Travelling to New Zealand

Energizer

Hello All,

I am going to be moving to new zealand for a year in september.

Myself and a couple of friends are thinking of going the south america route.
With stops maybe in Rio, Buenos Aries, and santiago.

Can anyone recommend a good internet site or travel agents that would be able to give a good price for this. (cheap as possible).

Also r we better getting a package flight setup or get separate flights?

We're thinking of having a week of time between each location.

Would be just be cheaper to go the asia route instead, more common route?

Any information would be greatly appreciated!

spurious

For any sort of long-haul travel, I've found Trailfinders in Dawson Street to be the best.

Look into the possibility of a RTW ticket.

Energizer

Would a RTW ticket not be too much? Price wise?

spurious

You might be surprised how low they start. I went RTW a few years ago and the price of my ticket was only about 15% more than the price of a return to Sydney (at the time).

The prices increase the more stops you make. Some of your South American stuff you might consider doing overland rather than 'wasting' a flight on them.

I know it's the UK site, but have a look at this:
http://www.trailfinders.com/tailormade.nsf/tailormade?readform&region=rtw

Energizer

ye, was thinking of going by bus to the different destinations.

Arrice in rio by flight, bus to buenos aries, fly out of santiago.

All depends on which is the easiest though, may be too hard to fly out of santiago

therecklessone

Energizer wrote:

ye, was thinking of going by bus to the different destinations.

Arrice in rio by flight, bus to buenos aries, fly out of santiago.

All depends on which is the easiest though, may be too hard to fly out of santiago

Again, you may be as well off with a RTW ticket. Remember, you can use up unused flights when you're in NZ (fly from North to South Island for example, or over to Australia for a week?)

Call Trailfinders for some idea of whats available.

Energizer

Was checking out flights,

Some cheap flights to NZ start from 905 euro. but a flight to rio in brazil can cost from 700 euro.

It's starting to look expensive to go the south american way.

Energizer

Which way is best for ease of travel?

I'm thinking asia, but i could be far wrong.

therecklessone

Best advice:

Go into Trailfinders and ask them to price two itineraries.

1. West-bound through Sth America

2. East-bound through SE Asia

Then come back to us with prices and stop-offs and we'll comment then.

p.s. if you want to go to Sth America why let price or ease of travel put you off? If you get a RTW ticket it should work out the same either way.

Energizer

Thanx for the advice.

Thing is i would actually prefer going by asia as i want to see it more than i do south america.

Only problem is one of my friends going with me is hell bent on going the SA way.

I don't have much money to play around with, so if there is a 500euro difference then i will have to go the Asia way.

Have to go to trailfinders to get exact information.

Is there anyone else good to talk to?

peeps78

if you are planning on spending the full year in new zealand and a few months/weeks travelling before and after you get there, then dont get a round the world ticket. most round the world ticket deals have a one year time limit, so you have to be back home a year to the day that you left otherwise your flights will be cancelled. you have alot of freedom to change your dates withen that year but you cannot extend it past the year time frame.
i booked a round RTW deal through trailfinders and ended up having to let my NZ-LA-London-Dub flights go and buy a new ticket home because i dident get to NZ for a couple of months and i wanted to stay there the full year.
trailfinders are very good and you should go in and talk to them. they might be able to sort you out with a one way ticket via south america or asia. NZ immigration prefer you to have an outgoing flight when you enter the country but most times if you can prove that you have enough funds to buy a ticket home they'l let you in. it really depends on who you get at the desk. sometimes they make you buy a cheap ticket to australia.
hope this helps

Energizer

Ye thanks, very helpful.

I was thinking of round the world tickets but u raised a good point.

There are some good deals online with different airlines.

Malaysia air has a return ticket with one stop for 800euro. 1 year return.

Have to figure out which will be the best way. At the moment i think going through asia will be better. More cheap flight options.

Ronan|Raven

I flew over Los Angeles with Air NZ

It wasnt all that bad I went from dublin - heathrow under my own steam then heathrow - LAX then two hours in Lax before LAX-Auckland. You arrive in in the morning so you sortof feel normal! Until two days later and you ar ea zombie!

