed]Australia[/wiki] ([wiki=1fc91e86962825bb745de53d1657b3e4]Sydney[/wiki], [wiki=7c885b9c7c703a77befcabeea54944d5]Melbourne[/wiki], [wiki=759302fb84c5f72078746e7358ba44a0]Brisbane[/wiki]), Gold Coast and Canberra (from September 2016) arrive about twice daily: the evening flights arrive after midnight when most facilities are closed. There are also flights from Wellington to Fiji and Singapore (from September 2016).
Airlines flying to Wellington
Air Chathams - Connecting Chatham Islands to the mainland
Air New Zealand - Extensive domestic network using Wellington as one of its hubs for domestic travel. Offers numerous services to small towns across the country as well as an abundance of flights to large cities such as Auckland and Christchurch. A small number of daily international flights to Melbourne, Sydney and Nadi too
Fiji Airways - Connecting Wellington and Nadi a few times a week
Golden Bay Air - Services to Takaka
Jetstar - Numerous daily services to various domestic NZ destinations as well as Melbourne and the Gold Coast
Originair - Offering services across the Cook Strait to Nelson
Qantas - Daily services to Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney
Singapore Airlines - Four weekly flights to both Singapore and Canberra commencing in September 2016
Sounds Air - Offering regional flights across the upper South Island as well as to Taupo
Virgin Australia - Daily services to Brisbane (codeshares services with Air New Zealand)
Landing at Wellington Airport in a strong cross-wind can be an adventure, and most pilots adopt a powered approach for approach, followed by a full reverse thrust and hard braked landing due to the shortness of the runway. This tends to create a roller-coaster ride, so make sure your seatbelt is securely fastened, as is required anyway.
There is a regular airport bus known as the Flyer that departs from the south end of the domestic terminal until 9PM. Shuttle van services, taxis and covered carparking are directly outside the terminal.
When you get to the airport, call the Metlink hotline at 0800 801700. They answer very quickly and a friendly person will tell you what bus to take and even what special pass to buy (for example, if after the "Flyer" you are taking a train) if you say where you are going.
There are only two major roads into the Wellington metropolitan: State Highways 1 & 2.
State Highway 1 (North-west bound from CBD)
connects the CBD to the suburbs and other cities within the metropolitan such as Johnsonville, Tawa, Porirua, Paremata, Paraparaumu, Waikanae and Otaki State Highway 1 continues north connecting Wellington to the cities of Palmerston North, Taupo, Hamilton and Auckland with connections on route to other state highways.
State Highway 2 (North-east bound from CBD)
connects the CBD with the suburbs and other cities in the metropolitan such as Lower Hutt and Upper Hutt then over the Rimutaka Ranges to the Wairarapa (part of the Greater Wellington region).
Both highways are initially a motorway, but after approx 20 km (12 mi) turn into single lane highway as they negotiate difficult terrain. While local authorities are working on improvements, serious and fatal crashes are not uncommon on these roads: remember to keep left, maintain a reasonable speed, and use the passing lanes to overtake slower traffic.
Drivers using the Rimutaka Hill road must be alert to extreme wind and weather, especially in winter. The road can close several times a year due to snowfall near the summit. The descent down the Wairarapa side needs special care as there are many sharp corners and the road is quite narrow in places.
Hitchhiking from central Wellington is difficult as most traffic stays within the metropolitan area, and it is illegal to hitchhike on the motorway until the Hutt Valley (about 15 km/9 mi northeast of Wellington) or Paremata (about 20 km/12 mi north). If intending to hitchhike, you are best to catch a train to Waikanae or Upper Hutt and walk to the main highways to catch a lift from there. Using a sign will help in matching a willing driver and destination.
Be aware that a few hitchhikers, including tourists, have been attacked or murdered in New Zealand. While usually no problems occur, always be aware, and try to travel in pairs to reduce your risk.
