i will be goin NZ soon, planning to stay 1 week in auckland and another week in south island, just wanna ask what places are must-go in south island? because my sis is stayin in Auckland she can guide me for tat but she has nv been to south island before...

also, do u need an international driving license to drive in nz? cause i heard wat most ppl do is that they rent a car and start driving south from christchurch.. is tat so? o.O

See this South Island

the place where they film lotr ^^ must be very beautiful there also parmeston north

No, you don't need to get an international driving license as a tourist. Your Malaysian license is acceptable.

Must-see places in South Island:
Queenstown, Milford Sound, Franz Josef Glacier, Mount Cook.

You can try the route suggested here which is for an 8-day tour:

http://www.newzealandselfdrivetours.co.nz/....php?tour_id=88

Actually, 1 week is too much for Auckland alone. You may like to make a side trip to Roturua to see the geysers.

This post has been edited by tehtmc: Apr 18 2009, 10:33 PM

Do the glacier trek at Franz Josef Glacier.
We stayed in a log cabin with view of the glacier right in front !!

Kaikora whale watch is another great thing to do

this is really helpful! thx alot

owh cause my sis is in auck ma, the main purpose of the trip is to pay her a visit.. but now after seeing the itenary, i dun mind goin south for another day xD

another ques.. usually how much does it cost normally to take flight from Auck to Christchurch?

you cant see mount cook coz its nearing winter and u wont enjoy milford as its too close to winter as well. skip these 2.

[quote=buntutman,Apr 19 2009, 03:45 AM]you cant see mount cook coz its nearing winter and u wont enjoy milford as its too close to winter as well. skip these 2.

[/quote]

Nope, that's not true.
Went to Mount Cook in the middle of winter(July), visibility was OK.
Been to Milford once in summer and another time in winter. Weather in Milford is know to be wet and cloudy most of the time. It was just that when I went the lst time in summer. Surprisingly, weather was much better when I went in winter, sunny, clear and blue skies.

There are budget airline like Air Asia. Try this one:
http://www.virginblue.com.au/

---

Added on April 19, 2009, 11:46 am[quote]owh cause my sis is in auck ma, the main purpose of the trip is to pay her a visit..[/quote]

That's fair enough. Is your sister studying or working there?

When in Auckland take a ferry across the harbour to Devonport, nice charming suburb. Had the best fish and chips there. The Underwater World is also worth a visit. The transparent underwater tunnel in Singapore Sentosa was also built by the Kiwis apparently.

BTW, exchange rate to NZD is very attractive at the moment.

[/QUOTE]Kaikora whale watch is another great thing to do [QUOTE]

Yeah, the whale-watching in Kaikoura..but that's a bit out of the way, you'll need a separate trip for that.

This post has been edited by tehtmc: Apr 19 2009, 11:51 AM

orait...... u da NZ man. i shall consult u each time i go NZ which is ....... very very very often.
and i'll try virgin whatever airlines instead of their Airasia competitor which is called Jetstar.



This post has been edited by buntutman: Apr 19 2009, 05:15 PM

buntutman
There is no need to be patronizing. I was merely speaking from my personal experience.
Arrowtown is near Queenstown, but is hundreds of km from Milford, which is in Fiordland, a different regioin with distinct climatic difference. Fiordland is a lot wetter region.

Jetstar is one of the budget airlines, but not the only one.

your personal experience > my personal experience.

she has been working thr for over 2 years alr.. so just pay her a visit during my hols lo

u seem to noe NZ rili well.. are you stayin in NZ too?

if someone knows NZ that well, they would never recommend you to go milford or mount cook in the winter (mount cook with exception of ski-ing).

its like a great recommendation from a m'sian to go redang/perhentian in the month of October ........ when its monsoon season. Chances of rain is ....... >70%

What is your statement based on? Your own opinion? Check out the rainfall data here and tell me whether it rains more in winter or summer in Milford:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milford_sound

Maybe you could search the same for Mt Cook and tell us.