My flights are 1200 euro from dialaflight in the uk but that is because I booked with only 4 weeks notice.

Im sure if you book in advance you can get them a lot less. Im looking to try change my fight to go home over asia as I wouldnt mind a week in thailand just for a quick look.

For when you get to NZ www.bbh.co.nz is a handy card to have for the hostels you get 2-3 dollars a night off and 20 dollars calltime in the card.

http://www.backpackerboard.co.nz/ some good pointers.

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/ - VISA

There are bus tours with Magic Bus aka Tragic Bus, Kiwi Experience aka The fook bus! and one or two others.

Having talked to a lot of people who did these tours some said they would have preferred to just have bought a cheap car/van.

If there are a few of ye and you all can drive then definitly look into getting a car or a van it offers you so much freedom as I can tell you this there are a lot of places you pass in NZ that you may love to stop at that the buses wont.

I pretty much hitched, occasion citylink bus and scabbed lifts.

If driving in your own vehicle please please carry a spare jerry can of fuel it couls save you a cold night! Down the south island you can go a good distance without seeing a petrol station!

Any other q's feel free to ask.

Energizer

Cool, great info.

Really want to get this sorted soon to get the cheapest flights.

What is the situation with drivers licenses.

2 of my friends can drive but will their irish licenses be valid there?

Ronan|Raven

Yes, their Irish licenses should be fine as long as they are full licenses and not provisionals, although a mate of mine with a provisional license drove over there.

Insurance isnt mandatory! But it is recommended you get some sort of a package, bbh offer a tourists insurance for about 150euro.

davidm20

Try USIT on the quays. It not just for students.
I bought a rtw ticket last year (2200 incl insurance & oz viza) & they were cheaper than Trailfinders. Also didn't like the guys in Trailfinders found them very pushy, they wanted us to book on the spot, very different from the girl in USIT.

Energizer

Cool, good to know about the car.

Do u think i should get an open 1 year return ticket, or 2 single tickets?

tosh_thedude

Energizer wrote:

Cool, good to know about the car.

Do u think i should get an open 1 year return ticket, or 2 single tickets?

I got an opened ended ticket for NZ, I'd recomend it as i changed my return flight twice near the end....

Tips wise: Make sure you declare all foods/exoctic plants/forgin Objects no matter how small.... I got fined 250 dollars for bringing an Irish "Bouw-raun" (cant spell that) coze it didnt click that the skin on it. Always read the small print. Silly me! Oh and Guy in front of me got stopped for having hiking boats & A tent.... He never declarded them, think he got fined 700dollars or something crazy! Not exactly pleasing handing over cash straight after u land in a country....but i guess the rules are there for a reason. :rolleyes:

Ronan|Raven

They are amazingly strict allright about the whole declaration. A lot of locals dont care to much for the whole dept that is repsponsible in thier eyes for OTT measures to keep foriegn bugs out of the localities. A lot feel it is a loosing battle.

Energizer

Great help.

Didn't know about that declaration stuff. will have to be careful.

Anyone got any recommendations on where to go in NZ? (Hostels, hotels, Pubs, Clubs, sites, etc...)

Also any tips on living there?

davidm20

Start in Auckland (don't stay there to long) and work your way down from there. Leave from Christchurch. I took a bus with a company called Magic. Really enjoyed it saw most of the country.

Hostels in NZ are of a very good standard.
Get a BBH Card, i couldn't say a bad word about their hostels. You can order a free book that rates every one of there hostes online

http://www.bbh.co.nz/

therecklessone

If you visit anywhere, visit Dunedin. I fell in love with the plcae, would love to live there...:(

Ronan|Raven

Dunedin I wasnt very gone on a bit to much like home for me It was pissing rain and grey! So may have clouded the old judgement a bit. The whole OTAGO coast is pretty cool, you even see some of the yellow eyed penguins doing their thing!

