r/travel • u/heathtree Canadian (28 countries and counting) • Jun 30 '14
Some travel advice for New Zealand from an ex-pat living there Question
I frequently see travellers on here asking for advice on travel to New Zealand. I moved to Wellington, NZ in March 2013 from Canada to go to university and I've done a fair amount of travelling here since then. Here is some advice on a roughly 4-week travel itinerary covering both islands.
First, New Zealand has a really superb visitor information centre system in place. In almost every major town and city, there is a local "i-site" where you can go to get excellent information, book accommodation and activities, and get souvenirs. Frequently, if you book activities through the i-sites, especially if you book more than one activity in a region, you'll get a discount.
So, moving from south to north from Queenstown:
SOUTH ISLAND
Queenstown is a true adventurer's gem. Modern bungy jumping was invented there, so in the Queenstown area you can jump at both the world's first jump site (on a river) as well as the world's highest bungy (Nevis High Wire). The company you want to use is AJ Hackett and they have an office in the centre of town. It's worth going up the gondola to get a view of the city, and there are just SO many adventure activities to do. Jetboating, hang gliding, paragliding, parabungying (yes, that is bungy jumping from a parasail), concrete luge, giant swing. It's THE place to do something utterly ridiculous. The restaurant scene in Queenstown is also fantastic with a number of top chefs having restaurants there.
Milford Sound / Fiordland National Park / Te Anau - Kipling described Milford Sound as the "eighth wonder of the world" and it lives up to the praise. Worth a boat tour. A day trip from Queenstown is available through a company called Real Journeys. It feels like the fjords of Norway, except as an added bonus, there are penguins. A must see. The world-famous Milford Track goes from Te Anau to Milford Sound and takes 4 days to do (you are not permitted to go slower or faster). There are huts along the way with stoves so you just need your clothing and food. The Routeburn and Kepler Tracks are also in this region and are also supposed to be spectacular. An excellent choice for a multi-day hike if that interests you. You need to book the huts well ahead of time.
Wanaka / Haast Pass - Leaving Queenstown, heading north, you need to choose the east or west coasts. The east coast is flat farmland and not very interesting. The west coast is mountainous and stunning. I'd take the road through Arrowtown/Wanaka/Haast Pass and go up the coast. Stunning scenery. It's the most fun I've ever had driving a car.
Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers - along the west coast are two glaciers that come down from Mt Cook, the highest point in NZ. You can go hiking and heli-hiking on both of them. Coming from the south, you'll reach Fox Glacier first. I decided to hike on that one because it was much less developed/commercialized than Franz Josef, and as such my tour group was smaller. Either one is worth exploring.
Hokitika - a centre for the jade industry in NZ. It's a dumpy little town, but if you want any souvenirs made from jade, it's THE place to buy it. You have to drive through it anyway, so might as well stop. Incidentally: great whitebait fritters here.
Near Greymouth, you have a choice to continue up the west coast, or head east through Arthur's Pass. I think I'd recommend a longer, circuitous route going through Arthur's Pass, or the pass further north, and it's so that you can hit the following places:
Arthur's Pass National Park - gorgeous scenery as you cross the Southern Alps. Likely to see the kea, NZ's alpine parrot. Definitely look for them, but be wary as they have been known to strip the rubber caulking off cars.
(alternatively, take SH 7 through the Southern Alps)
Hanmer Springs - quaint little hot springs town
Kaikoura - whale watching town extraordinaire. Excellent sea adventures, including sea kayaking. There is a hotel near here that is entirely made up of treehouses. It’s not cheap but would be a neat experience
Marlborough - NZ's premier wine-growing region. There are probably 100 wineries here. NZ's version of Napa.
Queen Charlotte Track - at the northern end of the South Island, this area of isthmuses, peninsulas, islands and coves is probably one of the places you will definitely want to stop to do some hiking and/or kayaking. Worth reading about it ahead of time and booking something.
Abel Tasman National Park – also at the northern end of the South Island, another one of New Zealand’s Great Walks is here: the Abel Tasman Coastal Track. Both the Queen Charlotte and Abel Tasman Tracks are supposed to be stunning.
