Welcome to part two in this series, where I am on a quest to find the best mall in Auckland! This part will cover all malls in South Auckland (south of the Isthmus), and East Auckland (east of the Tamaki River). Malls in North and West Auckland were covered in Part 1 (link here), and Part 3 will feature all malls in Central Auckland and an overall ranking of all malls in Auckland.
As discussed in Part 1, for the purpose of these rankings, a mall is any enclosed, commercial building or complex with multiple stores and food outlets, a shared parking area, and an anchor tenant. This definition is a modified version of the definition found in a quick Google search, as it is hard to define "large" in a smaller country such as New Zealand, especially when compared to malls overseas. Under this definition (and an exception), there are 9 malls in South & East Auckland. Each mall is ranked out of 5 on transport (ease of access without a car), variety (how much does it have to offer), atmosphere (what is it like inside), and facilities (things like Wi-Fi and toilets) and then given an overall score out of 20. Let's get ranking! Please note that some malls may rank higher than others with higher scores out of 20, as overall comments are weighed higher.
Correction from Part 1, there are 30 malls being ranked in this series, not 31, sorry!
Pakuranga Plaza (9th)
Transport (4/5) - Transport is the saving grace of Pakuranga Plaza, with it being served by the frequent 70 and 72 routes that connect to Howick, Botany, Panmure, and the City. There are also less frequent buses to Bucklands Beach and the southern areas of Howick. It is, however, somewhat difficult to access these routes, with the 70 having temporary stops along Ti Rakau Drive, which have shipping containers as shelters. The other routes are slightly better, with routes 72C, 72M, 712, and 711 coming right into the plaza on their way to Panmure, however they stop on the other side of Pakuranga Rd when travelling towards Howick and Bucklands Beach.
Variety (2/5) - There is not much left at Pakuranga Plaza, with the majority of shops now empty. There is a Woolworths at one end and Panda Mart at the other, with very little in between. The food court has fallen into despair, with only two places left, and other than a few two dollar shops, there is very little left in the other parts of the mall.
Atmosphere (2/5) - While there are some nice plants and skylights in the mall, the ghostly feeling lingers throughout the entire mall. Many shops that are no longer at the mall haven't even bothered to take down their signage, which gave me a false sense of hope for this mall. There are some very dim parts, and in general many parts of the mall feel outdated. It is slightly helped by the presence of some table tennis tables, making some parts feel more like a community center than a mall.
Facilities (3/5) - The toilets were decent, however, it had a very strange Wifi network that involved me putting in my age group and gender, along with the normal things like name and email. Even after trying this multiple times, it would not connect, which was not helped by the fact there were many posters boasting the Wifi around the mall. There is also a large amount of parking surrounding the mall.
Overall (11/20) - It seems weird to say this, but I feel bad for Pakuranga Plaza. The empty shops and ghostly feeling make it hard to see why anyone would shop here, but alas, there were a few people there when I was, even if they were all just there for Panda Mart.
Southmall Manurewa (8th)
Transport (5/5) - Southmall is easy to access from many parts of Auckland, with it being located next to the Manurewa Train Station and Bus Interchange. From here people can get as far south as Pukekohe, up to the city, or use the various local bus services (3 of which are frequent) to get to Manukau, Clendon, Wattle Downs, and more. The Bus Interchange is easily accessed by a covered walkway over the railway.
Variety (3/5) - Southmall is anchored by New World Manurewa, which seems to bring a decent amount of foot traffic into the mall. There are various other shops around the mall, however, most of them are large two dollar shops, with only a few food places scattered around. There are also a large number of clothing stores, with all of them being independent retailers.
Atmosphere (3/5) - While Southmall has certainly improved since my last visit, inside some parts are very dim, and in general there is a weird smell throughout the mall. The floor patterns are very scratched and rough, and it felt as if the roof had just been slapped on and that the mall was designed to be open air.
Facilities (3/5) - In order to get to the toilets, you must go outside first, and inside they are not too bad, however, the weird smell from the rest of the mall is also present here. The mall features a decent amount of parking, with large car parks around the back by the train station. There is also no public Wifi network, however, many stores have their own with passwords for staff.
Overall (14/20) - Southmall has had better days but also worse, and it has improved recently from what it used to be. It serves the local community well, with its variety of independent retailers and the supermarket, which is well utilised by the community. There are also many other shops out on Great South Rd to complement the mall.
Meadowlands Shopping Centre (7th)
Transport (4/5) - Meadowlands is served by routes 72C, 72M, and 735, which connect it to Botany, Cockle Bay, Pakuranga, Howick, Half Moon Bay, and Panmure. The 72C and 72M cross over each other here, with the 72C stopping on Whitford Road, and the 72M stopping on Meadowland Drive, as well as the 735. The stops are located close to the mall, with pedestrian crossings by each of them.