North Island I would recommend some of the following:

Dont spend to long in Auckland it is just another large city that is nothing like New Zealand, try get to a place called paihia it is north of Auckland and is lovely, infact once you get to there you have to make the last drive upto the very north of the island to a place called Cape Reinga and from there get to the 90 mile beach. Reinga is apparently a spiritual home to the Maori where they come to say farewell to dead loved ones where it is rumoured their spirits pass by when leaving this world. Also you get to see the meeting of the Tasman and the pacific and it can clearly be seen where the two banks of water meet. If driving yourself down 90 mile beach beware of the tides! It can be risky. http://www.asok.net/?q=gallery&g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=113 for example

Lake Taupo which is centered around the middle of the north island is well worth a visit a really nice little town (Taupo) and the lake is pretty amazing in size.

From there you can get to Rotorua, which is built on large volcanic pools and what not and as a result the place smells like a bad egg! Pretty unique place with steam visible seeping out of the ground in many places!

Tongario is only a short drive from here as well and is a great hike todo, even I managed it and im not the fittest! It is also where a lot of Mordor was done apparently so if you like the whole LOTR jazz that goes on worth a look forthat but also for the amazing scenery you will see while there. Bring proper hiking gear with you however as weather changes all the time and many have died on it despite its popularity. The same can be said for most hikes and always tell people where you are going if you goto these places by yourselves!

Napier is a city that was rebuilt in the Art Deco style frankly I didnt goto it

Wellington! Oh how I love thee! By far one of the best cities I have ever been in I love this place so much it kills me to know I have to leave it.

Nice city in terms of size, pretty similar to galway in its stature, a very arty city with a thriving nightlife, loads of good bars and clubs and eateries. Pretty much something to cater for everyones taste. If you want any tips on here ask and I will do my best to help.

South Island:

Picton is where you arrive into on the ferry from Wellington and it is a fantastic little place. People say it is boring but I disagree it is a very small town but is really nice with huge hillsides surrounding it and some nice scenery. From here you can pretty much go towards Christchurch and go do that whole coastline or go via Nelson.

Christchurch I didnt care to much for dont know why. Other people like it maybe it was just me. Only main reason I went there was to goto the cricket.

Queenstown is a very lively town/city and is always a point of good nightlife and lots of tourists! You can walk the place not hearing a local! It is pretty much the adventure capital of NZ with numerous bungies and what not but be prepared to pay well!

Wanaka is a very much overlooked town to Queenstown, it is only an hour drive to it as well from queenstown so really is a must. It is by far one of the best places I spent some time in, so nice I stayed for a week! Overlooking a gorgeous lake, with some great bars and realy good fun if you meet up with the right people. I was going to stay there but came back to Wellington.

Te Anau is pretty much a gateway town to the amazing Milford Sound, well worth a visit to this sound, everything is on a scale I have never witnessed! Doubhtful Sound is also meant to be good but I didnt get to it, maybe I will before I leave.

These are only a few areas I have been to more but would consider these some of the main ones. If I think of more I will update.

Energizer

Thanks ronan for all the info. Brilliant help.

Will have to visit all those places.

1 Question, Why would customs fine u for bringing in hiking boots and a tent?

Me and my friends are thinking of getting RTW tickets with 2 stops either side of NZ. Cost about 1100- 1300euro. will be brilliant

peeps78

you could have taken everything that Ronan|Raven said and posted my name on the top. i agree with everything he said.
and heres a bit more
try to get up the east cape of the north island. i did a quick tour with stray ( its a new tour so its not on the website yet www.straytravel.co.nz ). rotorua is a great place to see maori culture tarted up for the tourists but up the east cape you see it for real. and in good weather the scenery isent to be sniffed at.

like Ronan|Raven i love love loved wellington. i lived there for 6 months.i loved it so much im even thinking of applying for residency and going back.

if you go to queenstown you might aswell pop down the road to glenorchy. its a tiny town in an amazing place. just down the road from that is paradise. theres actually a place there called paradise.

i did both milford and doubtfull sounds and for me, even though it was more expensive (but i got a reduction because i was working in queenstown at the time), i prefered doubtfull sound heaps more than milford. its much larger and way less people.