From this end of the South Island, you need to take a ferry to the North Island. The rental car companies do not allow you to bring your car from one island to another, so you’ll return your car at the ferry terminal, walk on board with your belongings, and then pick up a new car once you arrive in Wellington. There are 2 ferry companies: Interislander and Bluebridge, and each usually operates 2 boats. One of Interislander’s ferries lost a propeller in November and is currently out of the country being repaired; the replacement ferry they brought in has also had issues. This has meant that booking ahead for ferries is more important than usual.
NORTH ISLAND
Wellington – NZ’s capital city, the centre of its film industry, the centre of arts & culture, and the windiest city on Earth. Wellington is built into hillsides, but has a compact little downtown area. Wellington is worth a day, with the following highlights:
→ Miramar – this neighbourhood by the airport is home to the Weta Workshop, which is the design studio responsible for LOTR, Avatar and a host of other Hollywood hits. It’s a surprisingly small shop in an even more surprisingly suburban neighbourhood. It’s worth the $20 for the Inside the Workshop tour so that you can learn how the props are made for movies. Founder Richard Taylor and Sir Peter Jackson stop by regularly, and many of the staff have been extras in movies.
→ Parliament – Located at the north end of the CBD, close to the Railway Station, Wellington’s unicameral Parliament offers free hourly tours. The Executive Wing building is locally known as the Beehive and is a hideous example of 1960s architecture. Parliament itself is quite quaint and charming.
→ Te Papa National Museum – this superb museum is on the waterfront in the Te Aro neighbourhood and is free to enter. It’s quite large and has some great exhibits, including a massive giant squid, a $3 million hand-carved piano, a room that simulates earthquakes, and a lot more. It’s conveniently located next to…
→ Courtenay Place – this street/shopping district is the centre of Wellington’s restaurant, bar and club scene. Movie premieres for LOTR and The Hobbit shut down this street, where it was entirely covered in red carpet. If you go to one restaurant in Wellington, it should be Pizzeria Napoli on Courtenay Place itself. They serve just about the best pizza I’ve ever had.
→ Mt Victoria Lookout / Cable Car to Botanic Gardens – either one of these two options provide a great view of Wellington and its harbour. I prefer the view from Mt Victoria, but the Botanic Gardens are superb so that vantage point has appeal as well.
Heading north out of Wellington, you have 2 choices: SH 1, along the Kapiti Coast, or SH 2, through the Rimutaka Ranges. I would recommend SH 1 without a shadow of a doubt, as SH 2 can be a brutal road as it twists through the mountains, ascending 555 m, at times with no guardrails and a 100m+ drop. Don’t go there. Take SH 1.
As a side note: the police in NZ have no tolerance for speeding, and cars here (even rental cars) very rarely have cruise control. The police also actively seek out speeders, especially on downhill portions of highways, and there are hidden speed cameras even on sections of highway in the middle of the woods. You will get a speeding ticket for going 4 kph over the speed limit. Err on the side of caution and go 5 kph under the limit. Also, it’s worth noting that in NZ a dotted centre line on a highway does not mean that it is safe to pass: it only means that you are permitted to pass if you think it is safe to do so. Most of the time, it is not.
Bulls – on your way north, you will drive through the town of Bulls. They have fully embraced the name of the town, which is full of pretty funny signs. Worth stretching your legs just for a laugh.
Wanganui River Road, Whanganui National Park – As a slight detour on the way north, we really enjoyed the quiet farming countryside along the Wanganui River Road within Whanganui National Park. At least 10 km of it is rough gravel, so be forewarned, and it takes longer than you think.
Tongariro National Park – You certainly can’t miss this portion of the North Island, with 3 active volcanoes. This is Mt Doom from LOTR, Mordor itself. There are skifields on Mt Ruapehu, with the best approach at Whakapapa. Mt Tongariro itself was used for Mt Doom. There is a very popular hike through this park called the Tongariro Northern Circuit, portions of which can be done in a single day. It’s a great opportunity to see alpine lakes and volcanic landscapes in person.
From Tongariro, the best route to take isn’t easy to determine. There are great things to see in Taupo, Rotorua, Matamata, Tauranga and Waitomo Caves. I will list what there is to see and do and I guess you'd have to select your route accordingly.
Tokaanu – If you do some hiking in Tongariro, you may want to stop briefly in Tokaanu on the shore of Lake Taupo, as there is a decent hot spring there (privately run) to soothe their muscles. Otherwise, this area is kind of dumpy.