Variety (3/5) - While Meadowlands' anchor tenant (Woolworths) seems to have coloured the whole exterior green, there is more inside, with some food outlets, two dollar shops, and multiple beauty parlors. Many of the shops are filled, and they seem to serve the local community well.
Atmosphere (3/5) - There are some nice plants scattered around the mall, however, it is quite dim inside, especially as there are very few windows in the corridors. Parts of the mall are almost ghost towns, and most of the people I saw just walked in for Woolworths, then straight back out.
Facilities (4/5) - The toilets are very nice, and there is a decent amount of parking, however, the Wifi is difficult to join (I had to try three times before it would connect), and there are very strange seats in parts of the mall, which are very uncomfortable and hard to sit on.
Overall (14/20) - Meadowlands very much reminds me of Kelston Mall, if it were slightly larger and more pleasant. While the inside is mainly full of Woolworths shoppers, there are some retailers facing out to the carpark, which makes it nice to walk around the edge and see.
Hunters Plaza (6th)
Transport (4/5) - While Hunters Plaza is served by two frequent routes, which link it to Mangere, Otara, Manukau, and many other places across South Auckland, the traffic (particularly on Great South Rd) is shocking, and there is no bus priority, meaning buses often get stuck in traffic and get heavily delayed as a result. There is also a less frequent service to Middlemore and Ormiston.
Variety (4/5) - I was very surprised when I walked in and saw a Kmart, as I expected Hunters Plaza to just be another Woolworths with extra steps. It also had a Number One Shoes and a variety of independent retailers. There are decent options in the food court and a donut stand, which fills the mall with the smell of freshly fried donuts.
Atmosphere (3/5) - While there are some plants throughout the mall, some parts are very dark, and some could do with a touch up. It was busy, but not so much that it was unbearable, and it wasn't too loud either. The main entrance however could do with a touch up as well, as the sign looked very old and dirty.
Facilities (3/5) - Hunters Plaza features a decently sized underground car park, and the toilets were not too bad, however, there is no Wifi in the mall, and there are not many toilets throughout the mall.
Overall (14/20) - Hunters Plaza is a nice little hub for Papatoetoe and certainly has many of the things you need for a day of shopping. It is not as big as nearby Westfield Manukau but does not need to be, as it gives people in the area what they need much closer.
Pukekohe Plaza (5th)
Transport (4/5) - Pukekohe Plaza is very unique in this category, being the only mall that one can get to another region from! Busit Route 44 to Pokeno serves the train station multiple times a day, and Route 21 travels down to Hamilton once a day each weekday. There are bus stops on Massey Avenue, with services travelling in loops around the town and to Waiuku and Paerata. None of these are frequent, however, and the train station is around a 10 minute walk away.
Variety (3/5) - Farmers is very clearly the anchor tenant here, with it taking up a majority of the mall, however, there is also a decent range of other retailers spread throughout. There is no food court, instead a few food retailers are spread out throughout the mall, which takes less than a minute to walk end to end.
Atmosphere (4/5) - Inside the mall it is very clean and modern and is decently lit, however, it would be nicer if there was more natural lighting. The floor has a nice, simple pattern, and most of the shops are filled, making it seem like a real (albeit small) mall.
Facilities (4/5) - There is a large public car park above the mall, which seems to be run by AT rather than the mall itself. The toilets were nice and clean, however, the Wifi was difficult to join and took a few tries, despite it being advertised very prominently across the mall and on their website.
Overall (15/20) - For a town the size of Pukekohe, the Plaza serves the town well and is very good to complement other shopping in the Pukekohe Town Centre. It features the only Farmers down this far south, which clearly attracts many people to the mall.
Ormiston Town Centre (4th)
Transport (4/5) - There are bus stops right outside one of the entrances on Ormiston Rd, with services to Botany, Manukau, Beachlands, and other parts of Flat Bush. The 35 provides frequent services to Botany and Manukau, with other services being less frequent.
Variety (4/5) - Ormiston Town Centre has many anchor tenants, with New World and The Warehouse being located inside and Pak n Save just across Bellingham Rd. Inside there are many places to choose from in the food court and, in general, a good variety of different shops and services. There is also the Flat Bush Library and an Event Cinemas.
Atmosphere (5/5) - The mall is very modern and clean inside, with good lighting through the entire mall, but not so bright it is blinding. There are several small skylights throughout the mall, and it is very clear this mall hasn't been here long and is very modern in all aspects.
