New Zealand

[One For The Road]

Off to Oz for a couple of months over Christmas and decided it's about time I finally checked out New Zealand. I'll probably only have about 2 weeks so I won't be able to to take in everything but I'll give it a good go.

Anyone been? Looking for some advice or tips. Planning to fly into Auckland for NYE and then head to Rotarua and then down to Wellington before making my way to the south island for some dramatic scenery.

Any advice guys?

Edited October 18, 2017 by One For The Road

[mikeyp102]

NZ is my favourite place I've been.

Don't stay long in Auckland. Not much to do there and it's just a city really. But do go down to cathedral cove and the coramandel.

Roto vegas is ok, but pungent. There are "Maori experiences" which are good for an evening. And also mountain biking/luging are good fun.

Tongarira Crossing is a good hike, it's an active volcano and was Mount Doom in Lord of the Rings.

Hobbitton is around there as well if you're into that. 

Lake taupo is also a must see.

Wellington is much smaller than Auckland but a lot nicer for me.

Yes the views in South Island are awesome. Christchurch aside (still struggling from the volcano years back). Kai Koura is great and you can swim with dolphins (in the wild) and see whales. Abel tasmen is great.

Franz Josef Glacier is one of the best things I've done and worth the little extra for the helicopter ride up to it. 

Queenstown is spectacular views and great fun ( the infamous furg  burgers  are here, although for me there are better places in town). The world famous bungee and canyon swings are here. The mountain (weather  depending) is great for mountain biking (dangerous as hell, as I found the hard way) and again luging.

Milford Sound further south is also an amazing view.

Wouldnt bother going further south to Dunedin

I have barely scraped the surface of where to go in NZ, as for me so much to see and do 

[NoelVilla]

Went this year. Flew into Auckland and just stayed one night and it was enough for us so mikey is right. We then moved on to Queenstown and stayed around that area the rest of the time. Rafting at Kawarau River who was in the first LOTR-films was beautiful, fun but an easy raft. If you want to that with more action you should choose the Shotover River. Can recommend Milford Sound too, amazing views.

[choffer]

Been a couple of times recently. 

Auckland has a days worth of wandering around. Whangerei is worth a visit, as is coromandel. 

If you're doing Rotorua, check out Mitai village. It's about the best of the Maori "experiences". Whakawerarewa village is worth a look too.

Also check out Waiotapu on your way south - all geysers and thermal pools. 

The desert road from Taupo to Palmerston North is simply stunning. 

Hawkes Bay area is stunning. My favourite day trip was with these guys http://www.waimaramamaori.co.nz/stories . I spent a day with a Maori Chief and his nephew - they took me to the Marae and all over the local area and told me all the stories and legends from their past. Cost me a small fortune but it was so interesting.

Wellington is nice and is usually my base when I'm over there.Lots of bars and restaurants, plenty to see and do and some of the coast up Highway 1 from Porirua is stunning. If you're in that neck of the woods, Mana island is worth a trip.

I've not done much of the South Island yet but Christchurch is a sobering visit. There's still so much devastation from the quake in 2011. I drove up from there via the coast road through Kaikoua which is a town that suffered at the hands of a quake last year. Before then it was a really bustling little town that had lots of tourist traffic for the whales/doplhins tours they did. Not sure how well it's recovered but the drive up that coast road from Christchurch is just stunning.

I've never made it that far south but Fjordland, Dundedin, Queenstown should definitely be on the list for scenery.

 

If I can think of anything else, I'll let you know.