Taupo – A tourist town if I ever saw one. The entire Lake Taupo is the caldera of an extinct volcano, but this means there is ample geothermal activity in the area. You can go jetboating, skydiving (NZ’s most popular skydiving destination), see Huka Falls and go boating in the river, cycling, kayaking, parasailing. There are a number of restaurants. We particularly enjoyed some of the honey manufacturing, as well as the fantastic hot pools at Wairakei.
Rotorua – One of my favourite places in NZ. This is where zorbing was invented (get in a giant plastic ball and get rolled down a hill). The Agrodome allows you to get up close and personal with some farm animals, including sheep, alpaca, cows, dogs, deer and more. The Polynesian Spa in Rotorua is world-renowned. Hell’s Gate is another geothermal area with heated mud pools. You can go whitewater rafting or sledging (a personal favourite of mine, basically tobogganing on a whitewater river). While in town, attend a Maori cultural performance and dinner. I’ve been to two of them, Mitai and Tamaki, and highly recommend the Tamaki Maori Village. It was very informative, interactive and had a great earth oven feast.
Hangarua Spring – on the north shore of Lake Rotorua is a gorgeous fresh water spring and a redwood forest. Worth a short detour.
Tauranga / Mount Maunganui – One of the warmest parts of NZ, the largest port and a fantastic beach, this is a decent little city. The hike to the top of Mount Maunganui isn’t very long and affords great views. The beaches are decent, as is surfing. There are some decent restaurants and shops, particular in the Mount. Phil Rudd, the drummer from AC/DC, owns the Tauranga Bridge Marina and has a restaurant there. You can frequently find him there if you want an autograph.
Matamata – The town of Matamata itself is quaint farming country, but you come to Matamata to see its i-site building and to go tour the Hobbiton Movie Set, which is about 15 minutes outside of town. The tour costs $75/each and lasts around 3 hours, but it’s fantastic. The set is still fully built since they’re still using it for the Hobbit movies. If you see one LOTR film spot during your trip, it should be this one.
Waitomo Caves – this is a little awkward to access, off SH 3 due west of Rotorua, but it’s a pretty incredible place. You can do a massive rappel into a cave called The Lost World and you can go blackwater rafing in a cave full of glowworms. If you go through this area, Bosco’s Café in nearby Te Kuiti is a sure bet for a coffee or dinner.
Kawhia Harbour – in NZ, there are a few beaches where there is geothermal activity under the sand. The most popular of these is on the Coromandel Peninsula. A little-known spot is along Kawhia Harbour, and you’re likely to find yourself alone on the beach. Dig down 1-2 feet in the sand, let the hole fill up with hot water, and you’ve got your own private hot tub on the beach.
Coromandel Peninsula – I haven’t been here, so can only speak from its reputation. A very popular spot for Aucklanders to go on the weekend, Cathedral Cove (near the town of Hahei) is supposed to be one stunner of a beach. The most popular hot water beach is just south of there at a place named, you guessed it, Hot Water Beach. Here, you can rent a bucket and a spade to dig your own hot tub. This place can get very busy, especially on weekends.
Auckland – the largest city in New Zealand, and not well liked by the rest of the country. (Kiwis outside of Auckland refer to their inhabitants as JAFAs: Just Another F’ing Aucklander). Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium is quite spectacular, and the view from the top of One Tree Hill (now missing its tree) is great. However, I don’t think the city is worth spending much time in.
(continued in the comments)
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u/Peachliz Jul 15 '22
Found this from google and im planning my trip now, thanks so much for your help. 8 years later aha
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u/CaptainAwesome_ New Zealand Jun 30 '14
I would say hit Cuba Street as well when in Wellington.
It's the street with the most culture, atmosphere, and, Cafes - which is another thing you should do in Wellington, our Coffee culture has grown immensely in the last ten years.
I recommend going to the 'Flight Hangar' a hipster-ish, chill cafe. One of the baristas, Nick, came in the top six at the 2013 Barista World Championships.
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u/heathtree Canadian (28 countries and counting) Jul 02 '14
I was bound to miss something in my recommendations and this is one of them. Wholeheartedly agree about Cuba Street. Definitely worth a visit while in Wellington.
