Just realized there's a discussion on NZ trip here.

Am planning for honeymoon trip to NZ next month, will be a 2 weeks long trip covering both islands. Itinerary are pretty much done, just need to make reservation for the accomodations. Self drive of course, coz i wanna go to some of the best driving roads in the world

I know this has been asked a gazillion times.

I'm going to NZ on 2nd week of March. Planning to bring like Rm13k for my 2 weeks trip for 2 pax. At least that's how much I've calculated that i'll be needing, plus some spare for shopping.

Should I change all to NZD? Should I swipe my CC? Apply a debit card?

Cheeers

Yeah, I've already reserved all the rooms. Only few of them are paid deposit of 10%. The rest they just use my CC details to confirm the booking.

For tours, I'll be purchasing them in the next few days as I've only finalized my itinerary recently. Actually, I'm still changing them from time to time the more research I do.

In brief, tours/rides that I'll need to spend money on are Milford Sound cruise, Fox Glacier guide, whale watching, bungee/swing, Waitomo cave tour & thermal+Maori village. This should cost no more than Rm2k per pax ~_~.

Accommodation comes to about Rm2.5k and Rm3k for rental+fuel "-_-

I'll look into the ATM card, I can probably use my wife's HSBC. Thanks!

I'll put that into consideration

Guys, i'm a wine lover. So i'll definitely will be going to do some wine trail at Malborough. My question is what are the T&C to bring back the wine from there? My colleague said i'll have to keep the receipt coz the custom might tax me for those. Will the number of bottle per person be still applicable since I don't purchase them at the tax free? PLease advice.

I'm going this weekend too. Hmm, if BB plaza is finish, then where else got? I need to change like 13k for my 2 weeks trip ~_~.

As for prepaid data, i'll be getting the BBH member card that comes with nzd20 prepaid value in it, not sure if it allows data.

Cash maybe not but I am expecting to use that much for car rental, accomodation, entry passes etc.

Haha, my card limit ain't that much anyway .

Btw, any idea about claiming back the gst paid?

edit: oh nvm, just saw the clause saying that gst is not refundable

This post has been edited by Keng: Mar 6 2012, 11:38 PM

Fuh, less than a day to go .

Hows your itinerary like?

Mine is christchurch-lake tekapo-queenstown (& milford sound) - wanaka - fox glacier - hokitika - greymouth - punakaiki - nelson - picton - wellington - taupo - rotorua - waitomo - wellington -(fly in) christchurch

Yeah, pretty packed. Wanted to do full south island at 1st but then I need to go visit my relative in Auckland and for my rally stuff.

Forgot to mention i'll be going to Franz Josef too but only to the foot hill lah . Fox glacier will be the 1/2 day hike

Just took the jetstar from akl to chc. not much different to air Asia imo.

Back from 2 weeks trip to NZ. In brief, places that I went to are

Day 1:
Reach Christchurch 12am, spent the night here till 8am for rental car to open

Day 2:
-Stop at supermarket for groceries before driving to Lake Tekapo (1 night);
-went up to Mt John, had hot chocolate at Astro Cafe, cloudy weather so couldn't see stars

Day 3:
-Drove to Salmon farm & had salmon sashimi.
-Drove at Cromwell for excellent coffee. Superb driving road!
-Stopped at wineyards along the way
-Stay at Queenstown (2 nights), walk around the town, lost to their casino ~_~

Day 4:
-Day trip to Milford Sound self drive, yet another amazing driving roads!
-Came back & went up to skyline by gondola & then luge
-Drove to Glenorchy for LOTR sites, superb view

Day 5:
-Stop by Arrowtown for LOTR site
-Drove to Lake Wanaka via Cardrona. Wanted to drive to 'Race to the sky' (nz version) but it was all gravel road, had to abandon the plan coz could risk the tire. Had nice fish & chips here
-Drove to Fox Glacier (1 night) via Haast Pass (not as superb as what many has claimed)
-Did 1/2 day Fox Glacier track guide

Day 6:
-Walk to the foot hill of Franz Josef, very long walk ~_~
-Drove Hokitika for their famous blue colored gorge, seriously blue
-Drove to Greymouth (1 night)

Day 7:
-Drove to Punakaiki for pancake rock, no blow holes though coz low tide
-Drove to Nelson (1 night)
-wineyard tasting (Waimea's Reisling is excellent!)

