The Best Places to Visit in New Zealand
Here are our favorite places to visit in NZ
In this Newsletter we’ll provide you with the top 10 must visit spots in New Zealand. Along with places to skip and ways to find a real life Ninja bird plus our personal hacks to avoid blowing up your budget.
We will also provide you with things to do and a word from a local New Zealand friend.
If you’re looking for an unforgettable adventure then New Zealand is the perfect destination.
Home to awe-inspiring landscapes, rugged mountains, crystal-clear lakes and beaches. There’s something for everyone.
From the bustling cities of Auckland and Wellington to the serene beauty of the South Island, New Zealand has a lot to offer.
Let’s start with the first step:
Do you need a visa to visit New Zealand?
Citizens of 61 countries can apply for a NZeTA.
The New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority.
NZeTA will get you 3 months in New Zealand.
You can do the application online, and get an answer within a few days, and then you are ready to enter.
Make sure to check on New Zealand’s official page to make sure that your passport is eligible for applying for this.
You can apply → here
The Best Places to Visit in New Zealand
Here are the top 10 spots to visit that we recommend:
Cliffs at Fortrose (Southernmost point in NZ) - Hidden gem, sandy beaches a place of natural beauty.
Curio Bay cliffs - Swim with wild endemic Hector’s Dolphins (the rarest Dolphins in the world). Discover one of the most rare yellow eyed penguins in the world. (unless they are out hunting) Explore the petrified forest (180 million years old trees)
Mount Cook – The highest mountain in New Zealand. Mount Cook is a must-visit for those looking for an unforgettable view of the alpine country.
Dunedin - Otago Peninsula - New chance to see the yellow eyed penguins or the little blue penguins. - And visit Royal Albatross center to watch the Albatross.
Blue spring putaruru - Incredible crystal clear river! Drinkable water. Great nature to go for a walk in.
Rotorua – Located in the Taupo Volcanic Zone. Rotorua is full of geothermal wonders and Maori culture. Visit the hot springs. Take a walk around the geysers and mud pools, or check out the world-famous Te Puia thermal village.
Queenstown – Queenstown is the adventure capital of New Zealand. With its stunning scenery, ski resorts, bungee jumping and jet boating, Queenstown is the perfect place for thrill seekers.
Te Anau - Swim in the Ice cold, crystal clear glacier water. Bonus: small cozy village.
Lake Teupo – Cute small town, beautiful crystal clear lake. - And visit the spa thermal park for a warm bath in the nature, hot springs.
Wai - o - Tapu - Geyser, Smells like farts but looks amazing. Def check it out.
These are our top 10 visit spots in New Zealand, but there are plenty of other amazing places to explore.
Places to Skip:
Rangitoto Island – Rangitoto Island is a great spot for a day trip, but it’s not worth the hefty price tag.
Coromandel – Coromandel is a stunning area with plenty of activities, but it can be a bit crowded and overpriced.
The hobbit village - unless you are a hardcore Lord of the rings fan - Overpriced and one of the top touristic attractions
How to Find a Real Life Ninja Bird:
And like you may have guessed the real name isn’t Ninja bird, it’s:
Kiwi bird
Here’s more about Kiwi birds from a official New Zealand’s website
“The kiwi is a unique and curious bird: it cannot fly, has loose, hair-like feathers, strong legs and no tail.
Kiwi are ratites. The closest relatives to today’s kiwi are the extinct elephant birds from Madagascar. They are also related to emus and cassowaries of Australia, and the extinct moa of New Zealand.”
Read more → here
Kiwi Bird
Most NZ locals haven’t had the chance to see a wild Kiwi yet!
These birds are nocturnal animals, meaning that they are awake during the night.
What nobody told us was that they are extremally fast!
They don’t look like it, but they are really sneaky as they run around in the dark at super sonic speed!
We went to the Tawharanui Open Sanctuary.
It’s free and no tourists finds this place.
Two local friends from Auckland told us that it’s a bigger chance to see them there.
There are guides too, but we wouldn’t recommend it. (overpriced)
Our friends also told us that walking around with a flashlight will lower our chances of getting to see the bird.
Kiwis don’t like bright light, their eyes are extremally sensitive.
Our friends told us that the best way is to put something red on the flash light to dim the light, and still allows you to see a bit in the dark.
