My New Zealand Trip

Australasia´s secret greenstone

2009-02-01T20:34:00.000-08:00

Distant and strange may seem the idea of spending your holidays in New Zealand, yet it is hard to find a more complete destination than this Pacific green jewel.Time slows down but amazing landscapes, and extreme sports are the main attractions of the country. A couple of little islands where everything is perfect and the only thing disturbing could be the lack of time to enjoy every part of the world.

Aotearoa (land of the long white cloud), the Maori name for New Zealand, embraces multi color lands and waters, unforgettable bird tunes, glaciers resting over subtropical forests, volcanoes, fiords, thermal waters and all kind of sports.

Auckland_Intro

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AUCKLAND, City of sails
There’s so much to do in this city, so it is important to spend a few more days than you’d planned to enjoy it. Transport in the city is cool and easy. The Link Bus connects all the major and interesting points, and the Maxx internet site is helpful to check schedules about other busses that go a little bit further. You won’t get lost. Good value is the Auckland Pass for $ 11.00 a day for unlimited bus travel as well as the Devonport Ferry.

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Auckland_Where to stay

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The Great Ponsonby Arthotel. $200/$400.
Just enter this lovely house built in 1898, perfectly located three blocks from the rhythm of the bohemian street Ponsonby Road, and the traveler starts relaxing immediately and surrenders to the enchantment of the trip. “What do you want to do during your trip”? Ask owners Gerry and Sally, and that one question generates a well of advice for the visitor, usually things not previously thought of. In suites, bedrooms or the luxury loft, there are delicious, heart shaped chocolates by the bed, sights of a large garden, a wide range of wonderful art pieces and decoration will be the perfect relaxing point for the visitor’s beginning and ending of the day. Well traveled and expert guides, the complete team of the house know how to make the stay of each visitor a direct ride to wonderland. Heavenly a la carte breakfast included.
website

Unicorn Motel. $122/$135 NZ
This is a good choice to spend a holiday with children, friends or with a partner. All the units have a kitchen and everything that it takes to make it a home. Two blocks from Ponsonby action and its delightful bakeries. Some rooms have views of the harbour.
website

Verandahs backpackers. $25/$48 p/p.
Too good to be true, this backpacker hostel offers a lot for a few dollars. Shared bed rooms to private room for two with a deck right around the building and looks over a park full of trees. A magnificent, new, huge kitchen and lots of showers . The two restored 1900 houses are just the perfect place to stay and in trendy Ponsonby when traveling with a low budget. Campbell is a wonderful host.
website

Auckland_Gastronomic recommended

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Di Mare, 251 Parnell Rd
A good way to end a long day is to stop by Parnell Road and have dinner at Di Mare. This cozy, Mediterranean restaurant is hidden behind the main street and has the most delicious dishes. Try the seafood plate of squid and prawns for 2 and a bottle of chardonnay. Habib must be the best steak cook in Auckland and is rack of lamb with garlic sauce is to die for.

The Williamson, 1 Williamson street
This fabulous cafe, formerly known as the fire station, is an ideal place to have European style breakfasts, while reading the newspapers. The menu offers gigantic cheese scones, pies, scrambled eggs with salmon and fungi (or whatever you want) and the best cappuccinos.Very close to Verandahs Back packer.

Shanghai Lil’s, 133 Franklin Rd
Themed on the mysterious and baroque 1930’s Shanghai, this bar & lounge is the perfect place to have a cocktail after sunset. Most evenings the jazz band plays live, and doors open from Tuesday to Saturday. Just a short walk down the hill from Ponsonby Rd. It has an ecclectic collection of furniture which means every member of your party has a different type of chair to sit on. It may be carved, Chinese, black hardwood chair or an overstuffed armchair.
One of Auckland’s special places.

SOUTH ISLAND

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Quoting those who know better “it wasn’t luck what brought Director Peter Jackson to film most of his Lord of The Rings scenes in this Island”. Thrilling and dramatic are the landscapes that shape this part of the country, a place where everything is extreme: sports, fiords, glaciers, the Tasman Sea, the ice blue pools and the melancholic length of its lands and mountains. But be careful! This trip has to be an experience taken little by little. The curvilinear shape of the roads and the intensity of the surrounding landscapes require many stops to appreciate it.
Our advice is: not to spend less than two days at each stop.

Transport: There are plenty of good options and some companies cover by bus all the island main cities a several times a day (most of all at the high season), nevertheless the best choice is always to rent a car. Ace Rentals area available at Queenstown Airport and have the best price of the market, insurance included. There are a bunch of free excellent road and town maps everywhere, something one can really appreciate when traveling .

Auckland_Things To Do

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MUST SEE:
Auckland War Memorial Museum.
Established in 1929 on a dormant volcano, at the centre of the Domain, this museum is the best way to learn about Maori culture and New Zealand as well, both natural and war history. Three times a day the museum has a Maori performance, a show of dances and chants highly recommended.
After leaving the museum building it’s good to stop at the Winter Gardens next to it, where a fantastic collection of gigantic ferns, lotus and tropical flowers grow in two beautiful Victorian glass houses.

