2 weeks on north island

nice_guy80

Hello

going to NZ in 12 days.
Would like some recommendations for stuff to see on the north island.
have few nights accommodation booked in Auckland upon arrival.
currently putting together a rough itinerary for driving round. I hope to buy a car and then off we go. We'll be camping and hostelling before heading to the south island.

so, all recommendations welcome!
thanks

CatFromHue

If you can time it that you're in Rotorua or Tauranga area for the Sunday that you can raft on the Wairoa river that would be a good thing. It's on a river that is part of a hydro dam so is only open for rafting on certain Sundays. Just checked and it's every Sunday in January.

I did it and the Kaituna river and there was no comparison between the two, the Wairoa was far more exciting and scenic.

http://www.wetnwildrafting.co.nz/rafting-adventures/wairoa (this is just a random link, I haven't done it with these guys).

MrCreosote

What kind of things would you be interested in?

You could see a good bit of the island in two weeks. Here's an itinerary that might work: Auckland-raglan-Rotorua-Whakatane-East cape-Gisborne-Napier-Taupo-Tongariro-Wellington.

You'd miss out a few areas like northland and the coromandel, but the East Cape is better than both. The only thing I'd have as a must do on the North Island is the Tongariro Crossing. It's busy and touristy as hell for a tramp but on any sort of reasonable day it's fantastic.

Wellington is nice too, make sure to give it a day or two before getting the ferry.

nice_guy80

Well. thanks for replies.

I'm interested in doing some white water rafting, hikes - the Tongariro crossing is on my list

was thinking of the Bay of Islands? worth it?
route 43 to Stratford? worth it?

CatFromHue

It's really hard to know what to say as NZ is a pretty big country compared to Ireland and people have different tastes. I was travelling NZ with 3 mates and even between us there were different things we all wanted to do and not do.

We started in Wellington as we lived there and headed to Taupo to meet some other friends for a night out. Then we headed to National Park (which is a town!) where we did Tongario walk which was pretty good. It was pretty busy though. We also did some Mountain Biking on the Fishers Track from National Park which we really enjoyed too. Lol we got a bit lost and ended up having to ask a local farmer for directions. We got chatting to him and he was good fun, he called the Tongario walk the **** walk lol. National Park is minute as a town though, don't expect to do any shopping here!

From National Park we headed to Taumaurini and did a day's kayaking in the Wanganui river. This wasn't an adrenaline rush or anything like that but was pretty good and very scenic.

Next spot was Raglan for some surfing which was also good.

After that we went to Auckland. We did some canyoning from there which was good fun but for a group of young guys in our 20's it wasn't adrenalin rushing, though from the brochures we thought it would be. In saying that it was enjoyable and I'm glad we did it.

Next stop Whangarei where some of the lads did scuba diving in Poor Knights. I can't scuba dive so went for a days hike on the Bream head track which I really enjoyed.

We then headed up to the Bay of Islands to Pahia and did a nice day out on a sail boat there. I didn't think much of Pahia but heard good things about Russel. I really wanted to do the Cape Brett hike but we didn't have time.

Next stop was Kaitaia and then up to Cape Reinga but this was only average and I wouldn't really recommend. Nothing wrong with it but if you're on a time budget I wouldn't bother. We did want to go to a Kauri tree forest too but ran out of time.

From Kaitaia we headed back to Auckland and stopped off in Goat Island on the way, I personally really enjoyed the snorkelling here and would recommend it for an afternoon, especially if you haven't done much snorkelling, and then pushed on to Whitianga and then Whangamata on the Coromandel. Now these were very nice and relaxing so we did some surfing, some sun tanning, and I think some of the lads did some scuba diving.

Next stop was Rotorua where we did some rafting on both the Wairoa and Kaituna and also some sledging (which is body boarding) on the Kaituna too. As I said before after the Wairoa the Kaituna was fairly tame as the Kaituna is mainly grade 2 or 3 bar one section where the Wairoa is much more exciting and in general grade 5. It's also far more scenic too. The sledging was hard work too and we didn't think much of it.

And that was it really, we headed back to Wellington and then on to ChCh for the next part of our year away. One thing I will say is don't underestimate the distance. Wellington to Taupo on the first day was 5 or 6 hours for example, so that was it for that day.

We also went to Hot Water Beach from somewhere but that was kinda rubbish really. We pulled up and there were two coaches there already so the beach was packed. While we where there another coach pulled up too.

Our whole trip too 2.5 to 3 weeks too but there were a few nights out that I didn't mention :P

Obviously we started all wrong in going fro Wellington to Taupo but we'd some mates to meet and all that.