There is a train service between Wellington and Auckland. There are daily commuter services from [wiki=3bdcdb0c74047706b1b262094ad8fb72]Palmerston North[/wiki] and [wiki=552d69cf01e114cc2479f19b682619f4]Masterton[/wiki] and a generally half-hourly suburban commuter service to Johnsonville, the [wiki=b6b87599a808c2e2561a927751ad93fe]Hutt Valley[/wiki], [wiki=854be331292c9afab1e614ca99cdcef7]Porirua[/wiki], and [wiki=94679a1e98e18838551376b4e1a6d13a]Waikanae[/wiki] on the [wiki=3354fade6d0b45af0b0c841126c8686f]Kapiti Coast[/wiki].
[url=http://www.ManaBus.com]ManaBus.com[/url] offer bus services to Wellington several times a day from throughout the North Island at great value.
National bus carrier InterCity [url=http://intercity.co.nz]]operates bus services to Wellington from across the North Island. Daily services operate between Auckland, [[New Plymouth[/url]], [wiki=8f83571f9324ae4e23d773753055c7b6]Napier[/wiki], [wiki=a9c873535deba0b8d3e009b1ed4a9f10]Hastings[/wiki] and Palmerston North, as well as overnight services between Auckalnd and Wellington. All InterCity Wellington bus services depart and arrive at Platform 9 at the Wellington Railway Station.
Nakedbus [http://nakedbus.com/nz/bus/] offers a more limited national network and offers daily (and some overnight) services to most major destinations on the North Island.These depart from a bus stop opposite the Amora Hotel on Wakefield Street or outside the McDonalds on Bunny Street, right opposite the Railway Station.
There are regular ferries between Wellington and [wiki=3edac8dc8c2aa82d2601ace46a6c53c0]Picton[/wiki], connecting with buses and the train to Christchurch. The Bluebridge Ferry Terminal is located adjacent to the Wellington Railway Station (next to the BNZ Harbour Quays building). The Interislander ferry terminal is located about 2 km (1 mi) northeast of the railway station, and a $2 shuttle bus runs between the Interislander Ferry Terminal and the railway station (bus terminal next to Platform 9).
Cruise ships from overseas often call on Wellington[url=http://www.wellingtonnz.com/discover/travel/visit-by-cruise-ship/].] If you are arriving on a large cruise ship, you will dock at Aotea Quay, located beside Westpac Stadium in between the Interislander Ferry Terminal and the railway station. Get pdf map[url=http://www.wellingtonnz.com/assets/Uploads/files/maps-guides/WellingtonDowntownMap.pdf[/url].]At the Wellington Cruise Terminal[http://www.centreport.co.nz/cruise-information[/url], you may chat with Wellington City Ambassadors and pick up maps and brochures for your visit to the capital. Computers, phones, a post box and metered taxis are all available at the terminal. From there, you might take a shuttle if offered by your ship, or catch a shuttle operated by the city, which costs around $5. Due to this port being busy and industrial, it is recommended that you taxi or shuttle into the city rather than walk. If you do choose to walk, just follow the yellow lines outside the terminal; a walk to the railway station is about 10 minutes, along an industrial area, and to the city centre 20 minutes. Smaller cruise ships dock conveniently at Queens Wharf, which is right in the middle of the beautiful downtown waterfront.
The core of Wellington is notably compact and vibrant, and is well-suited to exploration by walking. As dictated by geography, the core of the city is quite linear, with the classic commercial backbone known as the Golden Mile making for a diverting and pleasant walking route. This route runs from the Railway Station down Lambton Quay to its southern end at Willis Street. It then runs down lower Willis Street to Manners Street and the pedestrianized Manners Mall, and continues straight onto Courtenay Place. On the Manners Mall section, the route crosses Wellington's bohemian heartland of Cuba Street, which heads south into the core of Te Aro. While these streets mark the traditional core of the commercial city, the surrounding blocks also have plenty to be seen.
