New Zealand is definitely in the top five countries we have visited. And since we were here over the covid 19 global lockdown, we have the insight of practically residents. Don’t be fooled by the diminutive size of the geographical area of the country, or the small population. New Zealand has a lot to offer: diverse landscapes, infinite sandy beaches and rocky coves, multitude of hikes (there called “tramps”), and diverse sporting and outdoor opportunities. And do not forget, the adrenaline capital of the world. A three week trip here would be adequate for a fast paced, can’t do everything visit. It will leave you eager to come back. Given the distance to get there from anywhere, better to have at least 4 weeks to do New Zealand right. New Zealand is actually two independent islands, both about the same size. People ask if they should go to the north or south island. We say: yes. You cannot miss either one. We thought the South island offered better scenery, and more activities. But that was before we went to Coromandel or the Bay of Islands in the North. With over 15,000 km of coastline in New Zealand, you are going to find beaches and coves to yourself. You are also going to love the hiking. Trails are well marked and well maintained and there are sights to see within everyone’s range.
How to travel New Zealand
We first went on a 22 day guided adventure tour. We chose this mode because we wanted to do lots of activities and did not want to spend time arranging them when we arrived at the various destinations. Finding a tour that already included the kayaking, hiking, biking, zip lining, jet boating, heli glacier hiking, swimming with dolphins along with tourist destinations, transportation and lodging worked to efficiently fit in as much action as possible. The company we used was G Adventures. We give this tour and company high marks. Not too many people in a group (twelve in ours), flawless logistics, comfortable middle-sized bus, good gear. Our guide had people doing various activities, shuttling us all around, with no one put out, or having to wait. Sometimes we could fit in 2 activities in one day. In Queenstown we had people bungee jumping, hang gliding, horseback riding, canyoning, zip lining; all through different outfitters, all at the same time. Our guide coordinated everything flawlessly. The only downside of a guided tour is you have no control over your travel partners. Twenty-two days is a lot to spend in close quarters with the wrong people. And there will always be someone colorful. But in our experience, it has always worked out fine, for just as long as the trip lasted. Sometimes we have been happy to leave the group behind. But more often, we reluctantly leave our fellow travelers and stay in touch, at least for a while.
But if we were to do New Zealand again, and had plenty of time, we would either rent a car, or maybe a caravan (motorhome) to get around. There are a few reasons why renting a car in New Zealand makes sense. For such a small country, there are lots of miles (kms) between places; most attractions are rural. Renting cars in NZ is relatively cheap – no liability insurance needed in NZ is one reason. In New Zealand parking at a park or a beach for an overnight stay is legal and common. New Zealand is a perfect backpacker destination. Although backpackers rarely walk between destinations anymore, the most common traveler is roughing it a little here. Hostels or backpacker lodges are as common as hotels. Buses geared to the backpacker crowd are cheap and easy transportation between towns. One of the most refreshing surprises in New Zealand is the public toilets. Every town, no matter how small has at least one. Always clean, stocked with TP, hand dryer and often hot water. Marinas and tourist offices usually have showers and laundry facilities. Caravaning is easy even for the camping squeamish. A great way to make this even more economical is to look for opportunities to reposition cars or caravans. Often this can be done for free and give you plenty of time to get from one location to another and enjoy the sights in between. Especially if you choose to travel in the opposite direction from most travelers. People tend to start their trip in Auckland (New Zealand’s biggest city and therefore, international airport) and end in Christchurch on the South island. So getting a car or caravan in Christchurch and delivering it to Auckland is an easy gig to find.
Accomodations in New Zealand are diverse and we have tried them all from Back packers (hostels) to fine hotels. We found air B&B style accommodations in New Zealand to be plentiful and good value. Typical amenities are better than in a lot of countries, with hosts outdoing themselves with hospitality. Kiwis are generally laid back, fun and hospitable people.They are also some of the most health conscientious and fit people as a whole.
Some facts about New Zealand you must know
Biosecurity New Zealanders love their native plants and animals (birds). And they are fanatic about biosecurity. Know the rules before you take off; don’t wait to learn what you cannot bring while on the plane. For example, do not bring hiking shoes you have used before. Bring new boots to NZ. They are very concerned about soil borne fungus. Your shoes will need to be sterilized by customs personnel if they have been used before and the product they use is not kind to the shoe material. Also no fruit, meat products or cheeses. It is not to protect their industries; it is to protect their plants and trees.
