Ask me about my favorite country, and chances are I'll tell you that it's New Zealand. I've been to the country a handful of times, and even studied abroad in Wellington for a semester during university. I love this country for its stunning landscapes, laid-back vibes, and friendly people.
New Zealand quick facts
- Population: 4.7 million
- Language: English, Maori, and NZ Sign Language
- Currency: New Zealand Dollar (NZD)
- Capital city: Wellington
- Country size: 103,483 sq. miles
- High season: Summer (December through March)
Top 10 things to do in New Zealand
- Take a campervan road trip around the country
- Visit the Hobbiton movie set
- Admire the stunning Milford Sound
- Attend a Maori cultural show
- Ride the historic Wellington cable car
- Go whale watching in Kaikoura
- Go bungee jumping in Queenstown
- Trek around the impressive Mount Cook
- Go lupin spotting in the spring
- Witness the Aurora Australis, or Southern Lights
Getting around
The best way to get around New Zealand is by car or campervan. Roads are well-maintained, and it's fairly easy to get from one point to another.
If you don't want to rent a car, you can also get to most places by bus or train. NakedBus and InterCity are bus companies that I've used many times – if you book in advance you can often get good deals.
You can also fly between all of New Zealand's major cities. Keep an eye on grabaseat for good domestic deals.
Where to stay
New Zealand has a nice mixture of hotels, hostels, and B&Bs to choose from, depending on your travel style and budget. Camping is also popular in NZ, with tons of campsites dotted all over the country.
Auckland:
Queenstown:
Wellington:
Hello there! Thank you for the great posts! I am planning to travel alone to travel alone in Nov and im considering to head to NZ. This is going to be my first solo trip and I can’t drive. I felt more assured that I could rely on the bus transport because the general feedback i got was I wouldn’t be able to access to some places even by bus.
Hey Sher! You can definitely get around New Zealand by bus. Sure, there are *some* places you can’t get without a car. But if it’s your first trip to New Zealand, you probably will want to see all the major sites/cities anyway – and you can definitely get to those by bus. 🙂
I have really been enjoying your blog! It’s amazing!! My husband and I will be spending February 2016 in New Zealand and your blog has me even more excited. I just used Airbnb to book a place in Wellington. I do have a question for you. We need to catch a one way flight from Wellington to Christchurch. Air New Zealand flight is $140 and JetStar is $57.97. A big difference. I have never heard of JetStar. They don’t have good reviews. Have you ever flown with them?
Thanks!!
Beth
We live in cloudy Ohio by the way. Gahanna, a suburb of Columbus.
I’ve never flown JetStar, though I have heard of them (mostly not-good things!). The Air New Zealand flight should include your checked baggage; you’ll have to pay for it on JetStar. I’ve also heard that JetStar can be reeeeeaaallllyyy strict on their carry-on baggage limits.
This is amaaaazing! My other half is a Kiwi and we’re (finally) hitting the South Island in August, but he’s totally clueless about what to do. Our homework for the next week: read every single post.
That should keep you busy! 😉 I’ve written about nearly every cool thing I’ve done in New Zealand, so I definitely hope this gives you some inspiration!
Oh my goodness I have hit the jackpot! I am moving to NZ soon so I am VERY happy to see all of these posts! Thanks for putting them together 🙂
New Zealand has always been one of my specialties (not to mention one of my favorite countries!). Happy to help! 🙂
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