There is no need to be sarcastic.

This post has been edited by tehtmc: Apr 20 2009, 08:12 AM

its not the rain. its the fog. hardly rains in south island.

what i'm saying probably is just beyond your grasp. so i'm going to explain this one more time to you and i'll leave this thread for good.
when u recommend someone to go mount cook or milford in the winter, fog happens frequently. weather is bad during winter. weather changes in the winter are unpredictable and quick to change.

so its the same as recommending someone to go to redang in october or november during the monsoon season. when the weather is bad.

and even if the statements were based on my own opinion, its still going to be ....... better than yours.

'hardly rains in south island.'

For your information, the West Coast of New Zealand and Fiordland are the wettest parts of the country. Queenstown and Arrowtown are the drier parts. The climatic data of the different regions is found here:

http://www.fourcorners.co.nz/new-zealand/regionalweather/

Coolbreeze is going there soon, which should still be autumn. It is not a question of going there in summer or winter, it's a question of whether to include those places in his itinerary or not.
As I said, I 've been there in the middle of winter and the weather was clear though cold. I spoke to the captain of the cruise ship at Milford who told me that weather can be very clear during winter. Have you been there yourself in winter may I ask? My first trip was in summer and that was when I experienced the worst weather - continuous rain with zero visibility. Of course weather is such a variable thing, luck does play a big part.

'even if the statements were based on my own opinion, its still going to be ....... better than yours.'

Well, I am not going to argue with you on whose statements are better or who is smarter. . The statements I made are based on my actual experience having stayed in NZ for 6 years.

eh eh chill bro who can predict weather??

you both provided me useful info la

anyway tehtmc, regarding the self drive tour itenary u gave me earlier, i find it really good may just follow it, but actually is that a plan for some local tour in NZ or? i mean do i have to participate it somewhere first so that i can rent the cars or stay in the hotels mentioned in the itenary?

Coolbreeze

The itinerary is planned by the tour company which provides the car,accomodation and airport transfers) as a package. It is a do-it-yourself tour. Of course you can hire a car and arrange your accomodation separately.
Mind you, that's quite a lot of driving to do for a week. I've been to all the places listed except the Trans-Alpine route which through Arthur's Pass. I heard that's a beautiful drive. You'll be amazed with the diverse scenery you go through if you follow the route - ranging from pastoral farmland to rainforest in the West Coast, from alpine scenery(like European Alps) to awesome glaciers (Canada) to the majestic fiords(Scandinavia). Also, Christchurch is known as the most English city and Dunedin, very Scottish.
What month are you planning to go?

july... during my hol

yeah i know lol my mom told me that there were people who were killed in accident because they were too amazed by the scenery and din focus on the road, im trying to gather 1 or 2 more frens to join me so that we can take turn to drive

do u think it will be tough to get accomodation during that time? as in just walk in and ask for rooms

July and August are the coldest months, so it's going to be cold especially in S Island. Be prepared with warm clothing. It hardly snows though except for places like Mt Cook.
The advantage of travelling in winter is that accomodation will not be a problem as it is low season. Walk-in is not a problem. You can save on accomodation by staying at those youth hostels but you have to join as a member of the Youth Hostels Association. There are youth hostels at almost every town in the itinerary. The NZ youth hostels are generally clean and well kept. You get to meet tourists from all over the world. It's been a long time since I stayed in one, the rate should be about NZD20 per person per night. Just do a search.

You're a student I presume?

make your booking here

Hi Coolbreeze,

When are you leaving to NZ? I am going there for 2 weeks too next month.

owh tat sounds like fun! will do more research on it .

yeah still studying keke, last year thou

It's a very quiet and laid-back country. Hardly any traffic on rural roads.
Ratio of sheep to people is something like 20+:1.
Good time to go since the NZD is so low. But airfare is expensive though.