Don’t come here for the wildlife. One of the biggest surprises in New Zealand will be the lack of wildlife. No terrestrial mammals or marsupials are native there. Only birds. And there really are not that many birds about. Any mammals around are hunted, trapped and poisoned mercilessly. Every wild animal except the native birds is considered a pest and subject to eradication. This is to protect the native birds, many of which do not fly (like the kiwi).
New Zealand and Australia are not that close together. People think they are sisters and easily combined into the same trip. Not so. They are at least a 3 hour flight apart. And if New Zealand requires four weeks to visit, Australia takes twice the time. Australia is one giant country and will not leave time to add-on New Zealand at the end. New Zealand is not an add-on destination. Culturally they are not similar at all. And where Australia is teaming with wildlife, New Zealand is not.
Wifi and phone service. Surprisingly, wifi is not ubiquitous in New Zealand. Kiwi internet plans are not usually continuous or unlimited, even in homes. So do not expect free wifi anywhere. Not in all hotels, airB&B’s, and almost never at cafes, or restaurants. If they do offer it, it will likely be slow. Also, you will get out of mobile phone service range often. In New Zealand, do not take communication for granted.
Places you must visit
Must go places in New Zealand include Queenstown for the activities and adrenaline fix, Rotorua for the hot springs and cultural immersion, Kaikoura for the ocean experiences, Milford Sound, for the breathtaking fjord, and either Franz Joseph or Cook Glacier. These five are without substitute, must do’s. But there are several other destinations we will also recommend can not be skipped. These include Coromandel (hot water beach and cathedral cove walk), Bay of Islands (another cultural venue, gorgeous bay and island views, and ocean activities). And for the hikers: Tongariro: alpine hike up the side of a smoldering volcano. Cook National Park; hiking along glacial rivers and with views of the Mt Cook. Abel Tasman national park: rainforest track; and Routeburn Track, between Queenstown and Milford Sound, creekside forest and mountain track. Each of these four hikes is completely different, none more interesting than any other. Highly recommend all four.
You will probably land in Auckland, New Zealand’s biggest city. You probably did not come to New Zealand for the cities; if you did, you will be disappointed. As big cities go, Auckland will disappoint. New York or Paris, it is not. Remember, New Zealand is a younger country than the USA, history is short, architecture is new. There are several day trips from Auckland, but for most, we would recommend more than one day. Rangitoto Island is a valid day trip. Reached by ferry and hike or take a train up the extinct volcano mountain. White Island is off the table after this supposedly extinct volcano blew its top and killed several tourists. Do not try to travel to the Bay of Islands, enjoy any of it, and get back to Auckland in one day. I would not recommend waiheke island or coromandel in one day either,even though these destinations are closer to Auckland. Hobiton and Waitomo caves are better reached from Rotorua.
Waiheke island is a small picturesque, hilly island, full of boutique wineries. Some of these wineries have stunning views out over the vines to sapphire blue ocean coves. The wine will definitely taste better with this backdrop. It is a very short ferry, but one day does not do this destination justice, and there are wonderful airB&B style accommodations. There are at least a dozen wineries to visit, all offering different wine styles and vineyard views. To make wine tasting safe and easy there is a winery hop on-hop off bus. This is the best idea in tourism in a long time! Choose your route, choose your time, and choose your winery. No navigation or intoxicated driving worries. Purchase with your ferry ticket for a discount.
You can get to Coromandel peninsula (Coromandel Town) from Auckland by passenger ferry. But to get to the other side of the peninsula having a car would be better. The other side of the island is where cathedral cove and hot water beach are located. I would prefer to stay on this side of Coromandel. Hot Water beach is a must do in New Zealand. You will quickly find that New Zealanders do not think too hard about how they name things. The names describe exactly what it is, nothing deceptive or too creative. Hot Water beach is a beach with a hot spring just under the sand. Rent a shovel and dig a shallow hole, and soon you have your own hot tub on the beach. Hot Water Beach is also one of a few beaches in New Zealand with actual waves. This is a once in a lifetime sensation: Hot water (too hot in some places) in front of waves threatening to wash over your little hot tub, sand puddle.