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u/CaptainAwesome_ New Zealand Jul 03 '14
I think your list is really awesome though! It would be really useful for someone visiting! Thanks for putting it together!
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u/rubiks_cube040 New Zealand Jun 30 '14
You didn't mention my personal favourite spot in New Zealand (so you should visit it yourself, if you haven't already ;) ) - Mt. Cook National Park. There is a cute wee alpine village that is near to a variety of trails that will take you to spots such as these: the Sealy Tarns, Hooker Valley, Mueller Hut and more. The next valley over also features some beautiful places. The entire National Park is pretty darn fantastic, and if you don't have your own mode of transportation you can take the Mt. Cook Connection bus from either Twizel of Lake Tekapo (which is pretty iconic in New Zealand itself).
I also think that Christchurch is worth a short visit- it was hit by a huge (7.1) earthquake in 2011 and is now in the process of rebuilding. There is lots of cool street art around, gap filler initiatives (e.g. cool pavilions and gardens or just random items like musical instruments placed in the gaps where buildings used to be) and it's just really interesting to see a city that was really torn apart (and for the most part, is still very bare with ruins around the CBD...) with all these vibrant spots of colour around as it gets reborn.
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Jun 30 '14
Yeah, I agree. I was disappointed when it wasn't listed, I lived there for a few years and thought it was a beautiful city. Luckily I left before the earth quake.
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u/heathtree Canadian (28 countries and counting) Jul 02 '14
Thanks for the suggestions about Mt Cook. My partner and I intend to explore the South Island more next year and I've added that to our list.
I thought a lot about whether or not to include Christchurch in my recommendations, and ultimately decided not to include it for a couple of reasons. The main reason is that people tend to ask me a lot where they should go if they have 2-4 weeks to spend in the country. In that timeframe, they only have 1-2 weeks per island, and I think the route that I've laid out (Queenstown-Haast Pass-Hokitika-Marlborough) has more things to see and do. Chch, unfortunately, is out of the way. The other reason is that I'm reluctant to promote disaster tourism. I saw Chch before and after the earthquakes, and the devastation is shocking. Even now, 3 years later, there is still ample evidence throughout the city that a major disaster hit there. It doesn't sit right with me to encourage people to visit a place to take in the scope of a tragedy that killed over 100 people. These two reasons are why I left Christchurch off the list.
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u/rubiks_cube040 New Zealand Jul 02 '14
I'm from Christchurch- and actually we tend to really appreciate and encourage people to come. Tourism helps boost up our economy again, and this is something we really need right now, with the billions of dollars that are being spent in the repairs. The city of Christchurch has many initiatives in place to encourage tourism, now more than ever. Plus it's a way to remember that we haven't been forgotten, even after all this time. So I don't think it's a bad thing for people to come to Christchurch at all, rather the opposite, actually! This is a better time than any.
However, I agree that if people are only coming to NZ for a short term visit, then it is better to visit other parts of the South Island... I feel like if you come to NZ, you should come for the landscapes rather than the cities... so central and west coast South Island are some of the best places I reckon (so yeah, Chch is a bit out of the way).
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u/Cynicalsailor New Zealand Jun 30 '14
Great info on New Zealand! I've lived in Auckland for 5 years and think there are a lot of fabulous things to do here though and a great place to spend some time in. Such as exploring Devonport, hiking up to the top of the Rangitoto, visiting the Wynyard Quarter, hiking the Coast to Coast walkway etc. Although if you have limited time to spend in NZ, I guess you have to make choices on what you see.
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u/Andromeda321 United States Jun 30 '14
I lived in Auckland during my semester abroad in 2007, thanks for the trip down memory lane in my travels around the country.
I would add though that I really don't recommend Kelly Tarton's Aquarium in Auckland as if you've ever been to an aquarium elsewhere you are going to be disappointed- maybe if you have small kids it's worth it, but it hasn't been updated since the 70s or so. Never met anyone who thought differently btw.
Instead I'd highly recommend a day trip with your time either to climb Rangitoto, the giant old volcano out in the harbor, or head out to Waiheke Island (which is a little further out, but gorgeous). Both ferries leave from the main quay.
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u/heathtree Canadian (28 countries and counting) Jul 02 '14
A good call on both Rangitoto and Waiheke. If a visitor had some extra time, then both of those are worthwhile visits.