This post has been edited by tehtmc: Apr 24 2009, 01:26 PM

I got a round trip to NZ for around $2100. Consider cheap no?

the airfare is already alot cheaper that's y my mom wud sponsor me thr

when my sis went back there in january it was 4300, when i got my tic in march it's only 2200, almost half price

u r stayin in nz eh?

---

Added on April 24, 2009, 5:37 pmim goin thr in july.. which part of nz are u goin??

This post has been edited by Coolbreeze: Apr 24 2009, 05:37 PM

Same like you. 1 week in South and another in North. Will be back before end of May. Should be very cold when you go there on July.

That is very cheap. Which airline? MAS?

---

Added on April 24, 2009, 7:48 pmNo, I'm in Ipoh. Is your sis PR there?


This post has been edited by tehtmc: Apr 24 2009, 07:48 PM

yeap MAS

lol im from ipoh too! XD

i think she applied but no reply yet

anyway, the youth hostels association hor, shud i join the malaysia one or the nz one? ==

Oh really? Which part?

Join whichever is cheaper lor.
You can join through some of the travel agents in KL. There's one i know, MSL Travel on Jalan Putra, opposite the Mall, Chow Kit area.

hey, can i tag along anyone who is going to NZ? wanna go NZ but no kaki. love the scenery over there especially those in LOTR.

If you post this a few weeks ago then you could have joined my trip. I even have an extra room in the car

Maybe you can pm Coolbreeze?

coolbreeze travelling with sis wo.

abit paiseh rite if i just ask and tag along =P

No harm trying ma, it's for mutual benefit. They stand to save quite a bit if the transport cost is divided by 3. It 's just for transport, you can still do your own thing.

Coolbreeze,

I am back from my trip. Some advice:

Since you are going to be there in the middle of winter, you should consider just touring North Island only.

It started to rain a lot when we were at South Island and even snowing. On one occasion we even had to turn around because of road closure. It will rain and snow even more on July. Don't forget to hire snow chains when you rent the car.

Daylight hours will be even less and you can't really see much because of fog etc.

North Island will probably rain just as much but at least it is a bit warmer.

A lot of activities will be closed during the winter season on South Island unless you are into skiing etc.

The cold will get to you even you are well prepared because going from 30deg to -5 deg in 2 days is asking a lot

NZ is BIG. I would strongly you choose only one side to visit for maximum enjoyment if you have 2 weeks only.

Hi Guys,

I am thinking of having my honeymoon at New Zealand next year around May.
I want to know is it a good time to visit there during May?
My gf said she would like to go during autumn season so is May a good season?

I have to choose May because she is studying and will only have her long holiday starting from May.

Besides that, we would like to rent a car and drive from town to town. is it ok?
Is our Malaysia driving license be used in New Zealand?

What are the places recommended to go. We are not those sporting type so not much into mountain climbing and all. Prefer to have nice scenery. good food. basically a relaxing honeymoon. well except at nite.

Thanks.

may is cold.

u cant drive to lord of the rings sites

need helicopter to go to rohirirm mountains.

Hi there,

I'm planning a backpacking trip to NZ this October/November. I'd like to see if anyone there is interested to join me, at least partially. I plan to rent a car, so having (a) partner(s) could help to lower the car budget and fatigue from driving

Why NZ?
-Beautiful scenery
-Exciting activities
-Many more

Why Oct/Nov?
-I know it's still cold, but it's not the busiest season

Why this year?
-H1N1 + economic factor = Lower exchange rate.
-Taking advantage of the MAS "all-in" farelah. Return trip KUL-AUK = RM 2,400 (INCL tax & surcharge!) . Promotion ends 07/06/2009, travel date until 30/11/2009
-The normal (MH-flex) return ticket is easily >RM 4,000, while the MH-low is about RM 3,100 (tax & surcharge NOT INCLUDED)

Why drive?
-Can take on time. Easy to stop to take photo, eat, go to toilet etc.
-No need to carry bag everywhere. If bring suitcase also can
-If go shopping no need to carry bags, just shove into trunk

