Auckland · New Zealand
March
Autumn shoulder — Homegrown music festival and post-summer calm with great weather.
Best match
#2 of 12 months
March is one of the best times to visit Auckland.
Climate
High
22°C
Low
15°C
Rain
93mm
Sun
6.4hrs/day
30-year climate normals · Open Meteo ERA5
How March scores in Auckland
Weather
Excellent
Value
Above average
Crowds
Above average
Events
Excellent
Atmosphere
Excellent
What you gain in March
- ↑Homegrown music festival (early March at Queens Wharf) is New Zealand's premier domestic music event — a 12-hour, all-New Zealand lineup on the Auckland waterfront that draws 20,000+ attendees. The setting, with the Sky Tower visible and Waitemata Harbour as backdrop, is among the world's more attractive music festival environments. Tickets typically sell out months in advance.
- ↑March temperatures remain excellent at 22°C while the summer tourist peak subsides: accommodation prices drop noticeably from February, Waiheke Island ferries have available seats, and the general pace of the city eases into the pleasant Auckland autumn.
- ↑The Hauraki Gulf sailing conditions are at their best for day sailors: consistent autumn winds without the January crowds on the water. Sailing charter operators (including NZL Sailing Team experiences) offer good availability in March.
What you sacrifice
- ↓Rainfall increases from February: 93mm with occasional multi-day rain events that can affect hiking plans in the Waitakere Ranges. The Piha surf beach rip currents require particular caution.
- ↓International school holiday patterns (specifically Australian and British Easter visitors) can create a secondary March–April accommodation pressure that drives prices back up.
How March compares to October (best month)
| Factor | March | October ★ |
|---|---|---|
| Weather | 8 | 8 |
| Value | 5 | 6 |
| Crowds | 5 | 6 |
March in other destinations
Lisbon (16.6°C)Barcelona (15.8°C)Tokyo (13.8°C)Bali (30.8°C)Santorini (14.6°C)Paris (11.5°C)New York (9.7°C)Marrakech (22.3°C)Amsterdam (9.2°C)Maldives (30.8°C)Rome (15°C)Bangkok (34.3°C)Istanbul (11.6°C)Vienna (10.3°C)Seoul (9.6°C)Dubrovnik (13.9°C)Rio de Janeiro (29.7°C)Kyoto (14.3°C)Phuket (33°C)Cape Town (25.4°C)Prague (10°C)Amalfi Coast (15°C)Mexico City (26°C)Medellín (28°C)Fiji (30°C)London (12°C)Sydney (25°C)Iceland (4°C)Tulum (30°C)Dubai (29°C)Singapore (32°C)Hoi An (28°C)Chiang Mai (34.5°C)Miami (26.7°C)Florence (14.8°C)Queenstown (19.5°C)Madrid (15°C)Porto (17°C)Edinburgh (9°C)Copenhagen (7°C)Budapest (11°C)Kraków (9°C)Tbilisi (13°C)Palawan (31°C)Hanoi (22°C)Osaka (14°C)Goa (34°C)Cusco (19°C)Buenos Aires (27°C)Mykonos (15°C)Zanzibar (32°C)Sri Lanka (32°C)Costa Rica (27°C)Cancun (30°C)Krabi (34°C)Athens (16°C)Seville (21°C)Cartagena (32°C)Siem Reap (33°C)Havana (28°C)Split (14°C)Taipei (22°C)Kuala Lumpur (33°C)Valletta (17°C)Ho Chi Minh City (35°C)Hawaii (27°C)Cappadocia (11°C)Dominican Republic (29°C)Jamaica (30°C)Tanzania (27°C)Seychelles (30°C)Nepal (24°C)Jordan (17°C)Azores (18°C)Bora Bora (30°C)Los Angeles (21.5°C)Cairo (25.1°C)Kenya (28.5°C)Jaipur (30.8°C)Las Vegas (22.5°C)San Francisco (15.1°C)Madeira (20.5°C)Vancouver (10.5°C)Muscat (31.5°C)Lima (26.4°C)Cinque Terre (14°C)Kotor (14°C)Tel Aviv (21°C)Santiago (27°C)Bogotá (18°C)Bruges (10.1°C)Penang (33.1°C)Lombok (31.4°C)Cape Verde (26.5°C)Fez (19.5°C)Kerala (33°C)Kigali (26°C)Hong Kong (21°C)Oslo (5°C)
Climate data: 30-year normals (1991–2020) from Open Meteo ERA5 reanalysis. Scores compare months within Auckland, not across destinations. Methodology →