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I'm off to NZ in December for a few weeks. I get two weeks is totally not enough to do NZ, however it's more of a reccy visit to determine what I'm doing next year - planning on having a far larger trip next year.

Anyway, after some pointers as I know practically nothing about NZ!

I'll be flying  in to Auckland. Plan is to wander down to Christchurch - then I'll be flying from Christchurch to Melbourne to see people, and then home from Aus. Thinking 12-14 days in NZ.

I've found the Hobbit place so I'll be doing that - buy beyond that I've not really as yet made any plans! Keep hearing about Milford Sound in the South Island. Also being told South Island is more dramatic so will deffo want to spend some time there.

I like being out and seeing stuff, so not really into 'one place loitering'.

Anyways, any pointers from people who have been there done that would be welcome +++

 

 

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you're going on a 2 week holiday to New Zealand to help plan a longer holiday to New Zealand?!

*sigh*not completely utterly jealous.....very nearly but not 'Completely '

Sorry - beyond that I got nothing :P

 

I lie - there was that zip line Calm Chris posted to you on FB +++

Edited by Waylander
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When I was there last year I just drove and drove some more, there are so breathtaking routes and cheap hotels with million dollar views. Didn't plan any routes just a list of mostly touristy places I wanted visit.  Tauranga and Bay of Plenty,  Rotorua and the Waimangu Volcanic Rift Valley, Taupo etc. It's so very different from everywhere I've been in Oz. 

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Well that's as far as my plan has got so far! Wander down from Auckland, cross to South, drive about a bit.

I was thinking campervan but from what I'm looking at I'd be better just going with hotels - any opinion on that Andy? I don't mind campervans, but I'd certainly prefer hotels?

Quite looking forward to it +++

 

 

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Those green and purple Jucy rental vans that you see in Oz are everywhere and pretty cheapo, I was looking for something a bit more upmarket but in the end booked a car  

I flew in from Bangkok so spent my first in night Auckland picking up the car the next morning. First I drove north a short way then turned around and headed south, sort of zig-zagging the country. The coastline is amazing at every turn and everyone I met so friendly even in some rather dodgy bars that I always seem to end up in  

Hotels were quite reasonable, about £80 per night but of course the GBP was worth about 20% more than today. On a road trip I prefer the motel style hotels, park outside the door and as a bonus you get bit of a kitchen and a washing machine as I only ever travel with hand luggage. 

These were a couple of places I used 

http://www.sailstaupo.co.nz/ (

http://www.pacificmotorinn.co.nz/

http://www.beachfrontwellington.co.nz/ (Wellington) 

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1 hour ago, Waylander said:

you're going on a 2 week holiday to New Zealand to help plan a longer holiday to New Zealand?!

*sigh*not completely utterly jealous.....very nearly but not 'Completely '

Sorry - beyond that I got nothing :P

It's so cheap to fly to NZ and Oz these days, fr £500 Eco / £1500 Business, would be rude not to go back :)

 

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Ace, thanks +++

Yeah I'm not into the small crappy Toyota like campers - hired one before and just ended up staying in Motels. On my last jaunt to Uluru had a massive toyota (can't remember which, my brain keeps saying it was a Toyota Klunge but that can't be right). It was way more comfortable than the camper, bizarrely!

Motels sound ideal.

What's the driving like compared to Aus? Apart from the cities it doesn't look that busy...?

 

 

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I'm sure our resident NZ-er has different options on driving there, but once you're out of Auckland and away from all the mental Asian drivers the roads are pretty much deserted till you hit another town. 

A couple of times I found myself following the road up a mountain, into the rainforest, which then turned into a gravel track the further away from humanity you got. Much like driving in Sweden apart from you can be driving the rugged coast in the morning, then a arid area before ending up in the rainforest. 

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Will be off on our annual 6 week trip to NZ at the end of January, can't wait.  South Island is just so different to anywhere else I've been, the landscape is just stunning.  Last time we went to South Island we flew into Queenstown from AKL and then hired a car and drove up the west coast to Foul Wind then across Arthurs Pass to Christchurch and flew back to AKL, that was about two weeks (one week in and around Queenstown including a long old trip out to Milford Sound).

As far as rental cars are concerned around AKL we always use Go Car Rental, it's just personal preference, and we normally get issued a brand new Toyota Corolla auto.  This time we have rented an apartment on the beach at Orewa north of AKL for the whole period so will stay local this time.

 

 

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Sounds like a cool trip. I just had a mate over do a similar thing  and he loved it.  I'm planning a bike trip hopefully around March.

  • This is the route I'm thinking of... https://goo.gl/maps/9T5RWZasPMD2
  • Camper vans can be fun but also quite expensive to rent and run. They are well practiced at slapping on extra charges (including 3% for using a credit card)
  • A car is much cheaper and easier. Petrol is cheap here and there's plenty of last minute accomodation on bookings.com and trivago. I'd be strongly inclined to wing it in a comfy car.
  • Cheaper car hire is away from the airport... shop around.
  • North Island : Check out Rotorua and Tongariro National Park near Taupo. If you prefer not to do a huge road trip to the South Island, check out the Coromandel. Great beaches.
  • South Island, check out the west coast route, base in Queenstown and tour from there. Lots to see & do. Milford Sound is a must.

Have fun.... let me know if I can help.

 

Edited by Mort
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