These are the basic details of my travelling plans:
Departure from KUL: 15/10/2009 21:10 MH 131, Arr AUK 12:20+1
Return from AUK : 08/11/2009 13:50 MH 130, Arr KUL 20:15
Main mode of transport in NZ: Car rental --> Rental budget: NZD 800 max for 22 days incl ferry crossing (Wellington/Picton)
Type of car : Compact auto, fuel efficiency about 7 litres/100 km @ 14 km/litre
Fuel budget : NZD 700 max (5,000 km @ NZD 2.00 per litre)
*Fuel in NZ is currently between NZD 1.70-1.80 per litre

Accommodation: Backpacker's hostel is between NZD 22-30 per night for dorms/bunk bed.

Food : To save budget, I plan to make my own meals most of the time. I may dine out once in a while.

Tentative Itinerary (subject to changes):

North Island: 7 nights
Waitomo (Glow Worm, caves), Matamata (Hobbitton), Rotorua (Maori Culture, Hells Gate, Agrodome), Taupo (Lake Taupo, Tongariro 1-day hike), Wellington

South Island:
Abel Tasman, Kaikoura (whale watching), Christchurch, Hoikitika (jade factory), Fox & Franz Josef glaciers (interested to do 1 day hike), Queenstown (adrenaline stuff), Doubtful Sound overnight cruise, Milford Sound (4 days independent walking on Milford Track + 1 night at Milford Sound), Mt Cook.


Yes, I do admit those plans are rather ambitious. Those are basically everything I want to do and I'll try to stream my itinerary so that it'll be possible. Logically though, I may have to sacrifice 1/4 of those.

I'm still calculating how much I may need for the trip. RM 10,000 (airfare, insurance, accommodation, transport, food + some activities is pretty tight). RM 15,000 is less suffocating. Anything more that is basically heaven!

dzareth, u going alone? oct/nov is spring time if i'm not wrong..

ur itinerary sounds like a dream itinenary, basically u've covered all the nice places in NZ.. very ambitious indeed, but with country so beautiful, sure semangat to achieve ur dream huh?

i'm planning to go too, but planning in 2011.. need to collect lots of money first

@navilink

2011 is still a long way, but having a target is good indeed . Keep working towards it!

My actual NZ dream vacation would require about 6 weeks . And a whole lot of cash . Initially I wanted to go in 2010, either in Apr/May or Oct/Nov, but I couldn't resist to see if it can be realized this year.

I've surveyed MAS airfare for NZ for a few years already. It is cheaper to purchase when they are having a promotion. And it it cheapest at THIS promotion because they allow a longer travel duration. Previous promotions allow return tickets for two weeks only.

And it helps that NZ dollar is lower against ringgit compared to before. Unfortunately, most of the activity fees in NZ has increased NZD 10 since last year.

I prefer solo travel as I have the power to call on any decisions. If I make a bad call, there's only me to blame. After all, I'll still meet people along the way and forge new friendships.

Going this year is a bit of a handicap due to the time/budget constraints. I need to decide soon .

This post has been edited by dzareth: Jun 4 2009, 02:37 PM

If u going NZ this year mayb we can meet up, coz i will be going this july

why don't u try other airplanes instead? i've met an NZ guy in Krabi during my vacation, he suggested Thai Airway or Qantas, cheaper but not sure how true is that.. some recommend airplane flight called 'Kiwi' (not sure the real name)..

yea NZ dollar going up steadily this few weeks.. bad news

u might as well study there take PR.. than u can slowly travel across NZ (if only so easy hehe )

@soulpower

winter vacation, huh? how long are u going?

i've surveyed most airlines. MAS promotion fare is cheapest. but the normal fare is expensive lor. besides, when u take into account the need for flight transit PLUS the waiting time, less is not necessarily better. after all, KUL-AKL is already a 10 hour flight. that's long.