If I had any recommendations for your trip would be to do a hike or two or even a multi day hike. From my time over there they're the highlights for me, but then I was a fairly active guy back then!

nice_guy80

CatFromHue wrote: »

It's really hard to know what to say as NZ is a pretty big country compared to Ireland and people have different tastes. I was travelling NZ with 3 mates and even between us there were different things we all wanted to do and not do.

We started in Wellington as we lived there and headed to Taupo to meet some other friends for a night out. Then we headed to National Park (which is a town!) where we did Tongario walk which was pretty good. It was pretty busy though. We also did some Mountain Biking on the Fishers Track from National Park which we really enjoyed too. Lol we got a bit lost and ended up having to ask a local farmer for directions. We got chatting to him and he was good fun, he called the Tongario walk the **** walk lol. National Park is minute as a town though, don't expect to do any shopping here!

From National Park we headed to Taumaurini and did a day's kayaking in the Wanganui river. This wasn't an adrenaline rush or anything like that but was pretty good and very scenic.

Next spot was Raglan for some surfing which was also good.

After that we went to Auckland. We did some canyoning from there which was good fun but for a group of young guys in our 20's it wasn't adrenalin rushing, though from the brochures we thought it would be. In saying that it was enjoyable and I'm glad we did it.

Next stop Whangarei where some of the lads did scuba diving in Poor Knights. I can't scuba dive so went for a days hike on the Bream head track which I really enjoyed.

We then headed up to the Bay of Islands to Pahia and did a nice day out on a sail boat there. I didn't think much of Pahia but heard good things about Russel. I really wanted to do the Cape Brett hike but we didn't have time.

Next stop was Kaitaia and then up to Cape Reinga but this was only average and I wouldn't really recommend. Nothing wrong with it but if you're on a time budget I wouldn't bother. We did want to go to a Kauri tree forest too but ran out of time.

From Kaitaia we headed back to Auckland and stopped off in Goat Island on the way, I personally really enjoyed the snorkelling here and would recommend it for an afternoon, especially if you haven't done much snorkelling, and then pushed on to Whitianga and then Whangamata on the Coromandel. Now these were very nice and relaxing so we did some surfing, some sun tanning, and I think some of the lads did some scuba diving.

Next stop was Rotorua where we did some rafting on both the Wairoa and Kaituna and also some sledging (which is body boarding) on the Kaituna too. As I said before after the Wairoa the Kaituna was fairly tame as the Kaituna is mainly grade 2 or 3 bar one section where the Wairoa is much more exciting and in general grade 5. It's also far more scenic too. The sledging was hard work too and we didn't think much of it.

And that was it really, we headed back to Wellington and then on to ChCh for the next part of our year away. One thing I will say is don't underestimate the distance. Wellington to Taupo on the first day was 5 or 6 hours for example, so that was it for that day.

We also went to Hot Water Beach from somewhere but that was kinda rubbish really. We pulled up and there were two coaches there already so the beach was packed. While we where there another coach pulled up too.

Our whole trip too 2.5 to 3 weeks too but there were a few nights out that I didn't mention :P

Obviously we started all wrong in going fro Wellington to Taupo but we'd some mates to meet and all that.

If I had any recommendations for your trip would be to do a hike or two or even a multi day hike. From my time over there they're the highlights for me, but then I was a fairly active guy back then!

great post
thanks

I've the Milford Track booked, so looking forward to that

nice_guy80

Anyone know the cost of travel vaccinations in NZ?

heading to Thailand in last March, after NZ and Aus

want to know if they are comparable or cheaper than Ireland

MrCreosote

Not sure of the costs of the vaccines in Ireland, but for comparison a combined Hep A/typhoid (most common one for SE Asia) vaccine in NZ would be NZ$135, and you'd have to add to that the doctor and nurse consultations ($70 would be the absolute cheapest for a 15 min Dr appt).

There are specific travel clinics around the country- http://www.traveldoctor.co.nz/NZclinics/NZclinics.aspx

They tend to be a little more expensive, but can offer whatever you need on the spot. Book ahead if you use one of them. A bog standard GP clinic would be cheaper and would usually have the common vaccines in stock (although worth checking ahead to make sure they do.)

Might be much easier to get it done in Ireland with your own GP, who'd have a record of all your other vaccines and could see if say MMR or tetanus or whatever is needed. You'd save yourself the hassle of having to get it done here. Even if you don't, it'd be worth getting hold of your previous vaccination records before you leave.

Bay of Islands is nice btw, although pretty busy at this time of year. Hokianga harbour on the other side of Northland is pretty good, and the Poor Knight's diving from Tutukaka is awesome, better than anything on the great barrier reef IMO.

Slideways

Interesting reading. I'm heading to NZ for a quick tour tomorrow and amnt making much of an plan.


After reading here about the Poor Knights diving I think I will definitely have to make time for that