What we recommend: Put a red balloon on your phone flashlight. Sounds silly but it works! And it sets you back less than $1
We walked around for 3 hours.
Searching everywhere.
We were about to give up.
It was 3.30 am, and then suddenly
We saw a small shadow moving fast in the corner of our eyes.
We had seen it twice before but hadn’t thought about it then.
Now Sam decided to take off the balloon just for a second to see better.
And then we saw the Kiwi bird!
Just for maybe 20 seconds before the little ninja was off again :D
They had been chasing and playing around us the whole night but we didn’t know!
Our Personal Hacks to Avoid Blowing Up Your Budget for New Zealand:
Stay in hostels – Hostels are a great way to save money and meet other travelers.
Take public transportation – Public transportation is often cheaper than renting a car, and it’s a great way to explore the country.
Car Transport - New Zealand is filled with opportunities where car rentals want you to drive a car from A to B. Usually you only pay gas, and a low insurance fee. But you get a car/van for several days for $0. Great way to explore the country!
Hitchhiking - New Zealand has so far been one of the easiest countries to hitchhike in. It’s so common that most travelers who visit have their first hitch hiking experience in NZ.
Camping - Depending on the place! BEAWARE - We were SHOCKED when we camped in a camping ground on a shared lot with our own tent. And following day they charged us $64 NZD!!! This is ridiculous in any country so we don’t recommend camping in Queenstown. Overpriced.
Luckily there are a few places where it’s free, or low cost to camp. Just make sure to look that up before you go.
ps.
It’s illegal to camp in New Zealand without a permit. If you camp outside a camping ground, Fines are up to $1,000! Still in 2020 it was around $200, in 2021 they raised the fine fee.
Things to Do:
Hike in the national parks – New Zealand’s national parks are full of incredible hikes, from short hikes to multi-day treks.
Visit the geothermal regions – New Zealand is home to some of the world’s most active geothermal areas. From hot springs to geysers, you can explore the incredible natural phenomena of the country.
Taste the local wine – New Zealand is home to some amazing wineries. You can often find wines from local regions for a fraction of the price compared to other countries.
If you like city life, the North island has more city life. Auckland has a hipster / artistic vibe to it, feels laid down even though it’s a big city for NZ standards.
Suggestions from a local friend in NZ:
Things to do in Auckland and close by:
So for Auckland, hmm. I guess the island must be Waiheke, which is nice for wine and great restaurants. Beautiful beaches too, lovely place for swims.
Piha beach is amazing if they rent a car. It's about 45 minutes from the city but it's pretty special (even for NZers it's an epic beach, and we spend a lot of time at the beach.
This is pretty cool and unique - https://spookers.co.nz/
Spookers Haunted Attraction Scream Park
New Zealand's #1 Haunted Attraction Scream Park, designed to scare the absolute hell out of you! Live actors in Disturbia (3D), The Woods, Haunted House and The fog.
I love walking in the Waitakere Ranges. There's a whole series of great little walks here - https://epiclittlemissions.co.nz/
Bush Walks in Auckland || Epic Little Missions-Epic Little Missions
epiclittlemissions.co.nz
Walks, tramps, overnight camps close to Auckland City, New Zealand. Priding ourselves on giving you the visual incentive to get out and walk the greater Auckland region. And see what Auckland's regional parks have to offer.
Friday night at Sweat Shop is a great live band - Beat council
That's central AK
Auckland Museum would be a great half day for culture and history. There's a lot of great stuff there.
I'd spend a sunny afternoon at Takapuna Beach - about 1km of coastline that all Aucklanders know well.
There's a good cafe and ice cream store at one end too - good for a meal or just something sweet.
Auckland Art Gallery is great too -
These are all great - https://www.aucklandnz.com/visit/discover/aucklands-best-parks
Visit Auckland's regional and city parks
aucklandnz.com
Hike, bike, kayak or pack a picnic and bowls set for a day out at one of Auckland’s parks. The perfect way to see the diversity and beauty of our landscape.
This is what Aucklanders like about Auckland.
Great restaurants:-
https://www.metromag.co.nz/listings/cassia
https://www.metromag.co.nz/listings/lilian
https://www.metromag.co.nz/listings/baduzzi
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