i manage to buy some NZD while it was low but it is steadily rising

after spending more than half of my life studying (sistem pendidikan malaysia yg berorientasikan peperiksaan), i'm not keen to get back to school at least for another couple of years. currently enjoying a steady income stream and pursuing a career. and despite the many faults of the nation, i can't imagine migrating when may closest family and friends are here. but i wouldn't mind one of those work+holiday schemes

I got holiday working visa so will go there for 6 months

can describe more how it works? what things needed to obtain it? when have it means we can find a part-time work there for 6 months?

hey thanks for the info, i cudnt online much last few months coz of assignments and exams

anyway im goin thr next week, and we are not planning to drive d considering we dunno the roads well and it's very tiring to drive, planning to take train/bus or join some local tour instead. hopefully not much roads/activities will be closed. =/

thx for the info anyway guys =)

btw, anyone noe wat's the diff btw fox glacier and franz josef glacier? any diff or which one is better?

This post has been edited by Coolbreeze: Jul 1 2009, 01:41 AM

Tramping, known elsewhere as hiking or bushwalking, is a popular activity in New Zealand.
Tramping is defined as a recreational activity involving walking over rough country carrying all the required food and equipment. The term is generally used for trips that are of at least one overnight stay in the backcountry. Alpine climbing as a recreational activity was taken up in the early days of European settlement and tramping became popular with the widespread use of the motor car. From the 1950s tracks, huts and bridges were built in the forested areas of New Zealand to allow easy access for hunters to cull the introduced deer which had become a threat to the biodiversity of New Zealand. As tramping became popular these facilities were increasingly used by trampers. In later years tramping has become popular for both local and foreign tourists. Tramping clubs were formed in many towns and cities with regular trips being organised. The clubs sometimes own a bus to transport club members to the tracks.




__________________
ka-bar knives / sog knives

guys anyone have been to NZ backpacking style? i'm considering backpacking in NZ for 2 weeks, so what's general preparations i need to do?

not sure have you been there or not.....but if u need help, free to ask any question . I have been in new zealand backpack for 2yrs

Hi pasqualle

I also plan to visit NZ on next year May
the reason going on May is same with you, my gf also finish all the exam,
my plan is will get a campervan drive from north to south...

thanks.. i'm following ur blog, will be a good source reference.. i think that with 2 weeks.. i can only cover 1 island.. so planning on south island only around march time..

anyway happy birthday!!!

Well, I read on the Working Visa in NZ in another topic but didn't seem to find a forum topic on the "must go" places for a holiday in NZ! Anybody with experience willing to share? I am going to NZ early on of the month next year! Thks!

yeah so am i, have not see such post.
any idea as i might go early nxt year as well

planning to go to auckland next june/july. does anyone know how cold winter is is auckland?

This post has been edited by munkeyflo: Oct 7 2013, 05:35 PM

need to bookmark this page

Hard to get a job nowdays..

Who booked AA's flight to Christchurch this coming April 2011? I've got mine for end of May and already got quoted for some self-drive tours. Cheapest so far for 8 days is NZ$1843 (2 person) which includes the Trans-Alpine rail journey back to Christchurch.

I will going on august 2011 by AA also, and plan to get a car to visit queenstown. which route is safef for driving in the winter?

NZ's weather is unpredictable as it's maritime..meaning a sudden cold burst of air from Antartica may occur. So be prepared. I've already decided to rent a camper van as it's more flexible and you'll get to camp at sites where the scenery is breathtaking!! I can't wait for May to come!

as mention in title, I'm looking for cheap return ticket from KL to NZ ( chch is most welcome ) for 2- 3 person.. desirable time is in april 2011.. cheers:)..

Why not you check out airasia's rates? Much cheaper than MAS/SIA. Or alternatively, jetstar has a few flights to
nz as well.

Is 2 weeks enough for North and South Island?

Are you gonna rent a car and drive on your own?
It might be possible but you might not be able to cover everything.

The first time I went was for a month covering North and South island.
2nd time I went was for about 3.5 weeks at North island only.
June going for another month in Auckland and gonna drive from Auckland to Christchurch for one week.

