Christmas in new zealand, any suggestions?

jidsudap

Was wondering if anyone have any recommendations of where to spend christmas in the south island?

I'll be there with a few friends but we'd like to sort it beofre we head out. Going to SA in Sept for 3 months before we hit NZ.

We were thinking Queenstown as its meant to be pretty lively. we're all approx 24 years old. So would it be best to stay in a hostel/hotel/camping?

We're open to suggestions, we just want to make sure we're enjoying ourself and not missing home too much!

Thanks!

TheNibbler

Was going to start a thread on something similar myself. Not sure where in New Zealand I'll be for Christmas, but could plan around being somewhere specific if anyone has any recommendations?

mikedragon32

Moved to the ANZ forum, might get a better response.

watna

I'm not %100 sure on the Queenstown idea. It's a winter resort and Christmas is in summer. Has anyone been there to clarify if it's busy in summer too? I do know someone who was around that area for Christmas and this nice old lady invited them to Christmas dinner. NZ is good like that!

I'll be in Christchurch for New Year, I think so I hope it's good!

Wellington is pretty cool too, if I recall correctly. Queenstown might be more lively though

b3t4

Welly is generally deserted around Christmas.

Lots of kiwis head to the Bay of Islands. The weather is generally much better up there as well. Weather can be a bit tempermental in December.

Myself and the boyfriend went to Nelson last year for Christmas and New Years. Weather was fab and they've a few bars to head to in town. I can't remember the name of the hostel friends stayed at but it was awesome with a swimming pool and hot tub. Found the link to the hostel http://www.backpackernelson.co.nz/ If memory serves me Nelson has a dance/rave festival up in the mountain around it at that time of year. If there is a enough of ye ye'd be able to hire out a boat and go for a trip around Abel Tasman. Somewhere for ye to concider

A.

BraziliaNZ

Mount Maunganui in the Bay of Plenty on the North Island is the busiest place in the country at Xmas/New Years, it absolutely goes OFF around that time, unbelievable. Was living there last year, had a hell of a time, there's a great backpackers there too on the main street.

Crumble Froo

i think queenstown is big into water sports, banana boats, skydiving, all that kinda thing for the summer, as far as i know it'll be fairly busy in summer too (is it just me, or do you feel that summer and christmas will just always feel contradictary in the same sentence?).

after that, no clues, except that queenstown's not meant to be the cheapest.

Cmol

My choice would be Gisborne, or as someone else said- The Bay of Islands...

Theres a huge music festival on at New Years in Gisborne (or at least there was a couple of years ago!) which is awesome, they set up huge campsites all along the beach there and the town absolutely floods

I wouldnt be a huge Mt Maunganui fan myself, it seems to be tending towards the younger crowd - i.e. 18 years or under

Taupo's always a good choice in the summer...

In saying this, you'd want to be getting a move on booking things, these resort type towns tend to book up very early in the year....

watna

Cmol wrote: »

My choice would be Gisborne, or as someone else said- The Bay of Islands...

Theres a huge music festival on at New Years in Gisborne (or at least there was a couple of years ago!) which is awesome, they set up huge campsites all along the beach there and the town absolutely floods

I wouldnt be a huge Mt Maunganui fan myself, it seems to be tending towards the younger crowd - i.e. 18 years or under

Taupo's always a good choice in the summer...

In saying this, you'd want to be getting a move on booking things, these resort type towns tend to book up very early in the year....

That festival is definitely on this year too. My bfs 17 stepsister wanted to go but her parents would only let her if we took her. I'd rather peel all my skin around and roll around in salt then spend a weekend at a music festival with an out of control ungrateful 17 year old! Luckily my parents are coming over so we had a ready excuse!

I booked acommodation in Taupo on the 22nd and 23rd of December and he told us we had the last two rooms so as Cmol said if you want acommodation book soon!

Rabies

Auckland is very quiet over Christmas. Everywhere is dead. Most familys leave for a week or two.
I worked Christmas week last year but spent a few days on the Coramandel for New Year (like most Aucklanders)