Another enjoyable and popular place to amble in the city core is the Waterfront, from the revitalized Kumutoto area in the north, past Queen's Wharf to Frank Kitts Park, and then through the Lagoon and City-to-Sea Bridge areas and on to the Te Papa museum and Waitangi Park. From here the waterfront curves northeastward along lovely Oriental Bay with its beach and promenade.
Wellington city itself has an extensive network of buses, including a significant number of routes served by electric trolleybuses.
The Kelburn cable car is a Wellington icon. It provides a regular service between Lambton Quay and Kelburn. The Wellington city terminal is at the end of Cable Car Lane, just off Lambton Quay, near the intersection with Grey Street. The Kelburn terminal is at the end of Upland Road by an entrance to the Botanic Gardens. One way fares on the cable car range from $2 for children and $4 for adults. The cable car operates every 10 minutes and usually between 7am and 10pm, 7 days a week (though times may vary during weekends and public holidays). The Cable Car also makes stops at Clifton Terrace, Talvera Terrace and Salamanca Road (Victoria University)
The Eastbourne ferry service, which provides regular services between Queens Wharf and Days Bay in Eastbourne, also stops at Somes Island most trips. There are also limited ferry services to Seatoun and Petone during both weekdays and weekends
The train is the best form of public transport between the central city and Johnsonville, as well as the Hutt Valley, Porirua or the Kapiti Coast - although you do have to walk from Melling or Western Hutt, or catch a bus from Petone or Waterloo (Hutt Central) stations to central Lower Hutt's CBD.
At Wellington station the destination and departure time of the next train departing from each platform is displayed on the message board at the entry to each platform. Two announcements are made a few minutes before each train is due to depart. Tickets can be bought at the Wellington station ticket office or suburban ticket agents. Since most smaller stations do not have ticket offices, you can also buy single journey tickets, and day passes, with cash, from the conductor on the train, after you board and often once the train is moving. Monthly passes do need to be purchased from a station ticket office or suburban ticket agents in advance.
The easiest way to travel between the Hutt Valley and Porirua is by train via Wellington (it is no cheaper to change at Kaiwharawhara, not all services will stop there and the timetables mean there is generally no time-saving). Trains run every half hour on the Hutt Valley and Porirua lines, and more frequently during peak hour. Services generally run every half hour on saturdays and sundays.
A Day Rover pass allows unlimited trips on any of the four commuter lines on the same day (from first off-peak service departing after 9AM weekdays and all day Saturday and Sunday). This can often work out cheaper than buying separate tickets if you need to make two or more journeys. A 3 Day Weekend Rover pass is available for train travel from 4:30AM Friday to midnight Sunday. If you have a group of people, a Group Rover pass allows up to 4 people to travel together on the same conditions as a Day Rover.
As in all New Zealand cities, taxi rates vary according to the company. There is a "flagfall" charge, then a per kilometer charge once the cab starts moving. Extra fees apply for things like airport pickup, phone booking, electronic payment etc. Major taxi companies in Wellington include (alphabetically) Combined, Corporate, Green and Kiwi. There are many alternate taxi companies and taxis are usually in plentiful supply.
Check the door of the taxi before you get in for the current approved fare rates. Wellington taxi charges are high on international comparisons.
As noted above, driving in the core of Wellington is generally not necessary or as convenient as walking. However, it is not particularly difficult once you learn the one-way system, nor is traffic a big worry outside of normal rush-hour periods.
Street and garage/surface lot parking is not particularly difficult for a city of Wellington's density, but as with any city you may have to search a bit for a street spot. Street parking is generally metered in the centre at a rate of $4/hour (between 8am and 6pm Mon - Thu and 8am - 8pm Fri), often with a one or two hour time limit. Multi Storey car parks tend to be similarly priced, but you can generally stay for longer periods.
