Things to do in NZ

[MT]

Hey forum members..

I'm off to NZ in just over a month for a holiday. 22 days, driving around NZ from bottom to top.

Was wondering who from here has been there before, and what your thoughts are about the place. Also happy to take any suggestions as to activities or things to do when i'm over there. If you could provide the website too that would be great.

Itinery goes something like this - Christchurch, Dunedin, Milford Sound, Queenstown, Franz Josef, Hanmer Springs, Wellington, Taupo, Rotorua, Bay of Islands, Auckland.

Cheers all,

Mick

[selyaT]

Uhm... Chicks?

[Kenneth]

SHEEP! :D :D

[Leroy]

Uhm... Chicks?

Hahahaha... shame he needs to be told.

Is his keeper going with? :P

[Jay.]

find the guy with the blitz supercharged wagon and get him to give you a ride

:)

Edited May 15, 2008 by Jay.

[MR22ZZ]

Uhm... Chicks?

I know a great place in Rotorua, I'll pm you if you are interested, giggity

they will even 'entertain' your mrs Micky ;)

I spent 5 days in Rotorua for a conference 2 years ago so saw most of the stuff tom do around there.

1. ZORBING!!!!!

2. Visit the thermal spa!!!!

3. Hire mountain bikes and head up to the Redwood Forest

4. White water rafting

... there are a pile of other things to do there as well, it's worth a couple of day stay there as it's quite a pleasant place to be once you get used to the smell.

Other than that I've only seen Auckland, but the Skytower is well worth a visit, as it the bridge climb over the harbour.

[Bye Evo]

Mick, what things have you planned so far ie: skiing, adventure stuff, family stuff ???? I have roughly put stuff down so you can check out a range of things..

Christchurch

Not Much Really, Get Out Of There and See The Rest Of NZ ASAP !!!

Dunedin

Cadbury Factory, Speights Beer Tour of Brewery, Walk up the steepest street in the world and get a certificate (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldwin_Street,_Dunedin)

Milford Sound

Take a Cruise Down The Milford and Check out the sites, or if money is no object, a helicopter ride

Queenstown

http://www.queenstownadventure.co.nz/ - Shot Over Jet, AJ Hackett Bungy, Luge Riding At the top of Queenstown, Fishing, Skiing, Sightseeing etc... its a great place to go and check out, not the cheapest place in the world anymore tho..

Franz Josef

http://www.franzjosefglacier.com/ - absolutely unreal, take a tour walk along and through the Glaciers, if your mad, take a dip in one of the glacier pools... or if money is no object heli ride to the top of the glacier

Hanmer Springs

http://hanmersprings.co.nz/ - great place to go and relax - if on a time restraint, you can always do relax in Rotorua ( North Island )

Wellington

Te Papa Museum, Tram Ride to the Top of Wellington

Taupo

Not alot really, relax and play Aqua Golf at Lake Taupo or go Trout Fishing - http://www.laketauponz.com/, Take a trip to Mt Ruapehu as you come up from Wellington and go skiing/snowboarding if there is Snow fall

Rotorua

http://www.rotoruanz.com/ or http://www.rotorua.nz.com/ - we used alot of the HOT DEAL PACKAGES which can be picked up at the Tourism Centre in the heart of Rotorua, save you a fair bit of cash too.. Too Much to List in Rotorua, definate musts have to be - Luge Riding, Sky Swing, Wai O Tapu Geo Thermal Centre, Skyline Gondolas, Maori Culture Show and Hangi Feast..

Bay of Islands

Unless you are going in Summer, it wont be as good. Hole in the Rock Boat Cruise, http://www.bay-of-islands.co.nz/, Take a ferry to Russel and explore the island.

Auckland

http://www.aucklandnz.com/ - Mission Bay, Parnell, Newmarket, City, Sky City Casino and Free Fall From The Top, Check out the Viaduct ( Minus 5 aka http://www.minus5experience.com/ ) go to Greenlane and test drive all the Jap Imports you dont get here Caldina GTT, Dodge Ram SRT10, etc

There is heaps to do in NZ, so depending on time schedule and plans, you can stay longer at places you love, and less time at places you hate. As you will be going near Winter, take some warm clothes, it gets bloody cold down there even during the day...

