I'm putting together an itinerary to NZ for Dec next year. What do you guys reckon are the
'best' places to experience the following things?
1. beachside holiday
2. Jetboat ride or white-water rafting (of the tame kind!)
3. Unique landscapes or geographic wonders
4. Get close to marine life (eg dolphins, whales, fur seals and the like)
5. Cruising at sunset
6. Nature walks of less than a day
7. Maori culture and crafts
8. Aerial view of the country without having to be on an airplane
(Best = unique, memorable, and not necessarily the most expensive)
I'll be travelling with a car load of kids (3 of them, all less than 10 yrs old),
so if you can give a kid-friendly rating (1 being not friendly, and 10 most child friendly) of the place, that'd be great!
Sorry I don't have the URL to hand but the NZ AA has just run a competition to find the 101 best things to do in NZ and they have a great website:
1. Bay of Islands, Bay of Plenty?
2. Waimakariri River or Queenstown or Hanmer
3 All of NZ ;-)
4. Kaikoura, Caitlins, Otago Peninsula
5. Milford Sound (overnight stay)
6. All over NZ
7. Rotorua, Hokitika (crafts - greenstone jewellry)
8. Queenstown's Skyline Gondola; Chch Gondola? - Climb Avalanche Peak?
Only 2, 5 & 8 necessarily cost money - the rest are free.
- beachside holiday - Coromandel Peninsula, really nice beaches on the eastern coast of the peninsula. North Island
2. Jetboat ride or white-water rafting (of the tame kind!) - seems there was jetboating anywhere there was water in NZ!
3. Unique landscapes or geographic wonders - I love Rotorua and the bubling mud, thermal springs etc. We visited a thermal park called Wai-o-taupo Thermal wonderland I think...really great..North Island
4. Get close to marine life (eg dolphins, whales, fur seals and the like) - Otago Peninsula outside Dunedin on the South Island
5. Cruising at sunset - Milford Sound South Island
6. Nature walks of less than a day - Arthur's Pass South Island
7. Maori culture and crafts - Rotorua on North Island we went to a cultural evening run my the Mitai Family. Great!
(Best = unique, memorable, and not necessarily the most expensive)
Beachside Holiday - Nice place up the Coromandel Pennisula, esp Hotwater Beach http://www.whitianga.co.nz/hwbeach.html<BR>Jetboat - Im born and bred in NZ and have never done the jetboating!!! I do know that it can be expensive so check out prices
Unique Landscape - well depends where you are but as well as doing the usual touristy things, Id urge you to ask the locals where ever you are - you will hear people proudly point you to places that you would never see on the tourist trails.
Marine life - obviously Napier Marine Centre, but also anywhere in Northland (esp Bay of Island, Russell area). Also Kaikoura (Top South Island) is where you can go Whale Watching.
Cruising at sunset - I dont think your meaning downtown Auckland, right!!! If your near Oamaru (Otago, Sth Island) then they have a nightly showing of the penquins coming in from the sea (i think it costs but the funds go back into the colony protection). Wellington has oriental parade which is always nice to sit and watch the ferries come in etc - to be honest - everywhere has great places to go cruising - esp beaches etc.
Nature walks - everywhere!!!!!!!!!!!! Just keep to the tracks and keep an eye on the weather - NZ weather can be unpredicable but Im guessing your not thinking of climbing MT Cook, so Im sure you will be just fine.
Maori Culture - Everyone goes to Rotorua and thats great but there are many many more places. Te Papa Museum in Wellington is a must and Im sure its free!!! Again, ask the locals - they are the best ambassadors of the country. The local corner shop is called a 'dairy' and any dairy owner will be a fountain of knowledge......check this site out
http://www.aatravel.co.nz/101-must-dos-for-kiwis/index.php
Have fun anyway
trusted partner