In the suburbs immediately surrounding the city, coupon parking zones exist in conjunction with Resident Only parking. In the Coupon Zones, two hours of parking are free. Beyond that you must display a coupon to allow you to park for the entire day. These are available at convenience stores for $7.50 each. Enforcement of the Coupon Zones is from 8AM to 6PM. Resident Zones are generally reserved for Residents (displaying a current permit) at all times, and you may be served with a ticket for parking there without a permit.
On the weekend, metered car parking is free, with a two-hour time limit on both days.
Major routes in Wellington
Wellington Urban Motorway
Connects Wellington CBD to the Centennial Highway and Hutt Expressway
Centennial Highway
Connects Ngauranga, Wellington Urban Motorway and Hutt Expressway to Newlands and Johnsonville
Hutt Expressway
Connects Ngauranga, Wellington Urban Motorway and Centennial Highway to Petone, Avalon, Manguraki, Lower Hutt, State Highway 58, Silverstream, Upper Hutt and the Rimutaka Hill Road
Johnsonville-Porirua Motorway
Connects Centennial Highway, Johnsonville, Newlands and Churton Park to Tawa and Porirua
State Highway 58 (Haywards Hill)
Connects Porirua, Paremata, Whitby and Pauatahanui to Judgeford, Moonshine Valley, Haywards, Hutt Expressway and the Hutt Valley
Rimutaka Hill Road
Connects Hutt Expressway, Upper Hutt and the Wellington Metropolitan to Featherston, Carterton, Masterton and the Wairarapa
Wainui Road
Connects Lower Hutt, Gracefield and Waiwhetu to Wainuiomata (population: 16,000)
Wellington is home to a range of good coffee roasteries. Local roasters include Caffe L'affare (recently sold for $25 million to an overseas company), Coffee Supreme, Havana, Mojo, People's Coffee and Red Rabbit Coffee Co. Below is a small range from the extensive list of the Wellington cafe scene:
* Aro Cafe - On Aro Street, offering a range of vegan and gluten-free food.
*A retro, beach paradise inspired cafe and restaurant with Wellington's best outdoor dining area. Beach Babylon serves good, retro New Zealand cuisine and great prices.
* Butlers Chocolate Café - Willis Street - chocolates, coffee and decadent hot chocolate. If you're a chocolate lover, you can't miss this!
* Cafe Neo - 132 Willis St - a trendy cafe offering a delicious variety of cuisine and very good tea.
* Caffe L’affare - with its own roastery that supplies New Zealand coffee to cafes and supermarkets across the country. Popular cafe.
* Clarks Cafe - located in the Wellington Central Library, Clarks is one of the few places where you still put your own food on the tray - and then wait for your coffee at the counter.
* Customs Brew Bar - Coffee Supreme's flagship store on Ghuznee St, offers a range of espresso, soft brew and filter coffee, and sells single origin beans and brew gear to take away.
* Deluxe - nestled beside the Embassy Theatre, Deluxe is the ideal pre-movie meeting place, portions are well-sized and the food is tasty.
* Espressoholic - centrally located on Cuba Street.
* Fidel's Cafe - an popular destination, it is claimed to be one of Wellington's best-known cafes. Has a selection of vegetarian and vegan food.
* Floridita's - in Cuba St on Marion Square, good cooking using fresh, locally grown and organic food that’s popular among foodies
* Front Page Cafe - 40 Boulcott St off of Willis St. Caters for both the public and Wellington's local newspaper staff (The Dominion Post).
* Gasoline- between Woodward Street and The Terrace in Wellington's business district, Gasoline caters to a largely corporate clientele.
* Kelburn Cafe - Located on Upland road amongst the Kelburn shops.
* Maranui Cafe [url=http://www.maranui.co.nz/cafe]-]in the surf life-saving club buildings at Lyall Bay (near the airport). Relax in front of a panorama of the beach and the Cook Strait.
* Memphis Belle [url=http://www.facebook.com/memphisbellecoffeehouse[/url]]- Great single origin filter coffees from Flight Coffee around the corner.
* Midnight Espresso - Selection of mostly vegetarian counter food.