@munkeyflo : Yeah. I'm going to rent a car there. Do you know any websites where I can refer to for itineraries / information?

None that I know of currently. I have family there so basically they bring me around.
But I'm sure you can find a few websites like that once you google it.

Anyway, any special interests you have? Anything you've listed as a must visit?

@munkeyflo : Ahh... good for you. Nothing I have in mind at the moment. I'm still in the early stage of planning. I'm waiting for some airfare promos as my travel period will be around December-January. Currently, I thought of starting off at North Island first and then drive down to South Island before heading back to North since I'll be arriving and departing at the same airport. Or maybe the other way round. Is it a good idea to do that? As for car rental, I know more or less the rates. So now, I just need find out what are the famous tourist / must-see places. And hence, lots of reading to do (and getting lost with all those places' names). Maybe you can recommend some to me and I'll take a look. Maybe some lakes, natures, hills and beaches that are stunningly beautiful.

Haha. The names of places can get pretty hard to remember.
Lake Taupo is one of the must-see I suppose. Auckland, one of the big cities. Can pay a visit to the SkyTower.

I can't really remember much of South island cause I was like 7 years old when I went there.
Anyway, I found this. Maybe you might want to take a look.
http://www.new-zealand-travel-guide.com/regions.htm

There's also the place where they filmed LOTR, can't remember where but I'm sure you can easily find it.

Dec-Jan would be a perfect time to visit NZ. I don't know about south island but summer at north island is very comfortable.

I would suggest that you fly in to north island then drive all the way down to south and fly back from there or vice versa. Will save you the trip back to the original airport you landed at which can take a day or two just to travel.

you land in Christchurch if you use AirAsia

Munkey : That place is call Lake Tekapo

2 week is not enough for north and south

1 week for me cant even cover 1/2 of south island.

Go goggle, NZ tourism website is fantastic.

---

Added on January 11, 2011, 7:29 pmtripadvisor is also a good guide


This post has been edited by wufei: Jan 11 2011, 07:31 PM

Yup. That's what my friend told me about what month to visit NZ.

Thanks for the link! Time for some reading and memorizing of the names.

As for the flight, I think you're right. And I think I need to ask some travel agencies about this to see what's the arrangement like. Most of the airlines I checked only fly to one location (either Auckland or Christchurch).

Mind if I ask, where is the famous bungee jumping site?

Yeah. I've checked AirAsia. IIRC, they're offering up till November at the moment. Maybe I'll check later again. Jetstar is offering cheap flights to Auckland too. But wonder if it's worth the price for 10 hours flight in a budget airline, if you know what I mean.

If that's the case, maybe I should concentrate on one part first. Based on your experience, which is worth visiting first; the South or North? I'm more keen on beautiful sceneries although it's irrelevant point because NZ is all about beautiful sceneries. Haha. So yeah, which do you recommend?

This post has been edited by goliath: Jan 12 2011, 11:11 AM

Yea there's a lake Tekapo in South island and a lake Taupo in the north.

Yup. AA flies you to Christchurch while Jetstar flies you to Auckland. Both around the same price, return trip around RM2k+-.
Or if you don't want budget due to long distance, then MAS flies to Auckland. SIA flies to both Auckland and CHC. Return trip probably around RM4k+.

If you plan on covering either north or south island then you can just fly in and out from the same airport. Might be able to save some money there getting return air tickets. Get a car and plan your trip properly so you won't have to waste any time.

Err, I haven't tried bungee jumping in NZ and it would definitely be on my to-do list next trip, probably skydiving if I have extra money. My friend jump with AJ Hackett when she went last year. I think that's one of the famous ones. Can check them out.

@munkeyflo : Yup. It gonna cost more if I fly in and out at two different places. I shall see whether I'm gonna do one island or both. I read about AJ Hackett before somewhere in Lonely Planet book (gonna get this book for reference). Anyway, thanks for your help.

Hi.