Bay of Islands is, you guessed it, a bay dotted with islands. The coastline itself has so many fingers that discerning islands from mainland is difficult. There are three towns to choose from: Paihia and Russel are on the water, Kerikeri, the biggest town, is near a river. For us traveling conscientiously without a car, Paihia was the best choice. Otherwise, Russel probably offered the best oceanfront accommodations. Paihia is the jumping off point for most tourist activities, and offers a variety of eating and shopping opportunities. The most important historic destination in New Zealand is Waitangi a short walk from Paihia. This is the site of the signing of the treaty between European settlers and the Maori (indigeous people). And also the site of some strife between the two peoples prior to, and after the treaty. Waitangi is a great place to see a cultural show, visit an important museum and walk the grounds of a sacred site for the Maori. Bay of Islands bush is mostly rainforest or pine forest. Home to kiwis and tuis. You can walk from Paihia to Opua, ferry to Okiato and then walk to Russel and back to Paihia in one day (with the help of two ferries). This was one of our favorite experiences. Hike starts from Paihia at low tide, hiking over sandy beaches and rocky tide pools to Opua. From there to Okiato (New Zealand’s first capital) by hopping on the car ferry. Then from Okiato to Russel through rain forest, manuka forests, mangrove and bay boardwalks. In Russel grab lunch or stay for a dinner with sunset view, and back to Paihia via the passenger ferry.
Activities we can recommend at the Bay of Islands are:
Horseback riding by Horse Trekn (https://horsetrekn.co.nz/) located near the mountain bike park. Nice quality, well loved horses and the opportunity to ride in the bay or through forest taking in epic views. The ride was through forest, up hills, through water; not the usual flat walk. Fantastic day we had.
And of course the mountain bike park. https://paihiamountainbikes.co.nz/ Here is one of few places we have found where you can rent good mountain bikes, with clipless pedals and shoes. The mountain bike park has tons of trails and a shuttle for the folks that don’t want to work for their downhill.
Day of sailing the bay on the She’s a Lady. https://www.sailingbayofislands.com/. A sail boat tour where the sails are actually hoisted and used to move the boat. So often we take sail boat tours where the motor does all the work. You may sail past penguins (we did), dolphin, stingray (you can see through the water). Anchor in a cute cove of an outer island for a short hike to a viewpoint, kayak, snorkel and work up an appetite for a nice picnic. Bring your own beer for a perfect compliment.
Fishing in the Bay of Islands is popular because of the diversity of fish to be found. In Russel there are several boutique wineries and in Kerikeri there is a famous Saturday market.
You can take a day trip up to the very top of New Zealand to the point where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific Ocean (Cape Reinga), 90 mile beach, and an ancient Kauri forest. Ninety Beach is, yep, 90 miles of beach. If you have the appropriate vehicle, you can drive it. Best not to take your rental car.
Queenstown is our favorite town in NZ. It reminds us of Boulder Colorado very much. Healthy, active, fit people, and plenty of prosperity abound. This is the adrenaline capital where bungee jumping was first attempted and commercially available. You can still jump from the exact location as the first jump. But since everyone who lives there has been there, done that, they keep coming up with new ways to get your heart pounding. There is the Flying Fox. This is extreme zip lining. It is a zip line 182 meters above a canyon. That is higher than most, But you do not start attached to the zip cable. Nope, you free fall first until you reach the end of a 5 meter line. When the slack ends, it turns into a zipline experience, but no contact with the cable, no control.
Or there is the Giant Swing, which is a swing over the 109 m high, 443 m wide canyon. Free fall 60 meters, swing 200 meters, Pick your mode of launch from 73 possibilities including, backwards, dive off the cliff, handstand, pedaling a tricycle over, etc. https://www.canyonswing.co.nz/the-fox/
Every type of adventure or adrenalin activity you can think of is available here. Some worth mentioning are the luge, jet boating, paragliding or parasailing, and skydiving. We parasailed and thought it was one to the best experiences we’ve had. We may go back to Queenstown, just to parasail off the ski mountain again. Oh yes, and in the winter, there is skiing.
Queenstown is a cute town with lots of restaurants and shopping. It is on a pretty lake and boasts a botanical garden. Wine tasting is nearby: Otago Valley. Fabulous hiking is nearby where you can pick up the Routeburn Track. Either an out and back day hike or a two or three day one way with hut accommodation.
Queenstown is the logical jumping off point for a trip to Milford Sound. The drive to Milford is incredibly beautiful. Until you reach the sound and see what beauty nature can dream up. No trip to New Zealand can be complete without Milford Sound. I will not spoil your visit with any more description – see it for yourself. Depending on your activities, you need at least 3 days in Queenstown.
Wanaka is mini Queenstown. A nice town alongside a very pretty lake. Good hiking, mountain biking. Skydiving is available.