* Ministry of Food - just up the road from parliament, what else can you call the place where the civil servants go to eat.
* Nikau at the Art Gallery [url=http://www.menumania.co.nz/restaurants/nikau-gallery-cafe[/url]](Civic Square) - good food, but at relatively high prices.
* Olive Cafe - a long-established cafe on Cuba Street. Has a selection of vegetarian and vegan food
* People's Coffee [http://peoplescoffee.co.nz[/url] - excellent single origin espresso in Newtown. Also, their "Brewtown" next door is a great place to try some filter coffee.
* Plum - located on Cuba Street and recently given a refit. Great coffee and food selection.
* Red Rabbit Coffee Co. - Specialist micro-roastery operating out of the historic Hannah's Factory building on Leeds St, Te Aro.
* Simply Paris - new to Wellington and has a range of tasty sweets and pastries.
In Wellington's CBD:
* China Delight - on 18 Allen Street off of Courtenay Pl. Offers both Cantonese and Mandarin cuisine with some generous lunchtime specials.
* Majestic Cuisine - on 11 Courtney Pl.
* Regal - on 7/9 Courtenay Place.
Modern bistro. Classic combinations, fresh ingredients, attentive service.
*
* Exquisite French dining (and service).
* In the former banking chamber of an historic banking building.
*Pravda means “The Truth” in Russian, but here it is a cafe, bistro, bar and restaurant. The coffee is strong, the food is diverse and of a high standard.
* Winner of numerous awards, specialising in seafood, NZ meats and organic veges.
Every suburb in Wellington has a good fish and chip shop.
In Wellington City:
* Athena Fish and Chips, Onepu Road, Lyall Bay.
* Fisherman's Plate, 12 Bond St, CBD. Don't know about their fish and chips, but they also do excellent, authentic Vietnamese food in admittedly shabby surroundings.
* Huckle & Co., 31 Dundas St, Seatoun.
* Mt Vic Chippery; 5 Majoribanks St, Mt Victoria.
* Northland Fish & Chip Shop; 57 Northland Rd, Northland
* Starfish, Molesworth Street, Te Aro - slightly more pricey than most but worth it.
* Supremo Takeouts, 2a Moxham Ave, Hataitai
* Te Aro Fish Supply; on Aro St.
* Wadestown Takeaways, 102C Wadestown Rd, Wadestown.
Further north:
* Asian Takeaways; Ganges Rd, Khandallah
* Calypso Fish & Chips; 5 Waiwhetu Rd, Waiwhetu, Lower Hutt
* Dennis Fish Supply; 103 Randwick Rd, Moera, Lower Hutt
* Plimmerton; Beach Road, Plimmerton, Porirua
* So Fine Seafoods, 2 Tennyson Ave, Avalon, Lower Hutt. Voted NZ's best fish and chips shop in 2008.
Zest operate a number of food, coffee and chocolate walking tours around Wellington.
In Wellington CBD:
* Great India. Very well-known restaurant. Has won the Wine & Food challenge for several years running.
* Tulsi, 135 Cuba St or takeaway in the BNZ food court. Their butter chicken was voted best in Wellington.
* Little India, two Wellington locations, 18 Blair Street off Courtenay and 115 Cuba Mall. You can also order for delivery at [http://www.littleindia.co.nz/].
* Higher Taste, Lower Ground, Old Bank Arcade, Customhouse Quay. The only pure vegetarian Indian Restaurant.
* Masala Indian Cafe & Bar, on 2 Allen St off of Courtenay Pl. Delicious lunch specials start as low as $6.
* Mughlai's Curry Corner, on Willis St. Yummy Indian food and friendly shop owners, excellent for takeaway and home delivery. Guaranteed halal. Order at www.mughlai.co.nz
* Namastey India, on Dixon St, below karaoke place. Delicious food, and the lunch set is amazingly cheap. Halal.
