New Zealand

NEW ZEALAND

 

New Zealand is known as one of the most beautiful places on earth, a real paradise. The reputation of this country is justified by the combination of its sceneries: tangled rain forests, active volcanoes, peaks decorated with shiny snow, gleaming water among beautiful fiords, bursting geysers, bubbling mud pools and much more.

 

General info:

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean. It consists of two big islands (the north island and the south island) and numerous smaller islands.

 

Land: New Zealand has a total land area of 268,680 square kilometers. Population: About 4.2 million people, 78% of them are from European origin. The rest are mostly Indigenous Maori who are the native Polynesian people of New Zealand.

 

Language: The official languages are English and Maori.

 

Currency: New Zealand dollar (NZD).

In October 2008:1$=1.6387NZD, 1Euro=2.2125NZD

 

Capital city: Wellington

 

 

Useful Information:

 

Weather: the climate in New Zealand is cold and rainy. No matter when you decide to travel, there's a great chance to experience torrential rain. That's why you should have a water proof coat and warm clothing during your travel.

Summer time (December- March) is considered the nicer season to travel. In the North Island the temperature ranges around 12-15 C, and warms up throughout the day to a maximum of around 24-28 C. In the South Island on the other hand, the max temp is similar to the North Island but the min drops to 9 C.

During winter (June – September) the weather can get pretty rough, with the minimum temperature in the North Island bordering zero and the top temp reaching only 10–14 C. At this time of year it is cold during the whole day, but during the night it's extremely cold. In the South Island it is a lot worse. The minimum temperature is constantly below zero, and the max will only reach around 6-10 C. It's not the best time to travel in the country unless you are planning a ski vacation. Many of the treks and roads are closed at this season as a result of heavy snow falls.

 

Visa: Holiday makers will not need a visa for traveling to New Zealand if they are citizens of a country which has a visa waiver agreement with New Zealand. In some cases, however, you will need to apply for a visitor's visa. For further information check the New Zealand Visa Bureau.

 

Dialing code:: +64

 

Electrical Plugs: 220v/50 Hz. The plugs have a grounding pin and two flat prongs forming a V-shape. For travelers from other countries – bring a converter.

 

Time Zone: GMT+12 (New Zealand winter time), GMT+13 (New Zealand summer time)

 

Health: Being a developed country, medical services and hospitals in New Zealand comply with western standards. There is no need to do any vaccinations before arriving in the country. It is recommended, however, to consult a doctor before the trip.

 

 

Transportation:  
there are several ways to travel:

·         Renting a car:  For those who are planning a short trip (up to 6 weeks) the best way to travel is to rent a car from one of the rental car companies. It will enable you to travel in your own pace and to visit remote places.

·         Buying a car: A popular and recommended way to travel, especially for travelers who plan to stay in the country for more than a month. There are weekly car markets in the big cities, Auckland and Christchurch, where you'll have the chance to buy a second hand (and sometimes 10th hand) car, station wagon or campervan. When finishing your trip, you can sell the car to other travelers.

·         Hitchhiking: another popular way to travel especially for those who travel alone. Basically you take a lift with other travelers and share the cost of the petrol. Ads for the lifts are published in hostels. 

·         Public transportation: There are several coach companies which offer special deals for travelers. They reach the most known and attractive places but if you want to see the remote and less known places, it's better to find another way to travel.

 

 

Where to Stay:

There are plenty of hostels for travelers at different prices; most of them range between 20-30 NZD per night. The biggest accommodation network is called BBH and it provides more than 370 hostels all over the country. It is recommended to buy a BBH card in the beginning of the trip. It will give you discount in every hostel of the network.
For those who plan to buy a car, they can buy a campervan or a station wagon and sleep inside it during part of the trip (until they start to suffer from backache).
During treks which last more than one day, the accommodation is provided in special huts located along the trek route. Another alternative is to sleep in a tent.

 

 

Main Destination:

The 10 best tourist destinations in New Zealand:

As one of the most beautiful places on earth it's not easy to select the most attractive tourist destinations in the country. We selected the places that we think must be on everyone's list. Of course there are many other places to visit in New Zealand. It all depends on the amount of time and money at your disposal.

 

North Island:

·         Auckland: Besides being beautiful and the biggest city of New Zealand, Auckland also has lot to offer, such as nice restaurants, shops, plenty of tours, markets and events all over the year. Auckland is multicultural, tranquil and easy in terms of mobility. However, the city doesn't reflect the rest of New Zealand and we believe it is a must to visit other places as well.

·         Bay of islands: one of the most popular holiday sites in New Zealand.
This 800 km of coastline is characterized by small and amazing coasts and bays. The sea world in the area is very rich and includes different kinds of fish, dolphins, penguins and other species of animals. It's a great area for diving and for having different sports activities.

·       Rotorua: This city is a great place for those who want to have close      contact with the Maori culture and to see the fantastic thermal areas of New Zealand. The areas around the city are considered to be geothermal miracles consisting of geysers, boiling mud pools and craters of volcanoes.

·       Taupo: Located about one hour south of Rotorua. The lake bearing the same name is breathtaking such as thermal volcanic areas and some extreme sports. Spend a day at the lake or visit Tongariro National Park which offers impressive volcanic peaks.

·       Wellington: The capital of New Zealand is the first place where the inhabitants arrived. That's why you can find there plenty of historic buildings and streets. The city is vivid, spectacular, cosmopolitan and eclectic. In wellington you can find some of the best museums, art galleries and restaurants.

 

South Island:

• Queenstown: The capital of extreme sports and one of the most beautiful cities in New Zealand. There are so many things to do that one will need more than a month to cover all the different options offered. You can have all types of tours, from the easy to the most extreme. The beauty of the area surrounded by mountains is simply breathtaking.
• Christchurch: The largest city in the South Island and a base for travelers to start their trip. The cathedral in the main square is a must as well as the botanic gardens. The area called Canterbury just behind the city and the plains that extend until the Alps are fascinating and deserve a full day visit.
• Te Anau and Fiord Land National Park: One of the most beautiful places in the world if the weather is clear. There are many treks and great walks in the area, the famous among them are Milford Sound, Routebern, Kepler and Hollyford. The 119 km road between Te Anau to the Milford is a must as well as a boat trip around the fiords.
• Wanaka and Mt. Cook: These two towns near the Alps are breathtaking in terms of scenery and activities. There are lakes and Mountains side by side and plenty of phenomenal walks and treks to spend a fantastic day out.
• The Glaciers: The two glaciers, Franz Joseph and Fox, are one of the main attractions in the South Island. Combined with the steep river and waterfall which had frozen in different shapes and cracks, they form a spectacular sight. A day's tour in one of the glaciers is a must.

 

General Tips:

·       For those who don't have a specific travel plan, it is recommended to divide your time between the islands by spending 1/3 of the time in the North Island and 2/3 in the South Island which has most of the Great Walks.

·       The Department Of Conservation (DOC) is the organization which is in charge of all the walking treks and the national parks in New Zealand. It provides all the services and information regarding the treks. It has hundreds of branches all over the country where you can book a trek, check details about weather conditions and buy the necessary maps.

For further information visit the "DOC" web site:   

·       Great walks: During the summer there's a big demand for the Great walks, especially for those at "Fiord Land National Park". In order to ensure your place in those treks, you need to buy a ticket a few weeks in advance and during peak time even a few months earlier.

·       Sand flies: When travelling at the south Island you must keep with you some kind of Sand Flies repellent. These small insects are the "disease" of New Zealand. They are common especially along the west coast of the South Island and there bites are painful.