I'm heading to Christchurch this Oct 24-28 (5 days, 5 nights) with family of 5 including me for roadtrip. We have done roadtrip (car + tent) in the past which was 20 yrs ago...yikes!


Objective: Nature expedition + scenic route (photography + art activities: sketch, painting)

1. Renting motorvan
Most motorvan/campervan cater for 2, 4, 6 people. We have 5, and 3 of us are petite (below 45 kg). Should I take 4 berth? Any recommendations for motorvan company with reliable service and affordable rates? I am skeptical to go to sites that has blablacheap.co.nz. Very dodgy right?

2. Supermarket
We need to do quickstop at supermarket around Christchurch to stock up our food. Any recommendations for Giant/Tesco/Carrefour like supermarket that sells kosher/halal meat?

3. Food Custom
I know Australia is quite strict on bringing certain food, but what about New Zealand?

4. Best National Park in South Island New Zealand
Any recommendations for this? We are not much of thrill seeker folks, but we don't mind family like activities like cycling, fishing, and a bit of hiking.

5. Must-have attire to travel in NZ?



Hoping to those who have been to New Zealand can help me with above questions. Many thanks

Guys/girls,

If given, which island do you recommend; North or South?

Thanks.

According to my fren, malaysian license can be use in NZ but in to be translated to english. Is that true?

Better to get it translated.
For what I know, Malaysian license can be used in NZ for a year max.

This post has been edited by munkeyflo: Aug 6 2014, 01:14 PM

go and get international license. 150
On the spot
Hassle free

---

Added on February 22, 2011, 2:38 pmMalaysian travel to nz need visa?

This post has been edited by wufei: Feb 22 2011, 02:38 PM

anybody else going to Christchurch, Queenstown, Tasman Island and Rotorua this week?

let's meetup. i'll be driving my friend's car and u can tag along with me. we share the petrol cost. cheaper than flying domestically and its not very safe to land during the aftershock

1. A 4-berth camper has 4 seats only so you can't rent that. You have to go for a 6-berth. I've had experience with Maui and Kea (through wilderness.co.nz), would do Kea again because the Wilderness team was extremely helpful online and through email. Maui certainly wasn't bad but they weren't responding through email every 5 minutes the way Wilderness did. Do note that almost all camper rentals have a 7-day minimum.

2. there are plenty of supermarkets in the Christchurch suburbs including 24-hour ones, we went to Countdown but even then did not see any kosher or halal meat. Not so difficult to go vegetarian for a week.

3. NZ is equally strict. Don't bring stuff in.

4. you have 5 days, not much time because travel alone will take time. Fiordland National park, Arthur's Pass, the glaciersor Aoraki Mt Cook are all within driving distance but you have to choose only one most likely.

5. decent boots and a good camera!

I'm happy to provide more details. Good luck and have fun.

Can anyone rougly give me some ideas, how's the road conditon betwen te anua and milford sound in end of august. It's safe to drive or take their cruise bus? Should i equip snow chains? What should i beware of?

Hey there!

I planned to go backpacking too..hopefully next year. Is it possible to cover north and south island for 2 weeks? I've read a forumer said it's too little time to be covering both islands in 2 weeks.

I'll also refer to missyaki's blog.

Enjoy

This post has been edited by wufei: Apr 19 2011, 11:46 PM


Attached thumbnail(s)

Laily, 2 weeks is just enough to cover the highlights of the South Island IMO. By backpacking I assume you're taking the bus or public transport to get around. The distances is large enough between some of the places that you'll end up spending most of your time on the road, not much fun.

There are a lot of suggested itineraries out there and I think 2 weeks is enough for just 1 island Good luck and have fun!

Budget transport
U can also take Kiwi Experience, Magis Bus, Intercity. All this buses are flexible which means u can hop on hop off anytime u want. And also the a very good way to know alot ppl

If u hv the budget or u travel in group 2 or more then it is good for u either hire a campervan or a caravan

Hi Tishaban.