* Taste of India, takeaway only, one of the best in town. Don't be put off by the appearance. Good vegetarian options.
In Thorndon:
* Indus, on Tinakori Road, Thorndon (near the Thorndon shops and Premier House.) They do delicious North Indian food, and their tandoori chicken is fabulous.
In Newtown:
Some of the best ethnic restaurants are on Adelaide road in the southern suburb of Newtown, between Wellington Hospital and the Zoo.
* Curry Heaven. A fantastic small traditional restaurant, the people are friendly and do takeaways, the Malai Kofta is excellent.
* Planet Spice. Two doors down from Curry Heaven on Adelaide road, they also do fantastic food, and have an upstairs area.
* Indian Flavours. A truly Indian experience, all traditional curries, and Indian sweets, very authentic, best place for a home-sick Indian.
Japanese cuisine. Enjoy the stylish and modern atmosphere at Yoshi Sushi & Bento in the heart of Wellington CBD. Choose from the vast array of Japanese sushi and sides starting from as little as $1 or enjoy a delicious Japanese bento (lunchbox), salad, miso soup, or a combination of them all. Catering also available.
* California Sushi, on Left Bank off Cuba St. Yummy food and friendly shop owners. The place might not look like much, but they provide excellent service.
* Crowded, loud, fun and delicious. BYO.
* Japanese-style barbeque, fresh sushi, great selection of beer and sake.
* Japanese cuisine, fresh sushi, great selection of beer and sake.
Vegan Malaysian/Chinese food. Friendly staff & a homely atmosphere. One of the best bargains.
* Cinta Malaysian Restaurant, on Manners St, facing the Manners park. Affordable Malaysian food with nice cultural decorations and cosy lighting.
* Little Penang, Dixon St. Lovely staff, excellent mee goreng.
* Satay Palace, Cuba St (between Floridita's and Aunt Mena's). Don't let the run-down decor fool you, ultra-cheap, excellent food and service.
* Satay Village, 58 Ghuznee St. These guys do a good curry laksa. Locals love this place because the owner seems to be able to recall what people have ordered before with near perfect accuracy.
* Roti Chenai Cafe, Shop 5, 120 Victoria St. Very good Indian and Malaysian cuisine.
* Satay Kingdom; Left-Bank (off Cuba Mall). This is the student Malaysian restaurant. On most evenings you will find it overflowing with people coming in for its cheap ($8 - 12) and hearty food. But don't be put off by the large numbers, the service is incredibly fast with food often arriving at your table before you if you're not quick!
A bit classier/more expensive but very authentic; excellent variety of tequilas.
* Mexican QBT, 33 Customhouse Quay (on the waterfront by Wagamama). Open on weekdays for lunch, choice of Quesadillas, Burrito or Tacos for $10.
* Pan de Muerto, Tex-Mex restaurant. Apparently relocating to 82 Tory St in November 2012.
* Viva Mexico, 210C Left Bank (off Cuba St). Reasonably cheap ($10-20). Viva Mexico is known for its strong adherence to authentic Mexican cuisine (as opposed to the growing mexican-american trend). The place is vibrant and has colourful decor, friendly staff, and a feel that is bound to submerge you into a bubble of real Mexican culture.
The Backbencher - opposite Parliament on Molesworth Street. Dine with the political figures of the day, who have a menu to match their misfortunes.
A lighthearted political/current affairs show is broadcast from the Backbencher on Wednesday nights (except in Summer) and the bar will often be packed with various Members of Parliament, Parliamentary staff, political activists, and journalists. Crowd participation is encouraged with heckling common, but the audience are good natured as a camadarie has developed amongst most activists, regardless of affiliation.
* The Green Parrot, 16 Taranaki St, (04) 384 6080, [http://www.greenparrot.co.nz/]. Opened in the 1920s and offers a very interesting atmosphere. Great food, large portions, open late, and serves free bread with every meal. The filet mignon is great! $10-30.