Facilities (4/5) - This mall has a large amount of parking both around and on top of it and has very nice and clean toilets. It does have a Wifi network, however, it requires you to enter and then verify your email, rather than just putting your name and email and then connecting.
Overall (17/20) - Despite being located in the definition of urban sprawl, Ormiston Town Centre manages to serve its local community well and helps nearby residents get their shopping done without travelling all the way to Botany or Manukau.
Westfield Manukau (3rd)
Transport (5/5) - Westfield Manukau is very well served by public transport, being less than a 5 minute walk away from the Manukau Train & Bus Stations, along a very nice part of Putney Way. From here people can catch the Eastern Line to Sylvia Park and the city, or the various bus routes to places all across South and East Auckland. Many of these routes are also frequent, making Westfield Manukau one of the easiest malls to access without a car.
Variety (5/5) - This mall is very much the WestCity of South Auckland, with many large chains and retailers present here. There are multiple anchor tenants, including Woolworths, Farmers, and Event Cinemas. There is also a large food court with many options and a Cinnabon, one of only two in New Zealand at the time of writing, with the other being located at Westfield Newmarket!
Atmosphere (4/5) - Inside the mall is pretty modern, however, it could do with more natural lighting in many parts. It is not too busy or overwhelming and is a good size to handle large crowds, however, I assume it may not be as good during busy sale periods.
Facilities (4/5) - There is a large amount of parking at Westfield Manukau, and the toilets were pretty decent, and there were many of them throughout the mall. The Wifi was easy to connect to, however, didn't reach some of the outer parts of the mall.
Overall (18/20) - Like I mentioned earlier, Westfield Manukau feels like the WestCity of South Auckland, with a nice atmosphere, large food court, and many chain retailers having a presence here, making it a very useful hub for South Auckland, especially when considering all the other retail in Manukau.
Manaway Bay (2nd)
Transport (3/5) - While excelling in all other categories, Manawa Bay is somewhat difficult to access by public transport, with the nearest bus stop being located a 10 minute walk away and the whole area being designed pretty poorly for pedestrians, with the walk from the Airport Link being exposed to the elements at most parts. It is worthing noting that Yellow Bus operates a shuttle from the airport terminals, however, this only operates every half hour, and costs $6 one way for an adult.
Variety (5/5) - Despite not having an anchor tenant, Manawa Bay doesn't need it. It has many outlet brands such as Nike and Kathmandu and has a large food court with many options. There are also many other food outlets spread across the mall, and there is an outside area by the food court with a playground.
Atmosphere (5/5) - Inside Manawa Bay it is all very modern and clean, and it feels very large and open. There are large windows looking over the creek, and it looks very distinct from the outside. There are also plants throughout the mall, and it is just generally a nice place to hang out in.
Facilities (5/5) - Manawa Bay has very nice toilets, with many spread through the mall. It has good Wifi and there is also a very large number of carparks, which occupy a large amount of space in front of the mall, meaning some people will be parking quite far from the entrance.
Overall (18/20) - While Manawa Bay technically doesn't meet the definition of a mall for this series, it is undoubtedly a mall, with its large, open interior and many large stores, meaning it would have been a bad idea to leave it off the list. It is definitely worth the trip down, however, plan ahead during busy periods, as parking may be full and traffic may be worse than normal.
Botany Town Centre (1st)
Transport (5/5) - Botany Town Centre is extremely easy to access without a car, with bus stops being located right inside the grounds on Town Centre Drive. From here there are many routes (several of which are frequent) to places all over South and East Auckland, including Howick, Manukau, and Flat Bush.
Variety (5/5) - The mall features many anchor tenants, and many large chains also have a presence here. There is also a large variety of independent retailers and a large food court. While the layout can be confusing due to the mall being comprised of multiple interior and outdoor sections, there are good wayfinding signs across the mall and good signage for the larger brands.
Atmosphere (5/5) - Botany is very much the NorthWest of the East, with an interior section as well as an attractive main street and town square, with many shops being located on/around. In the interior sections, the mall is very clean and modern, with high roofs making it feel open and not like you are trapped inside.
Facilities (5/5) - Botany features a large amount of parking, both for the mall and other nearby retailers. It also has very nice toilets, with many across each part of the mall, and a good Wifi network, which reaches all parts of the mall and some of the outdoor sections as well.
Overall (20/20) - Botany is the first 20/20 in this series so far, and it's not hard to see why. With its open spaces, large range, and ease of access, Botany Town Centre is certainly a contender for the best mall in Auckland and is the best mall in South and East Auckland.
Thanks for reading! This is part 2 in a 3 part series. Part 3 will be released on Monday 1st June 2026 (2 weeks time), and will feature all malls in Central Auckland, plus a list ranking all malls in Auckland from all parts.
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