Franz Joseph is a town under the glacier, but in a rainforest. It is surreal to look between the tree ferns and rainforest to see a glacier. There is not much to the town except the tourist activities and backpacker accommodations. Here you can see a kiwi in a daylight controlled building that tricks the birds into thinking it is night. We passed. But here is also one place you are bound to see a kia (in the wild). They like to hang out near the kiwi experience. They are not the prettiest parrots, but they are the smartest. They get into lots of trouble having the intelligence of a 5 year old.
Another great view of a glacier is from Mt Cook National Park. Best reached out of Twizel. Twizel boasts stargazing as its main attraction. This should tell you there is not much to the town if it is dark enough to make this claim. But as a base to hike the Mt Cook area, it has its place (and of course, for the stargazing). You will get better views of Mt Cook than you could of Franz Joseph, but it is a different experience. Here the terrain is barren except for scrubby vegetation, and you are hiking alongside the glacier melt. You can swim (if you really want to) in a glacier pool, likely with glacier ice chunks floating along with you.
Kaikoura is located on the pacific ocean. This part of the ocean is unique for its ocean life and attracts sperm whales year round. It’s a tiny town with a hippy vibe. Here is where you want to swim with the dolphin. There are a zillion of them and they love to show off. We elected to go whale watching because we have seen lots of whales, living in San Diego, but never a sperm whale. Well, we found out sperm whales are very boring. They dive deep in search of food, and when they surface, they are tired. They lie on the surface for a while resting, then slowly and without much ado, dive again. The humpbacks and grey whales are more interesting, but if you have never seen a whale, you are almost guaranteed to see a resting sperm whale in Kaikoura.
Rotorua is a base for several activities. Lord of the Rings fans love Hobiton, the now tourist attraction, former movie set. Rotorua is the geological center of New Zealand. Lots of geological activity to see and experience. Here are many hot springs and geysers. The air smells of sulfur, which is not pleasant. Rotorua is not far from the Waitomo caves, where glow worms reside. The glow worm experience was really cool, better than I expected and glad we did it. Highly recommended. And going to a cave where there are alot them, is better than a few. Just saying. Rotorua is also the epitome of maori culture shows. While in any country, it is important to learn about the history. Here in New Zealand the indiginous people are the Maori. Actual cannibals and fierce warriors. The culture is still alive (not the cannibal part). Maori still have their earned facial tattoos, and most wildlife and plants and places are still called by their Maori names. Rotorua or Waitangi, catch a Maori show.
Shopping, Souvenirs and Food in New Zealand?
Remember we are full-time tourists. So we do not purchase a lot of souvenirs to take home and pack away like most tourists. But we have been all over and seen the same made-in-China tourist souvenirs. They, of course, have those here. The real products of New Zealand to take home as souvenirs are merino wool or possum fur products. Merino wool and possum fur are probably the warmest fibers in nature; the combination is excellent for clothing. Manuka honey. Manuka is the maori name for the New Zealand tea tree, which has known medicinal properties. The honey made by bees that use the manuka blossom pollen is said to accentuate these medicinal properties. Plus it is good tasting honey. There is higher rated manuka honey, and there is the stuff sold to tourists. Like anything, anywhere, buy smartly. Wine. Not easy to transport home, so drink it there.
We usually do not spend much time on food, because you find this out for yourself when you visit a region. Fish, Mussels, lamb and beef. Seafood: well it’s an island, of course seafood is the specialty. Lamb is probably more the signature dish of New Zealand though. But these days more beef is grown there than lamb. Kumara is a staple. It is a sweet potato, less sweet than we are used to. It is made into french fries, and a component in stews and soups. Avocados are plentiful in NZ; my favorite variety is the Reed. I have not found these anywhere else (although I will now look). They are the creamiest avocado, but still firm. Thin, smooth skin and almost round. Do not pass them up. And of course kiwis. Here you will find green, gold or red. Gold are great: sweeter, firmer and longer shelf time than the green, but cost much more. Red, I did not even try because they cost twice what the gold do. For such a small country, New Zealand does a great job of feeding itself. Most food is made here, not imported. And like we mentioned before, kiwis are health and environmentally conscious: expect fresh ingredients, likely organic, likely local.
There are dozens of additional places to see and things to do in New Zealand. These are just highlights. New Zealand, for such a small country, grows a lot of great wine. You can make a tour around just wine regions. We know, because we did. Maybe I will do an article about just the wine tasting here. We cannot recommend a visit to this gorgeous country enough.