Wellington Night Market, Left Bank (off Cuba St), Fridays 5pm-late - Lovely chilled-out bohemian vibe, live music towards the start, great variety of stalls selling Sichuan, Malaysian, Japanese, South Indian, African, Maori, Hungarian and Mexican food, among others.
* BNZ Centre Food Court (Food on Willis) - there is a food court in the basement of the big black square tower on the corners of Willis, Willeston and Victoria Streets. It has been neglected for many years and might not be the most pleasant place to dine, even if the stalls food is good. It is mostly frequented by the many office workers in the area looking for a place where all co-workers can dine together happily. There is Sushi, Indian, Greek, Turkish stalls, amongst others. There are few seats not taken at lunchtime, so you may want to just get take-away. Some of the stalls offer discounted food after 2PM, and are all closed by 3PM.
* Reading Cinemas Food Court - offers a variety of different places to dine including both restaurants and fast-food outlets ranging from McDonalds to Steak Restaurants to Asian Cuisine. Open till late. Walk along Courtenay Place and you can't miss it.
In Wellington CBD:
* A-Roy Thai House - on 101 Cuba St, near the bucket fountain. Cheap, delicious and quick Thai food.
* Thai Chefs Restaurant on 1 Blair St, very tasty.
* Thai House Restaurant on 124 Cuba St, open daytime and evening.
AbraKebabra - on Manners St, near Dick Smiths. Affordable and good food, not limited to Turkish cuisine.
* Babylon Kebab - on Cuba St. Until late on weekends.
* Kebab Bros - on Cortenay place, near Courtenay Reading. Good & affordable food, nice atmosphere.
* Cafe Pasha - on Dixon St, Affordable and good food
Always blasting out tunes. Selection of mostly vegetarian counter food.
* Vegan Malaysian/Chinese food. Friendly staff & a homely atmosphere.
Boutique on 58 Victory Avenue Karori West. Airport Transfer from $25 Dorms $50 A warm New Zealand family environment
* Family operated BnB, cottages and townhouses all within 10 minutes walk of main attractions
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* Rowena's Lodge, 115 Brougham Street +64 385-7872. Campsites from $15, dorms $23.
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*Two heritage cottages fully renovated with garden, parking and Wi-Fi included.
*Fully furnished serviced apartments offering quality accommodation for short and long stays.
* 5 star Bed and Breakfast located 7 minutes from Airport, Interislander, Te Papa and CBD.
CityLife Wellington, 300 Lambton Quay, phone +64 4 922 2800, res.citylifewlg@heritagehotels.co.nz, fax +64 9 4 922 2803 [url=http://www.heritagehotels.co.nz/]]Vehicle entrance: 14 Gilmer Ter. Four star plus, suite style hotel.
*Distinction Wellington Century City Hotel, Studio rooms, 1 & 2 Bedroom Apartments and Penthouse Suites. Rooms priced from $149. 70 Tory St, phone: +64 04 801 0780, [http://www.distinctionwellington.co.nz[/url].
*Museum Hotel - Hotel de Wheels, 90 Cable St, (opposite Te Papa - Museum of New Zealand), freephone: 0800 994 335, [http://www.museumhotel.co.nz/]. This hotel was moved to make way for the national museum. From $149.
There are several of these in Wellington, most are up the hill a little, closer to Mt Victoria (still very close to the city). Some are simpler - like just a room with shared bathroom facilities and a "mess" hall (might be closed in summer). Others are self-contained units, and some are 3-4 bedroom apartment buildings.
"Aparthotels" are pricier, but you get more, and are usually more central and have better service and facilities.
* This is self-contained townhouse which sleeps up to 8 located 10 minutes walk from Te Papa and CBD.
*Serviced studio apartments featuring 84 studio apartments in central Wellington. Each studio has private bathroom, kitchenette, and free Wifi.
