Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Chonbuk]

Hi ya to all the Kiwi's.

I'm off for a 3 week tour of NZ over Christmas. Our plan is to rent a car and camp.

We fly into Auckland and than depart from Christchurch.

Does anyone have some must-see sights/ or local insight that they are willing to share....


We will be on a budget, so the organized fun activities are limited. I've picked swimming with the dolphins in the South Island.

BF has picked something to do with oysters-


Where's a good place for New Year's Eve?


very much appreciate your insight.

Cheers,

Chonbuk

[crazylemongirl]

Bay of Islands and Coromandal are great at this time of year. Tons of beaches and camping grounds. In coromandal they have the hot water beach which is very cool. I spent summers as a kid at Harhei which a beauitful beach and a holiday atmosphere. If you go north the Bay of Islands is great you can go swimming with dolphins, cruise the bay on boat. Both areas have plenty of people in the area looking for parties during New years.

For touristy stuff Rotorua/Taupo. Lots of geothermal stuff to be seen, and plenty of Maori stuff as well.

Marlborough Sounds is really beautiful in summer. Plenty of boats to islands and lots of islands to go to.

If you have time you could go along the west coast of the south island and then on to queenstown, which really is the tourist mecca of New Zealand. But as you are flying out of christchurch it will be a bit rushed.

If you want to spend a bit of time in the cities, Auckland and Wellington both have a good cafe scenes. If you want to stock up on clothes head out to Dress Mart in Onehunga as they have a big mall of factory shops where you can find real baragins. Great cafe scene down ponsonby road.

Wellington is better for fashion and food but it tends to be very quiet between December 26- early january as all the public servants are out of town so the supporting industries shut down too. So try to remember that when scheduling your trip across the cook strait.

[Chonbuk]

Thanks CLG,

I appreciate your insight. I'm so excited about this trip.

I have one more question, as we have decided to only bring our tent and sleeping bags, do you know of any place to get camping equipment. Is this stuff reasonably priced there?

In Sydney at King's Cross there is a Saturday market where travellers go to sell things before they leave Oz. I wonder if Auckland has the same thing....


Take care,

Chonbuk

[Ekuboko]

FYI: Customs will take great interest in your tent, as well as using tramping/hiking footwear if you are packing them, so make sure they are clean.

[itaewonguy]

take your car and head north up from auckland to kaitai and get onto 90mile beach and drive the car on the beach right up till you reach CAPE reinga. check out the views!! then make your way over to spirits bay and camp the night there! AMAZING BEACH!! sit there at the very top of new zealand and look out to the world!!
drive down the other side of nz down to the bay of islands
great that time of year!! keep driving pass auckland and over to the coromandel, keep heading south to tauranga, then down to rotorua, then down to lake taupo, then cross over to GISBOURNE BRO!
then into hawksbay, napier, check out the vineyards, and country nice place. then head down to wellington!

south island..
get on the ferry, and head to picton, from there you drive to NELSON and hang out..

drive through the heart of the country to arthurs pass
I dont really know much about the south perhaps someone from the south island can help you more here..
get to queensstown, and milford sound for sure!!

[Freezer Burn]

Have to second Napier, every building is designed in Art Deco, and it is beautiful, you would only need to stay 1-2 days, check out Havelock North 10 mins east of Hastings (25 mins south of napier) for views like this




World class wineries are all around this area if your into that.

Taupo is incredible lots of accommodation available, and great place for summer as well.

[Chonbuk]

Thanks so much Freezer Burn, and Itaweonguy

I have my map beside me- checking off all the places you guys mention-

A great thumbs up about the tent, haven't used it since last summer for a week in Bryon Bay- Definetly a must see for any Oz tours

Will give it a proper cleaning and airing.

Need to buy new boots before we go. Gonna do myself a little bit of tramping around NZ...

tee hee-

and to think I was planning on skipping the north island and spending the majority of our time in the south....

Funny thing you mention architecture- My partner is one. I'm sure he will be sold on Napier.

Those pics are fantastic.

I'm hoping to catch up with a few ex-expats from Jeon-Ju.

Thanks again.

