Auckland Sightseeing Explained: The Top Deck Advantage

Written By Benjamin Dale

Auckland is a city built on harbour views, volcanic cones, historic suburbs and sweeping coastlines — and the absolute best way to experience all of it is from above.
More specifically, from the top deck of a beautifully restored 1960s London Routemaster.

This blog explains why elevated sightseeing is superior to ground-level touring, why the top deck changes how travellers perceive Auckland, and why the Vintage Views Double Decker Discovery Tour has become the most iconic way to see the city.

1. The Science and Psychology of Seeing a City From Above

Human beings naturally gravitate toward elevated viewpoints.
Why?

  • We see more

  • We understand our surroundings better

  • We feel safer

  • We gain visual clarity

  • We receive more sensory information

  • We form stronger emotional memories

In tourism psychology, elevated viewing creates a sense of:

  • Awe

  • Discovery

  • Calm

  • Orientation

  • Freedom

This is why travellers climb the Sky Tower.
This is why scenic lookouts are always crowded.
This is why drone photography is so addictive.

The top deck of a double decker bus harnesses that same energy — on the move.

2. Why the Top Deck Gives the Best Sightseeing Experience in Auckland

Auckland is visually complex, split across coastlines, volcanoes, bays and skylines.
From ground level, much of its beauty is hidden.

From the top deck, everything opens up.

Panoramic Vistas

See the city in wide angles:

  • Rangitoto Island

  • Waitematā Harbour

  • City skyline

  • Mission Bay

  • Harbour Bridge

Clear Sightlines Above Traffic

No vans.
No fences.
No crowds.
Just open, uninterrupted views.

Architectural Appreciation

From above, you see:

  • Rooftops

  • Lines

  • Angles

  • Streetscapes

  • Heritage villas

  • Church spires

  • Art deco façades

Better Photography

The top deck gives:

  • Higher angles

  • Cleaner foregrounds

  • Stronger compositions

  • More cinematic framing

For social media creators, it’s gold.

3. Auckland Is Built for Elevated Touring

Auckland’s layout makes the top deck advantage even stronger because of its:

Harbour

Most of the city’s beauty comes from its waterline — best seen from above.

Volcanic landscape

Mountains, peaks, dips, ridges — a city with varied elevation looks better when viewed from height.

Coastal drives

Tamaki Drive is one of the most scenic coastal roads in the Southern Hemisphere.

Urban density

Auckland CBD is dense enough that street views are blocked — but the top deck rises above it all.

4. The Routemaster Effect: Heritage Meets Elevation

The Routemaster combines two rare qualities:

Height

A proper, high, real double decker with full visibility.

Historic beauty

No modern bus is as charming or aesthetically pleasing.

Guests don’t just see Auckland —
they feel something while seeing it.

This emotional connection is the secret behind Vintage Views’ success.

5. Why the Top Deck is Better Than Hop On Hop Off

Traditional Hop On Hop Off buses:

  • Are modern and bland

  • Sit lower to the ground

  • Have smaller windows

  • Are built for transport, not views

  • Spend time idling at stops

  • Offer less scenic routes

Vintage Views:

  • Prioritises scenic roads

  • Has a higher top deck

  • Offers massive windows

  • Does a smooth, flowing loop

  • Avoids unnecessary stops

  • Focuses on beauty, not logistics

The difference is night and day.

6. What You’ll See From the Top Deck of the Double Decker Discovery Tour

Mission Bay & Tamaki Drive

Blue water, sweeping coastlines, Rangitoto Island — absolutely stunning from above.

Auckland Harbour Bridge

The top deck gives the best skyline view in the city.

Viaduct Harbour

Luxury yachts, glass towers, a waterfront skyline.

Ponsonby & Parnell

Historic villas and tree-lined streets look incredible from a higher angle.

CBD

Sky Tower framed dramatically between buildings.

Westhaven Marina

One of the largest marinas in the Southern Hemisphere — beautiful from above.

7. Why Cruise Passengers Love the Top Deck

Cruise travellers have:

  • Limited time

  • Limited mobility

  • A desire to see as much as possible

The top deck:

  • Gives them instant views

  • Requires no walking

  • Shows all the highlights quickly

  • Delivers premium comfort

  • Provides phenomenal photo opportunities

This is why the Double Decker Discovery Tour is now the #1 cruise-friendly sightseeing tour in Auckland.

8. The Top Deck Is a Moving Lookout Point

Think of it like this:

Sky Tower = a lookout you go up
Routemaster = a lookout that MOVES

It brings the lookout experience through:

  • Mission Bay

  • Parnell

  • Ponsonby

  • CBD

  • Viaduct

  • Harbour Bridge

No other tour in Auckland does this.

9. The Future of Auckland Sightseeing Is Elevated Touring

The top deck provides:

  • Efficiency

  • Beauty

  • Comfort

  • Perspective

  • Emotional resonance

  • A sense of grandeur

  • Photographic superiority

This is why globally, elevated tours outperform standard tours — and why Vintage Views is leading Auckland’s premium sightseeing market.

10. Conclusion: Sightseeing in Auckland Makes More Sense From Above

No matter how you travel — solo, with family, on a cruise ship, as a couple — the top deck offers:

  • The best photos

  • The best views

  • The best comfort

  • The best route

  • The best storytelling

  • The best 90-minute highlight loop

This is sightseeing the way it’s meant to be experienced.

Vintage Views doesn’t just take you through Auckland.
It elevates Auckland.

Benjamin Dale
Next

The Art of Vintage Auckland: How Retro Culture, Classic Style & a 1960s Routemaster Bus Shape the City’s Most Beautiful Tour Experience