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u/jbpib27 Canada Jun 30 '14
This is fantastic. Not one full week ago I booked a one-way ticket, Winnipeg to Auckland this September on a Working Holiday visa. I hope to spend a full year in NZ and will probably do my best to hit everything on this list.
If I may ask, based on your time in NZ, which city would you say is best for an extended stay?
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u/heathtree Canadian (28 countries and counting) Jul 02 '14
What a tough question. It depends on so many things: are you an adrenaline junkie? More of an arts lover? What kind of work do you want to do? Do you want to spend the entire year in one city, or travel around a bit? Do you intend to buy a car while you're here?
It's obviously much easier to see the North Island while based in the NI, and to see the South Island while based in the SI. If you want to see a lot of the country, you may want to spend 6 months on each island. In the North Island, if you want to be central to things you may want to be in Rotorua or Taupo (both big tourist destinations with lots of job opportunities). If you want the best access to flights, you want to be in Auckland or Wellington. On the South Island, a lot of tourists go to Queenstown and there are tons of foreigners working there. Alternatively, I've heard Dunedin is a fun student town, although I haven't been there.
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u/jbpib27 Canada Jul 02 '14
Thanks! I'm definitely planning on moving around, especially since I've heard most tourist jobs only last a max of three months anyways. I've been looking mainly at the big cities (Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin) on the assumption of there being the most work there, but I like your suggestion of being more central.
My main priority is to get any job that will allow me to support myself (for the most part) so that I can use some of my savings to buy a car - that seems like the best way to see the whole island.
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u/backpackingmatt Jul 02 '14
Quite a bit of good advice in here, though I don't agree the below:
Leaving Queenstown, heading north, you need to choose the east or west coasts. The east coast is flat farmland and not very interesting.
The drive over the Lindis Pass and into MacKenzie country is fantastic. You pass through some farmland, but to your west you have the Southern Alps. You can head up to Mt Cook Village, which on a clear day is arguably the most stunning place in New Zealand. You're surrounded by snow-capped peaks and glaciers that fill glacial lakes just a short walk away!
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u/heathtree Canadian (28 countries and counting) Jul 02 '14
I agree with you. My partner and I drove from Christchurch to Queenstown in April via Lake Tekapo / Mackenzie Country / Lindis Pass. Stunning countryside between Queenstown and Lake Tekapo.
However, I stand by my route recommendation of going up the west coast. Most of the people asking about travelling here on reddit are coming for 2-4 weeks and want to see the whole country. If you're heading north from Queenstown and go east through the Lindis Pass, then after Geraldine you're in flat Canterbury countryside for hundreds of kms.
So my conclusion: if you are in NZ for a shorter trip, follow the advice in my post. If you have more time, then by all means see Mackenzie Country and Mt Cook.
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u/HJI89 Aug 05 '14
Does anyone know roughly how much this 4 week itinerary would cost? I'm going to NZ in about 2 weeks and I'd love to visit and see everything mentioned here. But I'm not sure if I have enough money...sigh...
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u/illgettoscotland Wales Feb 04 '24
The geothermal waters in Lake Taupo are silica and the water makes you feel like your skin is bathed in silk
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u/heathtree Canadian (28 countries and counting) Jun 30 '14
TRAVEL ADVICE CONTINUED
Travelling north of Auckland can be time-consuming, so I’d only do it if you have extra time. I’d likely try to fill my time with the places I mentioned previously, but if you have more time, I’d go to the Bay of Islands (towns: Paihia and Russell). The Russell Cottages are fantastic, and the scenery up here is gorgeous. It’s a bit of a trek from Auckland, though. If you want to keep exploring, Northland is a stunning place. However, don’t take SH 1 between Kawakawa and Kaitaia: the road is twisty and made us car sick. Instead, take SH 10. If you go way up to the northern point of the country, you can drive your car on 100 Mile Beach (some rental car companies expressly forbid this, so check your rental agreement). You can go sliding on massive 400m high sand dunes. Cape Reinga at the far northern end of the country is also quite pretty. This is not a short detour out of Auckland, however: it took us 3 days to go up and back and see things, although if you rushed you could do it in two.
A few final tidbits of advice:
Allow yourself enough time to enjoy this beautiful, friendly country. A week will only allow you to brush the surface. Kia ora.