Agreed, nothing much to see on Fox Glaciar / FJ Glaciar, driving whole day to watch the brady glacial may not justify the time and money.

Personally like to suggest 3-4 nite solely on QT and surround area, the scenery in QT much better, and you need to slow down to enjoy the scenery, food and environment they, different time have different view, surroundnmg area like Arrowtown (LOTR), Cromwell, Glenochy(LOTR), watch sheep farming, visit winery, buugy jump site.

Try not everyday driving for 300-400km for the sake to cover all the area. During March, they are less chances to catch the snow on Mt Cook, The Authur Pass will look normal without snow cover on top. Thus, you can focus more on Lake, beach area.

For yrs infor, alot of the road is a coastal road and some road build on the edge on the mountain/lake, it take time and patient to drive, although no much car here.

For CHC, they are nothing much can do here, alot of historical site have bring down for re-build, and alot of road toward the city centre haved blocked to cater for this purpose, unless u like to come here for shopping. U can get yrs grocery at some hypermarket like Countdown, Pak n Save.

This post has been edited by youngman28: May 21 2012, 11:19 PM

OK, I change my plan and redo my itinerary as below:

Day 01
Arrive Auckland and take the rental car straigh to Rotorua

Day 02
Rotorua/Matamata/Rotorua

Day 03
Rotorua/CHC

Day 04
CHC/Lake Tekapo/Mt Cook

Day 05
Mt Cook/Oamaru

Day 06
Oamaru/Dunedin

Day 07
In Dunedin

Day 08
Dunedin/Te Anau

Day 09
Te Anau/Milford Sound

Day 10
Milford Sound/Queenstown

Day 11
In Queenstown

Day 12
Late afternoon Queenstown/Auckland

Day 13
In Auckland

Day 14
Depart Auckland to KL

BTW, do you thing better to rent GPS along with the car or map is enough?? I rent a car in Australia before but without GPS and it was ok. But not sure in NZ.

Ok, look more pratical,

Another suggestion is you might consider skip Mt Cook on day 4 , and shaft in Wanaka, Wanaka is a beautiful city with Lake that worst yr a day visit.


For my South Island trip , i not rent any GPS, but keep a ipad and download some map, and google it when u are missing, The difficulties i face is Christchurch which is quite big and more car, while others tourist city is quite straight forward , using the map from i-tourist will be good enough.

This post has been edited by youngman28: May 22 2012, 04:07 PM

I didnt rent any GPS when I were there... Instead I had my Iphone with the map because I brought the GPS for NZ and AU de.... It was very useful but I followed the most visit places also some are recommend from my friend. Actually when u were going to Milford Sound, there was a side stop, u stop over and can went down to to get nearer to the lake... Be careful as the road to Milford Sound, the tunnel is actually can consider as one way.. In NZ, all bridge are one way and remember see the road sign that which direction should give way to which direction...

No, don't skip Mt. Cook, the view is awesome and good tracking sites!

Wanaka basically a quiet version of Queenstown where you can have the same activity and good sights but fewer people, not much to do except some tours. If you been to Queenstown, it's not worth staying for long.

I don't have any electronic guidance when I'm there, take a free AA or YHA map. The road are just that straight forward that you won't get lost, plus that it isn't Malaysia where every sign board, there is a tree blocking it... Save $$ and go the traditional way... like good old kiwis

I won't skp Mt Cook because my husband wants to try the Glacier Explorer. Quite expensive though. NZ140 but hey!! it's not everyday we can experience this

Yeah, I thought that too. Can you imagine, we never lost our way driving around in Western Australia. But I couldn't find my way in Shah Alam because the signboard so confusing

What is AA and YHA?? Sorry for the noob question

Glacier Explorer is the boat trip in the lake? Consider acceptable price in NZ... cannot compare with our price here.

AA = New Zealand Automobile Association - aa.co.nz
YHA = Youth Hostels Association - http://www.yha.co.nz

Map can be acquired from I-SITES, the best one is YHA map. Great detail and with all the YHA discount listed.
Glacier Explorers (Mt Cook) - 15% discount
AJ Hackett Bungy - FREE gift
Skyline Queenstown - $10 off
Lots more... go take a look

Yeah, for their currency is normal but for me is expensive

OK, noted on the map from AA and YHA. Tks a lot.

