You do need to realise that driving in the winter is totally different than driving in normal days. The roads might be slippery and stuff but then, that depends on where you go though. So yeah, stay safe, drive slow.

Yeah actually that's one of my concern too >_< but just hope may still autumn wouldnt be like winter yet..but then again weather is unpredictable there @@

But does anyone here knows if our normal Class D dirving license can be used to drive a campervan there?

Well, it will be wet for sure. Oops, I didn't realise that you are actually going in Autumn. Well, autumn is still quite alright despite the occasional rain here and there. It is quite unpredictable actually.

Can't help you much on the campervan, I've got my own ride over there. Haha.

i survive driving 3500++ KM in 24 days on winter (July-Aug).
History, 8 years never drive before and total only driven less than 3 month in my life.

Better be careful and never drive after the sun is set.
Speed limit is not to be reach,
never drive as fast as the local. They can drive very fast including cornering.

Successfully drive from Queenstown to Milford sound to Queenstown in 1 day in mid of winter...
Really a scary drive.

Wow, anyway just want to check with you if our Malaysian Driver License (Class D - Normal vehicle) can drive a campervan over there a not @@ But anyway, I will be going with 4 other friends so all also can drive one.

Thanks.

not sure, cause i renting a ford focus only.
Malaysia new license can be use in NZ as it have english compare to old driving license with only Malay.

What i do is scan and send them my driving license and ask them can this use in NZ. They will reply accordingly.
You need to know that the highway in NZ (exclude from Wellington and Auckland) is like Malaysia Old road with no lamp post. single lane on both way and many mountain road as like going to Cameron highland from tapah (old road).
The only good thing about their road is well maintain and less car.

Hi,

Let assume they require a normal driving licence only, are u confident to driver in a slipper, narrow single lane truck road? Any one of you guys have driving a 5 tonne lorry before, if non of yous have this experience, please forget about it. The campervan for 5 person will like the size of the 5 tonne lorry here, althrough it 3.5 tonne in weight. It dangerous to others road users if you not have any driving experience. If some accident do occcur, it might cause a big hole in yrs pocket.

For the campervan, it can drive for 40-60 km/hr, thus it take almost double the time for a sedan car, on top on this, u need to park at designated camp area, which was not too common and normally will out of city abit. In May, was near to winter, the temperature at outside will be near to zero at night, are you able to stand the freezing/ windy temperature for at least 12 hrs a day ?

For campervan, i foresee your unable to cover the whole south island, maybe haft of it, unless you have a month travel time, if not avisable to do so, furthermore some mountain cross, the campervan was not able to drive through.

On others hand, i would suggestted that getting a estima will be a better option, all the lugguage canbe stuff into last row. For the accomodation, try to get a youth hostel or apartment with cooking facilities, you can cook yrs breakfast and dinner they, it will save you quite alot here, another option is to get a room which rent out perroom basic.

This post has been edited by youngman28: Sep 16 2014, 02:03 PM

Hi, thanks for the reply. Anyway, after talking some of my friends who have been there before, I've decided to just stick with a normal car + hostel/hotel/motel trip. And yeah, most of them have very unpleasant experience driving the campervan @@.

Like what youngman28 said, get an estima or something like that. Types like estima are easier to find there too. It wouldn't cost as much and you won't have much problems driving them too.

Just drive safe, stick to the limit if they have one. If you are not familiar with the place drive slower by 10 at least from the speed limit especially driving at night. It will be a looooooong night driving there especially from places like Christchurch down to Dunners.

Hi everyone,

i will be travelling to New Zealand in the next couple of weeks.

Just have a question about the data plan there.

Does anyone whom has been thr have any clue if i could get a data line at the airport?

whats the price range for prepay data plan?

Thanks~

https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/1041388/+1040

If wan 4g den vodafone
if wan limited 4g coverage+ free wifi choose sparks
2degree 4g is very limited but price is same as vodafone. But got many package to choose from

Get Skinny mobile bundle package, only cost for 16bucks per month...decent enough

Hey everyone!

Any suggestions for beautiful sceneries or places at the north and west coast of South island?
I've been to christchurch > tekapo > wanaka > queenstown and milford sound.
I'm hoping to cover different areas this time as I will be going again ard mid of Nov.
Thank you!

Glaciers!!! Fox or Franz Josef.

I went to Franz Josef. Loved it. Was told Fox was better. but IDK. can't compare.

As for north… abel tasman national park? I didn’t go there’s but that’s the highlight.

A blog that i created for my New Zealand Trip, first time create a blog, hope can give some info for people who planning to visit New Zealand.

http://adrian-nat.blogspot.sg/2014/07/new-...home-pages.html

Please give me some feedback if anything wrong or improvement.
Thanks.

Best country for driving and/or caravaning

Brother,

Look like you miss out one of the most beautiful site in Queentown-LOTR

bro. very interesting blog. i went through all 25 days. Can i know how much you spent exclude the wedding photoshoot.

u can check out mine too at https://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopic=2950749&hl=

I not only miss out LOTR at Queenstown, i miss out a lot more because of bad weather and wrong season.
Example:-
1. Hot air balloon at Christchurch.
2. Pilot a helicopter without experience at Christchurch,
3. White water rafting.
4. diving at Milford sound

And much more,

25 days is too short to cover both island.

But thanks for your advice..
Hope can go NZ again and cover all those that i missed out.

Thanks,
I have attach my planning excel as below, you can download and view it.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_nTbeUT6P...iew?usp=sharing

If you fail to view it, just drop me a message, i can email to you.

I will check yours as well when i'm free, thanks for sharing as well.