Day 8:
-Drove to Picton for ferry
-Arrive at Wellington (1 night), visited Te Papa museum, a must, & its free btw;
-drove up to Mount Victoria for city view; walk around city (cuba street)

Day 9:
-drove to taupo (our longest drive by far, 5 freaking hours). Great view of Mount Doom along the way!
-drove to Huka falls, really nice & strong rapid! Then waited for Aratiatia Rapid dam to open. Then did bungy at Taupo lake
-drove to Rotorua (1 night)

Day 10:
-waitapu thermal wonderland; nice place, well worth money paid imho
-drove to waitomo for foot whistle cave walk. Initially bought trip for black water rafting but my wife got cold feet coz she's afraid of dark. It wasn't a bad choice coz we got a private tour for the cave walk, more time & attention by the excellent & guide who knows his job & cave really well
-drove to Auckland (2 nights)

Day 11:
-ferry to Devonport; walk around etc
-back to auckland city & walk around also

Day 12:
-harbour & viaduct basin
-auckland museum
-fly to christchurch (2 nights)

Day 13:
-bus to Kaikoura
-whale watch; saw 2 sperm whales & a school of more than a hundred of dolphins!
-walk around Christchurch

Day 14:
-walk around Christchurch
-fly back to KL

yeah, i know, a lot of driving. Its a road trip afterall

I wanted to but there's no way i could do so if i wanted to visit the north west side of south island

I had to go to Nelson. Yeah, what you've suggested should be better too.

I got the promo deal from aa last time. ok, I'll definitely note this down in case my friends wanna go

Queenstown is cold when I was there, around 8c at night time. But once you get used to it, you can walk around in shorts but need a sweater haha.

1 day trip to Milford Sound is a must, either by tour or self drive. Gorgeous drive but it can also be tiring for the winding roads, approx 3-4h for 1 way:P.

Drive to Glenorchy too, just 1/2h drive. 1 of the LOTR sites.

Arrowtown is also very near, another LOTR sites.

Errm, if around Queenstown, i guess most will try Fergburger. Go up Skyline Gondola + luge.

Can't think of anymore at the moment.

glenorchy - http://www.newzealandtravelinsider.com/sce...new-zealand.htm

arrowtown - http://www.arrowtown.info/activities/lord-of-the-rings/

I spent the night at the airport sharing the floor with like another 20-30s other LOL. Bus don't serve after midnight & taxi is hell expensive. Yup, YHA is closed liao. I stayed at Dorset Backpacker, great location, clean & reasonably priced but the sound insulation between rooms is horrible.

If I can do it again, I would fly into Auckland, then make my way down south before fly out from Christchurch.

For my case, I drove straight to Lake Tekapo after collecting my rental car when they opened at 8am. I went with my wife only, and both of us don't really mind to spend 1 night at the airport. No more than 1 night lar . There's a lot of restaurants at the departure hall, you'll have to walk outside & into the terminal building beside but you'll have to check if they're open at midnight or not.

Yes, you can collect it outside their operation hour at the fee of about nzd30, price varies according to rental company. Not a lot but its dangerous to drive in the night & you'll be too tired to drive anyway after the long flight.

I think that's in Queenstown, no?

I would spend more than a day in Queenstown, its a gorgeous town/city. You can go up the peak to get this view

This is also where most people stay to get to Milford Sound, a must see also. Some choose to stay at a nearer town that I can't recall its name.

From Queenstown, you can also take a short drive to Glenorchy or Arrow Town where LOTR was filmed. If you love driving, take the crown range road to Lake Wanaka.

Go to west coast where the glaciers are. Its there all year round