Time and one place

[Fat Tony]

Hey peeps, I wonder if I could pick your brains?

I could go down to the local travel agent and ask there but I'd rather hear it from the horses mouth so to speak.

We're hoping to move over to NZ around August next year, but are trying to plan a trip over there beforehand to have a nosey round both Islands and get to know NZ better before we make the move.

So, to the point of the thread finally... in your opinion, when is the best time to visit NZ? And, if you had to recommend one place in NZ that everybody should visit before they die, where would it be? (That's just inviting you to answer 'hospital' isn't it? Doh, I can't be bothered to retype it again)

Thanks :)
Tony

[Karma]

Well you gotta make an informed choice, so I'd suggest minimum visiting auckland, wellington and christchurch. Time of year doesn't matter so much, their winter here is basically english autumn, never gets too bad.

[The_Dover]

I hear Sydney is nice in the spring?

[Shadows]

February / March would be the best time. Nice and warm, settled Summer weather, silly season is well and truly over and the school holidays have finished so no fighting for hotel rooms etc and not so many holiday makers clogging up the roads with their poxy campervans and caravans.

As far as absolutely must see places, it depends on what floats your boat. There's a little bit of everything landscape wise. I couldn't really comment as I haven't seen it all myself yet.

[Fat Tony]

February / March would be the best time. Nice and warm, settled Summer weather, silly season is well and truly over and the school holidays have finished so no fighting for hotel rooms etc

Feb/March was the sort of time we were thinking of actually so that's cool.



and not so many holiday makers clogging up the roads with their poxy campervans

PMSL. You mean like us. Hahaha... My daughter's really excited at the prospect of us hiring a campervan for one of the three weeks we're doing - sorry :whistle:

Can I apologise in advance? :weep:

[Shadows]

Can I apologise in advance? :weep:

Hehe I'm sure being a fellow rider you'll show a bit more consideration than most! Hell, coming from the UK you'll probably even be on the correct side of the road!!

[Fat Tony]

As far as absolutely must see places, it depends on what floats your boat.

Yeah, fair point. My boat's floated by among other things... bikes, spectacular scenery, adrenaline activities that require no/little skill - I don't have much :) seafood, new music... I could go on but your eyes have probably glazed over already. What I was after I suppose was a list of things that aren't necessarily found in tourist books.

Actually it was probably a daft question. If anybody asked me the same about a visit to the UK I'd struggle to answer. Maybe that's because I just want to get out of the place though, lol


Hehe I'm sure being a fellow rider you'll show a bit more consideration than most! Hell, coming from the UK you'll probably even be on the correct side of the road!!

Don't be so sure. I'm crap with more than two wheels!

[Macktheknife]

Yeah, fair point. My boat's floated by among other things... bikes, spectacular scenery, adrenaline activities that require no/little skill - I don't have much :) seafood, new music... I could go on but your eyes have probably glazed over already. What I was after I suppose was a list of things that aren't necessarily found in tourist books.

Actually it was probably a daft question. If anybody asked me the same about a visit to the UK I'd struggle to answer. Maybe that's because I just want to get out of the place though, lol



Don't be so sure. I'm crap with more than two wheels!

Hi Tony,
There is too much to mention if the truth be known. There are all kinds of wonderful little places and things to do and see, but the best way is just to go and have a look. Most of the locals will know bits about their area that will help guide you and if you have a chance for a bit of riding someone may be able to help you out there too.
Best option is just get into it and have a look.

[dawnrazor]

South Island is impressive as hell, I did the west coast last year for the first time and had a great time, however if your more likely going to be based in the north island then a tour of that is well worth while as well.

Avoid a long stay in Auckland, a couple days at most - its just a big (ish) city.

Basically the lonely planets books and other guides aren't far wrong, but for me so far in no particular order - hawkes bay, marlbourough sounds, golden bay, wanaka and bay of islands are very nice

best weather is jan - march/april, the later in the season the less tourists about the place.

Its a good looking country you can't go far wrong......

[Lou Girardin]

It depends if you want to holiday, or check out a new country to live in. Dawnrazor is right for touring, but you might want to check out cities too.
Auck is the noisy adolescent of our cities. Wellington is mature and cultured, but still fun. Christchurch is similar, but smaller. Dunedin? Don't know really, it seems full of students and wannabe Scots.
Make sure you check NZ newspapers for news, don't rely on the rubbish spouted by Tourism NZ.

[Fat Tony]

It depends if you want to holiday, or check out a new country to live in.

Thanks gents :) Yeah must get hold of the lonely planet book

Yeah it's going to be a bit of both really Lou - see some of the sites, check out some of the cities/suburbs and see where we'd like to end up if it all goes the way we want it to.

Can't wait to see the place properly (well as properly as three weeks allows, lol). I spent a week in both Auckland and Wellington about seven years ago, but it was time spent just touting round my portfolio and doing interviews so didn't see an awful lot more than a load of design studio interiors, a hotel room interior in Auckland, and the area around Lower Hutt where I've distant relatives of distant relatives.

Got two job offers and then we had to call the whole thing off due to my father-in-law being diagnosed with the big C, so plans obviously changed dramatically.

So, second time lucky hopefully :)

[Edbear]

I could go down to the local travel agent and ask there but I'd rather hear it from the horses mouth so to speak.