the reason customs fine for not declaring camping gear is that any new microbes or spores etc (aswell as seeds,meat,dairy) brought in can play havok with NZ ecosytem. alot of rivers are now infected with a weed/spore that was brought in years ago on someones canoe/fishing gear.you can bring camping gear in but declare it and they take it off you for a few minutes to spray it with disenfectant.

a good book to read before you go is joe bennets a land of two halves. hes an english journalist whos been living in NZ for 15 years and the book is his account of hitch hiking around NZ. NZ is actually one of the best places you can go hitch hiking, but just like hitching everywhere use your common sense but generally its safe in NZ.

Energizer

Thanx for the info Peeps.

I will have to print all this off for reference.

therecklessone

Ronan|Raven wrote:

Dunedin I wasnt very gone on a bit to much like home for me It was pissing rain and grey! So may have clouded the old judgement a bit.

Galway with hills I called it...:D

Weather was similar for me, but went for a stroll on a Thursday evening down the main street with all the bars/cafes etc (can't remember the name), wandered into a bar at one stage to hear some incredible jazz quartet, wandered from bar to cafe and the atmosphere was cracking. Uni town, so very laid back. People were super friendly.

Also, try to do the Trans-Alpine railway journey across the South Island from Christchurch to Greymouth, but don't plan on staying in Greymouth (head back the same day) cos its a s*ithole. I got stuck in it for a night after I wrote off my rental car, had to draw out the winning ticket in the meat raffle in the bar attached to my hostel. Grim.

Energizer

Cool, Jesus wellington is starting to sound good.

Will have to get there.

any bars in auckland or wellington that u would recommend?

gerire

one of the best boards threads on places to go in NZ http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=270587.

I reccomend going to Akaroa just about 2 hours outside Christchurch and going swimming with the hector dolphins. We rented a 'spaceship' camper/car Im sure a google will throw them up, but we were doing the 2 islands in a short period of time

Ronan|Raven

Valve bar in Wellington is cool if you like Metal Also Bodega Bar has some good live gigs and the amazing TuaTara local brewed beers!

tosh_thedude

Energizer wrote:

Great help.

Didn't know about that declaration stuff. will have to be careful.

Anyone got any recommendations on where to go in NZ? (Hostels, hotels, Pubs, Clubs, sites, etc...)

Also any tips on living there?

If you in Auckland check out K Road, It's the Top end of Queen st (main street), Its got some cool little clubs and bars.... was my favorite area of the city as you got a diverse mix of people. Alternatively check out the Viaduct harbor area, its got a few Irish bars, Also place I used to work called the Loaded Hog, a great night spot Thursday to Sundays... gets a good local mix. lots of Swanky bars there also, but Loaded hog is fun.

Sites...well if your traveling about I'd recommend the cora-mandle Peninsula. eh...see map, It's North East of Auckland, Also if you travel north of this you'll hit so nice beaches and islands.... The whole country is stunning.... I could spend all day chattin bout it.

Tips for living there..... Watch out for ugly insects called Wetta's (There some sort of Pre-Historic Grass-hoppers) One landed in my misses hair...oh the madness! Em, Oh.... watch out for the really cheep drink and all them friendly people.

tosh_thedude

Energizer wrote:

Thanks ronan for all the info. Brilliant help.

Will have to visit all those places.

1 Question, Why would customs fine u for bringing in hiking boots and a tent?

Me and my friends are thinking of getting RTW tickets with 2 stops either side of NZ. Cost about 1100- 1300euro. will be brilliant

I think it's something about the possiblity of clay/insects/bugs/gems etc being trapped inside the soles of the boots and the lining of the tent. Just declare it and you'll be fine, they send them for treating!

tosh_thedude

Oh and if your in Queenstown i recomend heading over to Milford sound.... Its west of Queenstown.... Such an Amazing part of the South Island.:)

Ronan|Raven

SANDFLIES! DIEEEE! When they attack you, you will know why I say this!