A better way to get to know more locals and experience some NZ culture (if that's what you are looking for) is a shared house (a "Flat" in NZ English). These are an option for stays of a month in the Summer while students are away - usually Flats are for the year or at least several months). Look for "Flatmates wanted" in the local Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday newspaper ("Dominion Post") classifieds. Possibly a better option are the TradeMe listings [http://www.trademe.co.nz/flatmates-wanted/wellington]
Flats are much cheaper and usually well furnished already by the other tenants in the communal rooms. You may need to provide your own bed (you could buy a cheap one second hand for the summer), or they might be able lend you one. All flatmates share the rent, bills and chores, and occasionally food, meals and even washing too. Some flats come fully furnished, but this is not the norm.
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The [wiki=e9d3259b6c4fbd02d10f6043bf2f99a3]Greater Wellington[/wiki] region is far bigger than just Wellington City. The old Wellington Province used to cover much of the southern half of the North Island, including the [wiki=c00e5296ed94c5871a2297d949281823]Horowhenua[/wiki], [wiki=2953bf5330a21aa775bc5d06a30942a9]Manawatu[/wiki], and [wiki=114064a551f2c0a73bb05aa1a4b585fe]Wanganui[/wiki] regions.
There are three other cities that are so close to Wellington that they effectively form a single large urban area; in population order they are:
*[wiki=957accfd11d590461367aa3edaa23023]Lower Hutt[/wiki] (sometimes erroneously called "Hutt City", after its local council's self-chosen name)
*[wiki=854be331292c9afab1e614ca99cdcef7]Porirua[/wiki]
*[wiki=114ab1a71846955558018d60440d5950]Upper Hutt[/wiki]
The nearby [wiki=b6b87599a808c2e2561a927751ad93fe]Hutt Valley[/wiki] and Porirua have a number of interesting sights and beaches. Plimmerton, for example, has seen future world windsurfing champions training, and Edmund Hillary practised rock-climbing at Titahi Bay before conquering Everest.
The suburbs of Eastbourne and Days Bay are on the eastern side of Wellington Harbour. They can be reached by car, bus or ferry. There are a number of enjoyable hill walks in both Days Bay [url=http://www.gw.govt.nz/eastharbour/]]and Eastbourne [url=http://www.eastbourne.gen.nz[/url].]The East By West ferry service [url=http://www.eastbywest.co.nz/[/url]]departs from Queens Wharf (Wellington) and travels to Days Bay Wharf, some services will stop on request at Somes Island (in the middle of the harbour), see route map [url=http://www.eastbywest.co.nz/pages.php?ID=3[/url].]On weekends and public holidays the ferry also operates a harbour tour service which stops at Petone Wharf and Seatoun.
Further afield, the south Wairarapa has become one of New Zealand's wine growing regions. Tranzit run a train/bus wine tasting tour[http://www.tranzit.co.nz/Day-Packages/Gourmet-Wine-Escape.asp[/url] that leaves from Wellington Railway station each morning and visits four vineyards in the Wairarapa town of Martinborough, $115.
*The Kapiti Coast is often called "The Nature Coast" and is a beautiful mix of beaches and lush native scenery. Spend the day at the beaches, near a river, or taking a walk through one of the many beautiful trails surrounding the hills and valleys bordering the coastline.
Take a 200 minute trip on one of the Interislander[url=http://www.interislander.co.nz/]]or Bluebridge[url=http://www.bluebridge.co.nz/[/url]]ferries to [[Picton (New Zealand)|Picton[/url]] and then warm up and chill out (trust me, you can do both!) in [wiki=178c208a7826cd998f077494802f7706]Nelson[/wiki], the place where Kiwis would most like to live.
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[[WikiPedia:Wellington]]
[wiki=cf49c3cbb110f27f2acf868d39b01df1]Dmoz:Oceania/New Zealand/Wellington/Wellington City[/wiki]
[wiki=d75d0fd1fcf095a536dd53c0935787c5]World66:australiaandpacific/newzealand/greater_wellington/wellington[/wiki]