New Zealand?

Evenstevens

Really want to go to New Zealand and just wondering if anyone has been and would recommend the North or South Island, any particular sights worth seeing and any particular time of year you'd recommend to go. Also, would 2 or 3 weeks be sufficient to see a decent bit of the place or would more time be needed.

Thanks.

mel.b

Both are beautiful in their own ways, although I have seen more of the North Island than South. In the North Island, the Northland region is beautiful - Bay of Islands region and then on the other coast 90mile beach and up to Cape Reinga, the most northly point. In the middle of the island you have the geothermal areas around Rotorua and although it stinks there is some incredible places to go. Haven't been another further south on the north island than that.

On the South Island I have mostly been around Christchurch as my sister lives on the Canterbury Plains. Akarora is great for a day trip and you can go swimming with dolphins. There is also Kaikoura which is a couple of hours up the coast from CHC where you can go whale watching. My parents have taken the train across Arthurs pass and said it is amazing and also drove down to Queenstown. The scenery, esp on the SOuth Island is meant to be spectacular. The Hobbit and lord of the Rings were all filmed in NZ, so that should give you an idea of the scenery.

With 2 - 3 weeks I'd focus on just one island.

poitinstill

no details on hand but try do both .. 3 weeks instead of 2 rent a camper van off peak time ( i went in october and paid buttons for a van circa 350 euro for 18 days or somthing...) only draw back si some of the things are a long drive apart.. north island rotura etc south fox glacier, fjords etc..will gather some details...best place i ever was !

Emcm

In 3 weeks you could easily do both. To me the South island is by far the nicest of the 2 so I would give it the most time.

In the North I did Auckland area drove down to Lake taupo to roturua and around the geezers these areas are beautiful. I also did Napier which is a very funky art deco city and Wellington which is a nice city but a day or 2 is enough.

I flew from north to south to save time buy the flights from their version of Ryanair cheap as chips and run like buses Think the airline was called air new Zealand. But on way back (we had a return flight from Auckland )we took the ferry really worth doing it runs Picton to Wellington beautiful scenic ferry trip. We did Christchurch which was so stunning but dread to think how it is after the earthquakes. We then went to Queenstown one of the most beautiful places I have ever visiting just stunning a must see. We then drove up to the
franz josef glacier which is fabulous. Oh I am exhausted thinking about it! Oh to have the money to do it again that was my SSIA money!!
Sorry for long post got caught up in memories there.
Enjoy every second !!!!

CLARiiON

We did 3weeks in New Zealand and it worked out perfect.
Ideally, one more week would have been better, but in the three weeks we got a lot covered. Here's where we went and hopefully it helps:
Flew into Auckland [stayed there 1 night .. like every city, wasn't too go on it to be honest]
Collected a car and drove to Tupori [a lot of maori culture here, stayed 1 night]
Drove to Rotura [Geysers, bubbling mud pools, hot thermal springs, maoris]
Drove to Taupo [We didnt do much here - other than go out on the lake]
Drove to Palmerston North [nicest sweet 'n sour I've ever got!! Uni city, with good young culture]
Drove to Wellington [city .. city stuff]
Ferry to Picton [as mentioned about the scenary from the boat is unreal - similar to Milford sound]
Drove to Westport and on to Greymouth [didnt do much en-route]
Drove to Franz Joseph [climbed the glacier - by all accounts the highest skydive can be done here - highest in the world]
Drove to Lake Wanaka [Skiing and where we did our skydive - gorgeous place]
Drove to Queenstown [Best place in the world! Fergburger, skiing, bungy etc ... just excellent, as Emcm has said]
Bus to Milford Sound [Day trip to Milford Sound - very enjoyable, nice scenary]
Drove to Twizel [Lovely place, just stopped here on our way to christchurch]
Drove to Christchurch [due to the earthquake it seems to have lost its buzz, we didnt get to do much here. note: there was very bad snow when we were there a couple of yrs ago]
Drove to Hamner Spring [thermal baths .. ]
Drove back to Christchurch to fly out

Evenstevens

Thanks for the feedback. Great tips. Just have to start saving my ass off now.

CLARiiON

If you want more information on any of the places I visited, just let me know. I've kept a lot of info from the trip.. [Just have to root it out]
Class country and anywhere you'll go will be amazing

RebelRocket

Just wondering did everyone here just go to New Zealand for a couple of weeks?

My friend and I are planning on going there on a working holiday visa and using our time there to earn money to go travelling (South America etc)

Anyone have any experience of this?