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

[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/

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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

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.

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

'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.

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 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?

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

That is very cheap. Which airline? MAS?

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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

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.

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.

Daylight hours are shorter but not as short as in the UK. Latitude of NZ is around 40dS compared to UK which is abt 50dN. The further the south, the shorter the days in winter of course.
Winters are also not as cold as UK (hardly snows except in the highlands) but temps would be hovering around 5dC. For south island, sunset would be 4-5pm. Apparently, the weather is clearer in Milford Sound in winter than in Summer (wet & poor visibility). Good thing abt visiting in winter is that finding accomodation is less of a problem.

Wonder if the 3 & 5 year-olds would have much impression of their holidays when they grow up.



This post has been edited by tehtmc: Aug 15 2011, 10:09 PM

Napier and Hastings (both medium sized towns) are next to each other in the the Hawkes Bay area.
Climate is quite mild, similar to Auckland. Very sunny in summer.
It is in a major fruit and vegetable growing area.
Napier is prone to earthquakes, having experience a massive one in the 1930's.
No university there, some technical colleges. Nearest uni is Massey in Palmerston North.
What are you going to study there?

I haven't lived there, just been there.

The Napier earthquake is famous in NZ history, read about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1931_Hawke's_Bay_earthquake. There are no tall buildings there though and houses are make of timber, so the risk is not so high.
There are very few Asians, Maoris and Pacific Islanders compared to Auckland which is good - you are forced to mix more with the pakehas. Life is very slow-paced and very quite.
Yea, the people there are friendly as most Kiwis are. Why Napier of all places?

I've spent a Christmas in Franz Josef. Glacier was still easily accessible.
Mt Cook is still covered with snow in summer, lesser of cos la.
Summer in NZ is not too warm, unlike Oz.

Most people fly from Auckland to Christchurch and start the road journey from there. 18 days to cover both islands is kinda rushed too.
Most the the beautiful sceneries are on the west coast of South Island.
Nice period to visit, mild temps, not too cold but colours of the leaves haven't changed yet (May).
Must-see places -
Queenstown, Milford Sound, Franz Josef, Wanaka, Mt Cook, Tekapo, Rotorua
Heard the TransAlpine railiway trip from Chch to Greymouth is worth taking. Anyone tried?

Used to be called Mt Egmont when I was there years ago, located in the main dairy producing area of the NZ.
Nothing spectacular in North Island generally other than Rotorua and Mt Ruapehu for skiing.
Lots of sheep farms around Palmerston and fruit orchards.
Scenery is not as varied and colourful as South Island. Trees are mostly evergreens.

Yes, in fact most of the tours start and end in Christchurch, the garden city and the most English city . Too bad it was badly damaged by the earthquakes. Heard that the icon of the city, the Cathedral is beyond repair. The catheral square is the focal point of the city.

franz josef glacier, the main glacier

pancake rock formation at punakaiki?

Prolong what to 2 years? You mean you went there to work?

Went hitch-hiking through the West Coast, staying at Greymouth, Hokitika, Franz Josef. The YHA hostels only cost NZD 5 a night those days. Was stranded in Franz Josef as it was Christmas day so couldn't get a ride out to Wanaka. How could I forget.

This post has been edited by tehtmc: Jan 31 2013, 09:41 PM