Cheers, Chris

Edited May 15, 2008 by Bye Evo

[J e r e M y]

Been to a couple of the places ure going..was quite a few years back..dont really remember much..i just remember that the places r really beautiful :D

Christchurch, Milford Sound, Queenstown, Rotorua, Auckland this places r really nice.. r u on tour or what? i was on tour..brought us to all this hot water spring..mountains..

cant really remember much of it :P but i do know its beautiful..

[1rocky]

Jetboating Queenstown excellent went on the shotover jet.

Milford Sound was nice did a cruise there

First time i went travelled by hire car around the islands

Second time did a tour

Also the chair lift in Rotorura wonderful views

Glow worms at Te Anau

Skippers Canyon in Queenstown need to do a 4wd drive tour excellent scenery

Helicopter flight over Franz Joesef Glacier

Bay of Islands Ninety mile beach

Dunedin castles and the cadbury chocolate factory

Hamner Springs Hot springs

Wellington the Te Papa Muesuem there is great and take the tram to the top of the mountain

Have a great holiday in nz

Edited May 15, 2008 by 1rocky

[SILVABULLIT]

Micky I'm going in september and doing shotover jet, helicopter flight to frans josef glacier then doing the hike on the glacier and into the ice caves. brother in law's parents are there now and did the hike last weekend. he's been in the army for years and reckon it was the best thing he has ever done.

i'm also doing milford sound and looking around where they filmed Lord of the rings. doing some skiing etc etc somewhere that is supposed to be the best place for it. i'll find out some more info off the wife as she has been there before. i'm going with a group of friends so it should be good fun. i have been nominated "the driver" as I don't drink so that the rest of them can. Best thing is i wake up in the morning feeling great ready for another day and everyone else will have sore heads LOL

[Dead]

I befriended a gaggle of Maori when they were over here. I'd love to have a beer with them again :(

If I can get in contact with them I'll ask them what's to do over there.

[ToyotaFreak]

New Zealand, I'd love to go there again, if I have the chance. A lot of nice, friendly people, and it snows there!

Rent a car (You can rent late model JDM cars for like cheap over there.).

Drool at every JDM-spec car that you see over there.

Try the Japanese restaurant in one of the motels at Lake Takepo (Or was that Lake Taupo?). Nice, fresh Salmon.

Rotorua! The thermal spa's good for your skin!

Waitomo Glow Worm cave.

Visit the Antarctic center in Wellington (Had a ride in the Hagglund too! That was fun!).

Take a photo of that toilet cubicle with automatic door (Somewhere in Auckland.)

Visit this small Dairy shop in Geraldine (I think that's the place.).

See the Maori dance.

Bring me a JDM-spec 2002 RAV4J 2.0 AeroSport 5 Door as a parts car.

I could list more in here, but I need to go to uni.

TF

Edited May 15, 2008 by ToyotaFreak

[GTI-TRD]

Great place to visit and 22 days is an awesome amount of time to get there mate!

I am born & bred Kiwi from Hamiton (H-town, The 'tron, Hamiltron city of the future ) I moved to Melbourne 3 1/2yrs ago.

Most of the good **** has already been covered, but id be spending at least half of your time exploring the south Island this time of year.

Sth Island:

The Southern Alps will be covered thick in snow

Milford sound

Queenstown

Marlborough - best Savignon Blanc in the World!

Kaikoura - whale watching & fresh crayfish

Invercargill - The **** of the world (go to Bluff; the closest you can get to Antarctica without being there)

Hanmer springs - hot pools in the snow

Nelson/Blenhiem great spots

Nth Island:

Wellington - very arty and Windy!!!