Short answer to your post is, "Anytime and everywhere!" NZ is all beautiful and the weather is usually good.

If the Travel Agents over your way are like here, they should be fairly well travelled themselves and you could find one who has been over here a few times. The local one I use here has been able to offer some good advice and tips through her personal experience and has saved us a lot of money.

Contacting NZ House could give you some good ideas as to the best way to get a good overview of NZ in a short visit, too. Remember NZ is about the same size as your country, so there's a lot to get around.

[RiderInBlack]

bay of islands are very niceWell apart for BOI (Bay Of Islands) I would say Dawnrazor is spot on. I live up here. BOI is a tourist trap and over rated. Mangonui/Coopers Beach/Taipa much better IMHO. If ya hit Mangonui stop at the Mangonui Fish&Chip. It's "World Famious In New Zealand". Of cause the Waipoua Kauri Forest is worth visting and, as along as ya going that way, the Kai Iwi Lakes are awesome for a swim and Sharkies at Baylys Beach do awesome Fish&Chips and have really cheap Pint Bottles of Beer.

Let face it there are so many awesome places to see in NZ. If Ya going ta head up my way (40Km Northwest of Whangarei), let me know. Free B&B farmstay and if I have time a free tour guide:2thumbsup

[Lias]

North Island:
Waitomo Caves (http://www.waitomo.co.nz/) (Tourist trap form hell, but still worth going to see imo)
Coromandal Peninsula (http://www.thecoromandel.com/), Tairua (http://www.tairua.info/) is a nice place to stay.

South Island:
Marlborough sounds (http://www.marlborough.co.nz/thesounds.asp). Really nice place to stay at called Portage. (http://www.portage.co.nz/Splash)

[Beemer]

Three weeks sounds like a long time until you get here and realise you will want to see everything! Autumn is the best time to visit - February-March - as the kids are back at school and the weather is USUALLY warm, dry and settled.

I'd be tempted to fly in to Christchurch and tour up the island - don't miss Central Otago and Marlborough, then pop over to Wellington for a day or two, and head up the east side of the North Island, Wairarapa, Hawke's Bay, then across to the Bay of Plenty and then up to Auckland. If you have time, head north to the Bay of Islands, but that way you should at least get a good taste of the country.

One place to visit? Mmn, that's a hard one - I reckon you'll love just about everywhere, depends on what you like - lakes, rivers, mountains, forests, cities - we've got it all!

[motoGP]

Yeah, fair point. My boat's floated by among other things... bikes, spectacular scenery, adrenaline activities that require no/little skill - I don't have much :) seafood, new music...


If you like a bit of an adrenalin rush, the Rotorua/Taupo region is a great place to start. With stuff like jet boating, parachuting and bungee jumping along with a beautiful area studded with little titbits of natural history, and volcanic hotspots, it’s a great place to start. It is very tourist oriented though, but if you do plan on going around March or February it will have settled down heaps. :chase:

I can also recommend the Waitomo caves, as mentioned above definitely a must see.

[Biff]

Take Leeds, fill it with Kiwis and twice the volume of traffic, throw in some waterfront for good measure and you've got a similar city to Auckland. If that rocks your boat - cool.

My bro (also from Leeds) was here a couple of months ago - his verdict on must see places:

Rotorua (spelling?)
Wellington
Coromandel
Christchurch (if you're into medium sized UK towns)
Otago (not Queenstown)
Milford Sound

And as you're a northener (the only decent kind of POM) - you'll get on well with the yocals. But leave your ferret and flat cap in t'campervan when in public.

Enjoy!

[Winston001]

Three weeks sounds like a long time until you get here and realise you will want to see everything! Autumn is the best time to visit - February-March - as the kids are back at school and the weather is USUALLY warm, dry and settled.

I'd be tempted to fly in to Christchurch and tour up the island - don't miss Central Otago and Marlborough, then pop over to Wellington for a day or two, and head up the east side of the North Island, Wairarapa, Hawke's Bay, then across to the Bay of Plenty and then up to Auckland. If you have time, head north to the Bay of Islands, but that way you should at least get a good taste of the country.

One place to visit? Mmn, that's a hard one - I reckon you'll love just about everywhere, depends on what you like - lakes, rivers, mountains, forests, cities - we've got it all!

Good advice. Most tourists say two things:

1. They spend 2 weeks in Australia and 5 days in NZ - they wish it had been the other way around.

2. They start at Auckland and spend the majority of time in the North Island but wished they'd had more time in the South Island.

So far as living here goes - I think Christchurch is ideal. Not too big, not too small.

[sels1]

My boat's floated by among other things... bikes, spectacular scenery, adrenaline activities that require no/little skill

Queenstown - adventure capital of NZ. Spectacular scenery, heaps of activites, way too many tourists, hardly any NZers! But by the time you have driven there and back, you would have seen some of best sights in the country. And while you are in the area take in Milford Sound, Te Anau and Wanaka

[Fat Tony]

Thank you, thank you, thank you all.

Damn, I wish we could get over there today. I might stick some of my body parts on ebay and see if I can fund the trip sooner. So excited about getting over there I can't tell you.

RiderInBlack - thanks for the offer :)