Cheers,

Chonbuk

[Freezer Burn]

heres some examples of the architecture in Napier

[oni]

Definitely go to Copromandel over New Years the beaches there are some of the most beautiful in NZ and theres usually a big outdoor dance party going on too

In Auckland check out K Rd good for cool cafes and bars and funky shops.
Catch the ferry over to Devonport for a stroll around.

Do the Tongariro crossing a one day walkd across a volcano some wikkid landscapes.

Definitely check out Nelson, a funky arty city and go over to Golden Bay and do Abel tasman 3 day tramp its a gorgeous coastal walk only accessible by boat and foot and then drive down the West coast for sure.

Kaikoura is good for whale watching

[oni]

Definitely go to Copromandel over New Years the beaches there are some of the most beautiful in NZ and theres usually a big outdoor dance party going on too

In Auckland check out K Rd good for cool cafes and bars and funky shops.
Catch the ferry over to Devonport for a stroll around.

Do the Tongariro crossing a one day walkd across a volcano some wikkid landscapes.

Definitely check out Nelson, a funky arty city and go over to Golden Bay and do Abel tasman 3 day tramp its a gorgeous coastal walk only accessible by boat and foot and then drive down the West coast for sure.

Kaikoura is good for whale watching

[Sleepy in Seoul]

Don't spend all your time in the North Island - head down to the Mainland for at least half of your trip. The top of the South Island is great, with Nelson and Takaka. You could head down to Christchurch,
then through to Lake Tekapo,

Lake Pukaki, then to The Hermitage at Mt Cook,

then down to Queenstown.

I can't beliven that no-one has yet mentioned Milford Sound. The boat cruises are amazing (and the drive there from Te Anau isn't too bad either). Back up to Wanaka and over the Haast Pass and up the West Coast. Over the Lewis Pass and back to Chch via North Canterbury. What a way to finish your trip. Some very nice wineries in Nth Canty.

Oh, and if you have time for a day trip from Christchurch, a drive over to Akaroa is always worth the time.

There are plenty of fine walks too: Routeburn Track, Milford Track, Dusky Track etc.

[xtchr]

Hi there,
you'll probably be really pressed for time, but in my opinion it would be a shame not to spend at least some of it in the south of the South Island, Milford Sound/Queenstown/Te Anau, have already been mentioned, but other nice areas are Dunedin (City) and the Southern Scenic Route, through the Catlins on the south east coast. Sorry, can't do the pic thing, but it's really rugged scenery, and fairly deserted (which may not be what you're looking for).

Also, not sure if you've considered this or not, but at the time you're going, pretty much every NZer and their dog is on holiday, so camping places are likely to be heavily booked.

[sheba]

North Island...

If you like a big party for New Years, then go to Mt Maunganui, Whangamata, Papmoa or Whitianga. The beaches are definately the place to be (but make sure you arrive early because of the traffic.)

The coromandel is beautiful. So is Tutukaka up north. Rortorua is definately the 'cultural' city (go to Whakarewarewa and the Agrodome) - it smells bad cos of the sulfur (being a geothermal area). I quite like the drive along highway 1 at 'desert road' past Mt Ruapehu. Taupo has great views of the mountain over the lake on a clear day.

South Island....

Unfortunately I have only been to the South Island once.
Tha Milford sound is terrific.
Christchurch has great architecture and is a beautiful city... my favorite in NZ.
Queenstown is the tourist city... havent been there but Ive heard a lot about it.

All of NZ is very beautiful, but I think the scenery is a lot better in the South Island (with all the mountains etc)

Have a terrific time!

[itaewonguy]

[quote="Sleepy in Seoul"]Don't spend all your time in the North Island - head down to the Mainland for at least half of your trip. The top of the South Island is great, with Nelson and Takaka. You could head down to Christchurch,

DAMN!!! I use to sit there and get stoned on that VERY bench!! while I was in film school down there hahahahaha that brings back memories!!
cheers for the pic.. actually I think I sat on most of those parkbenches during my time in CH CH.. hahahhha
but I love that tree.. just looks as cool straight as when it does when your stoned hahhha

when was that pic taken? that might even be me rolling up a fatty !!

[Sleepy in Seoul]

itaewonguy, it was taken on September the 18th last year. If you were there then, it may indeed be you .