Napier/Hastings - Brilliant anytime of the year - go up Te Mata peak for an awesome view and twisty narrow road with extreme sheer drop-off hehehe

Wanganui - cultural

Gisborne - ditto (dot stop your car LoL haha)

Waitomo caves - glow worms, white & black water rafting, caving etc

Matamata - Hobbiton for you LOTR freaks

Tauranga/ Mt Maunganui - summery, beach haven, plenty good looking girls

Coromandel Penninsula - many, many great beaches and little towns

Auckland - avoid it

Bay of Islands - many, many MORE great beaches and little towns - Paihia and Waitangi where the Treaty was signed is a great spot

Waipapakauri - stay at the camping ground, watch the sun set on 90 mile beach and then wake up next morning and drive, yes drive along the beach at will, 100kph speed limit too - great experience, but watch for wet spots haha...

Cape Reinga - The northern most tip of NZ where the Maori belive their spirits leave earth for the after world.

[GTI-TRD]

ps - Drive everywhere if you can. awesome roads when you get out n about

[selyaT]

Definitely hire a car and do some mountain crusing. Other things that you would like are ZORBING and climbing that steepest street in the world (he has a fitness freak GF)

[MR22ZZ]

Did anyone mention ZORBING in Rotorua yet!!!!!

[selyaT]

Say what???

[DHC09]

Deep-sea fishing in the Bay of Islands is a must!

[MT]

Wow, awesome responses, cheers to everyone who has replied so far. Except for kenneth.... thats just wrong :P

ok I will elaborate more.

Fly into Christchurch, pick up the rental car. Stay 3 nights. Not sure what we are doing in here yet.

Drive to Dunedin. Visit cadbury factory, the castle, and probably the steepest street in the world. Stay 1 night.

Drive to Te Anau/Milford Sound. Probably a river cruise down Milford Sound. Stay 2 nights.

Drive to Queenstown. Shotover canyon jet boating, luge for sure!! Probably the gondala ride, and whatever else we find. Stay 3 nights.

Drive to Franz Josef. Helihike on the glacier is already booked in :D Stay 2 nights.

Drive to Hanmer Springs. Definately doing the hot springs, probably just relaxing. Stay 1 night.

Drive to Picton and catch the ferry to Wellington. Stay in Wellington 2 nights. Doing the Te Papa Museum, not sure what else.

Drive to Taupo. Not sure what we are doing here :P Although aqua golf rocks :P Stay 1 night

Drive to Rotorua. DEFINATELY ZORBING!!! haha awesome. Exploring the geothermal stuff as well cos thats cool. Mud bath!! Stay 2 nights.

Drive to Auckland stay 1 night as a stop over.

Drive to Paihai / Bay of Islands, probably do the hole in the rock cruise. Stay 1 night.

Drive back to Auckland, stay 3 nights before flying out. Probably doing stuff here, 've been told the tower is pretty cool.

Things I would like to do, but havent added them into the internary yet is white water rafting, and seeing the glow worm caves because apparently they are awesome.

Happy to take any other suggestions!! thanks all!

[MT]

I'll add, i'm going with the GF, so looking to do some adventure activites, some cultural, and lots of touristy things. No family stuff LOL, too young for that

I think the gf also wants to go horseriding, so if someone can suggest somewhere cool to do that I may consider it :P

[selyaT]

...bedroom?

[DHC09]

Theres horse riding at Taupo.

We been to this farm place near Taupo (forgot the name now), which had horseriding as well as a shooting range where you play with shotguns and sniper rifles

[Leroy]

(in reference to horseriding)

...bedroom?

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

3 am makes things funnier than what they actually are

[GTI-TRD]

Horse riding/trekking can be done in Rotorua very near the Zorbing and also jet sprint boat. or the other side of the city out by the geothermal parks, Hells Gate & Whakaraeweraea (sp?? ?- haha)

The glowworms can be seen while black water rafting in Waitomo - awesome!!!

[MR22ZZ]

Add - the toothbrush fence* it's now got 50 toothbrushes.

How amazing is a fence that's made entirely from toothbrushes...?

http://www.tepahu.co.nz/toothbrush.htm

*flight of the concords reference :P