Another question, is it ok to bring canned food (like chicken curry canned food) from Malaysia to NZ? They won't consfiscate upon arrival??

is there any way to become AA member if we were Malaysian? B'cos I remember my previous trip there is AA special rate for rental car...

It's better to bring flavour packs rather than cans... imagine a can weight around 300-400g (not sure, I don't have any cans around). You can buy can food there cheap. Beans, spaghetti (not main food) can get as low as $1 per can. Better ones (main food) around $2-$2.5 per can.

About bringing food, you concern about halal food?

Visit them when you go there, I've never join AA before so not sure. I only know AA's car Insurance...

I wonder why my post being deleted.

I replicate the post again

Bus ride from Hermitage



View from inside the bus



Walking path to the glacier







Jetty

---

Added on May 26, 2012, 6:35 amAnyone please post something so that I can continue posting.

This post has been edited by wufei: May 26 2012, 06:35 AM

Halal is one thing but want to save cost by cooking ourselves

What do you mean by flavour pack??

I think you can bring in any food, but pratically in small pack (soft pack), provided you declara on the arrival form.

Try to get the good/food pack it and wrap it nicely. For own cooking, i sugest u buy yrs own cooking pan they ( if u are bumi), while others food ingredient can find it easily in the supermarket, some asian food can find it in Queenstown chinese store.

Veg like brocolli, onion, potato, tomoto, carliflower can get it cheaply they.

Some expensive food/ ingredian suggest you bring over:-

Garlic -NZD 15+/kg
Curry / chili powder/paste - quite expensive
Chicken/beef/ikan bilis cube fr Kross/Maggi - to cook soup, the meal/bone is expensive and difficult to find
Ajinomoto
White pepper

Hope this help

This post has been edited by youngman28: May 26 2012, 01:29 PM

Those Maggi/Yeos/Bla bla bla that makes it easy to cook, curry flavor/rendang/"chao mian" (not same as Chao Kui Tiao here...)

To save cost, find Backpackers/Motels with self cooking facilities with all the spices & oil... so you don't need to buy there and bring along lots of stuff. *(that's what I bring in my car... box and more boxes of food)

Actually spices isn't that expensive if you buy Budget/Homebrand/"cheap brands". For food ingredient, find seasoned food (means food produced at that time). Also, try buy food ingredients from Farmer's Market, those are the cheapest/most fresh vegis you can get! Cheap too! Garlic can get for NZD10/kg or even less!!

Is this a cooking tour or what?

There maggie can try out their Budget brand de... Quite taste good also... But mostly all food must declare of it and must show to them... Let them mostly can see is what... Tell them clearly what type you bring if not u needed to queue very long to see it and check it out lolz...

Buy from Fresh Mart also cheap... If wanted more cheap try check it out the morning market which mostly all Ang Mo dislike it but food over there very cheap and fresh... Even their ginger.. I also dont eat ginger at all but went there, I really eat the ginger and taste not bad...

What you see at the lake

I was abt to say the same thing

I don't plan to cook like we cook at home. Just simple nasi goreng or spaghetti will do. That's why I was thinking to bring canned food. Easy and simple. Just heat it up and can eat already. I don't plan to cook everyday though. We will eat out for sure.

Yea, that's why I said buy those flavour packs (Maggie, Watties, Continental). Just heat the pan/pot, pour in the flavour, put in some ingredient like onions/garlic, put in meat/chicken, serve with rice or noodles, done.

Or getting can food like Pams, Campbells, Watties, Sealord... also get some ready made salads from supermarket.

Just to share some money saving tips while visiting to NZ.

By applying AA card (free registration), one can entitle for saving of up to 6 cent/liter of petrol at BP station. Also can accumulate points at Caltex station.

Good for self drive trip. I saved quite an amount using this.

Can get the application with AA membership card from BP or Caltex station, and register online. Once registered, can be used immediately.