Thanks for the wonderful tips. Wow, its been months since I last posted, I can barely remember.

Yeah, Wilderness was my first choice, but since their Longboarders are not available and their Kea could only be rent out for a min of 7 days, I have settled with the second choice - Wendekreisen. They have affordable price, good and alright reviews as well as extra stuff (GPS, picnic stuff, entertainment system) if you get the full insurance. Also, they are quick on email replies, even after hours. Just secured my booking last month, all's left to wait for the holiday and the verdict. Will update after Oct, hehe.

Yeah, I guess we have to settle for seafood then. How about dried, non dairy commercial products like Maggi? Can go through customs? I have faced many episodes of hungry nights abroad, and for god know what reason, I will always resort/think of Maggi, even though I rarely have it in Malaysia.

And good news, french fries in New Zealand is halal. Yay! Hope its for real, read it here

Boots, is it cos its cold or wet? How about ugg boots?

Now last but not least is to plan the route. Will probably settle for 1 destination, but will choose scenic route so we can stop by here and there.

Thanks again Tishaban. Great help

any1 need NZD? will be back to Johor in May for 3week, let me know if u want to change some $$, just use the actual exchange rate, we both save from currency exchange trader.

kevan82@hotmail.com <-- pls email me as i don check forum often

Food:

- dried commercial products can be brought in ok, just declare them. If you really want they do sell Maggi at ~$8 for a 5-pack in the stores
- seafood is freaking expensive in NZ unless you happen to chance on some of the salmon farms and get fresh salmon for $16 per kg.
- very very few McD/BK/KFC around. None on the west coast from Greymouth to Haast for example, that's about 300km.
- few asian restaurants too, plus you find more indian restaurants than chinese ones.
- at the local restaurants just ask if they use beer batter for their fish & chips and vegetable oil for frying. They're very helpful.
- in general we avoided restaurants, $70-80 for a simple meal for a party of 5 is a bit too steep twice a day
- stock up on pasta, bread, cheese, canned soups, fruits, vegetables etc. We didn't have much problems going vegetarian for 1-2 weeks.

Boots are for tramping not really for the cold. Just wear comfy shoes preferably waterproof if you're going tramping a lot. I use cheap GH Bass boots myself but sneakers are fine.

I'm planning my next trip too. But not NZ this time

They sell maggi in NZ. But the taste is weird

Check this out
http://www.flymyself.com/new-zealand/wanganui-new-zealand/

anyone wanna join me? im going new zealand this coming july 4th - july 14th, pm me.

I'll be in NZ from 26th June to 21st July.

Anyone got car rental promotion code, kindly pm to me. Thanks

I'll be off end of this month!

I'll be there for 10 nights and will be using a 4 berth campervan from Kea. My itinerary will be as follows but it's just a guideline as we don't want to rush and might stay longer at certain places...

Christchurch - Timaru - Dunedin - Te Anau - Milford Sound - Queenstown - Lake Tekapo - Christchurch.

Campervan is widely available in NZ but the caveat is most (if not all) insist on a minimum rental of 7 days. So to the earlier posting who's planning only 5 nights, I think a rental car would be more suitable. Please also be advised that there will be an influx of visitors during the Rugby World Cup in September, so rental cars and accommodations might be limited during that period. Summer of NZ at the end of the year is also peak season. Book early to avoid disappointment.

There are no highways at South Island and most are just 2 lane trunk roads. Speed limit is maximum 100km/h and don't expect to negotiate your way through if caught. Compulsory seatbelts for all passengers, NZ$150 instant fine if caught. For campervans, there is strictly no camping by the side of the road and freedom camping should only be done with prior permission if the spot you chosen is privately owned. There are numerous free camping sites with only basic facilities and these sites only allows "self sufficient" campervans. Other than that, there's other paid camp sites with charges ranging from NZ$30 - $70 for 2 persons. (powered sites for campervan)

I'll try to update on developments and perhaps also post when I am there.

Cheers!