Kelly Tarlton’s.
This is a sub aquatic adventure that will be the delight of adults and children as well.
Here you can see from a very short distance an amazing variety of fishes, rays, sharks and penguins. It is built in an old sewer tunnel under the sea so you walk under the sting rays and look up at them. For $150 you can don a wet suit and swim with them. It looked pretty exciting.

Sky Tower.
The highest point of the city (328 m.), this is the place bungee jumpers choose to do free fall jumping. For those with a more conservative feeling, it is a great place for having lunch or dinner and the best lookout of the city.

Vineyards.
New Zealand produces some of the best wines of the world. That is why a tour visiting some vineyards is a must do in the trip. There are a lot of interesting wine zones; in both North and South Islands and a guided tour with someone that knows about the subject is very advisable.

Philip Parker, wine expert and author of books about this subject, offers interesting tours around the Auckland area. Highly recommended is the Matakana full day tour which includes visits to 3 excellent Vineyards and beautiful coast ride with a complete gourmet lunch with exquisite wines at a great winery’s restaurant. Website

A PERFECT DAY AT THE CITY:

Bush and Beach, West Coast Tours.
There are half and full day tours. Price from NZ$130.
The early hours of the morning are the best time for doing this ecologic tour of the west coast of Auckland. The trip includes the breathtaking Waitakere Ranges (amazing subtropical and native forests) walk, and the long and famous Piha Beach, a black hot sand Beach. They go to Piha and Karekare Beach. Karekare is the location for "The Piano".The trip is very informative and fun. Even if it is wet they provide wet weather gear and it is still enjoyable. Website

Harbour Cruise. Sail New Zealand. $39.
Sunset is just the right time to sail onboard the Pride Of Auckland harbor cruise, by the company Sailing New Zealand. This trip takes an hour and half and draws an wonderful panoramic of the city as seen from the sea. You’ll be able to see everything, from the bridge where bungee jumpers met to Devonport, luxury suburb that was founded on the year 1840. Website

FRANZ JOSEF

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This is the heart of the glaciers, an area fill with tiny towns, fire places, beer and rocky roads. Franz Josef is a must see in the South Island, precious and delightful destination with amazingly
high mountains and ever present snow.

MUST SEE:

Fox & Franz Joseph Glacier.
The best way to appreciate these monumental forces of nature is to over fly its high peaks on a helicopter (you can also visit the glaciers on a walking tour or by yourself, but you only will be able to see the bottom). Fox and Josef Heliservices has the lowest prices and they offer flights from 20 to 40 minutes long, more than enough to take thousands of photographs and even land over the highest mountain!

Lake Matheson.
This is where all the famous Mount Cook pictures have been taken. The Lake Matheson has an hour walk track that makes a loop surrounding the water and has an outstanding lookout at the middle of it, where you can see the reflexion of the mountains perfectly shaped on the mirror lake. This path is full of subtropical plants, singing birds and hobbit like leaders. The best way to celebrate the way back is to stop for a while and remain seated at the entry cafe, having a beer or a cranberry juice.

PLACES TO STAY:

De luxe:
Holly Homestead. $240/380. www.hollyhomestead.co.nz
Bernardine and Gerard are the sweet and interesting hosts of this lodge at Franz Josef. They restored this 1926 house and made it a lodge of warm rooms and amazing Southern Alp views.
The house has great and comfortable beds, wifi and an amusing meeting with the other guest by the morning, a time where Gerard delicious breakfast is served, while Bernie gives a travel plan for every one of them.

Low budget:
Franz Joseph Mountain View Holiday Park. $16/$285. www.mountain-view.co.nz
Qualmark gives 5 stars to this campsite set just a kilometer from the town. This place has every facility for a camping lover and rents anything from tent sites to luxury cabins with kitchen and bathroom.

WANAKA

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This town is not a town at all, but a sophisticated villa, with fresh air rest, trees full of fruits and farm like life all surrounded a mirror lake. Time seems to stop in this part of the country and the sun is generous with its plants and everywhere lavender flowers.

MUST SEE:

Local brewery.
This tiny artisan brewery 2 kilometers from town, offer tasting of its 3 different beers, all of them of an excellent taste. Beers are also sold in 6 pack o just one bottle.

Picnic and swimming by the lake.
Lake Wanaka its of a remarkable beauty and maybe that is why there is no better plan than to have a picnic by the lake, swimming and taking a nap. In the winter season there are also a lot of thing to do for those who love walking, trekking or have a cup of hot chocolate by the lake.

PLACES TO STAY:

De luxe:
LimeTree Lodge. $350/$595. www.limetreelodge.co.nz Just 6 k. away from Wanaka downtown, there is a field full of roses and lavender with a never ending view of beautiful mountains, a place where Rebecca and Sally offer a 5 star place with golf course, croquet ground and heliport (for those who want to fly over the fiords or glaciers) Every room is pure luxury and Rebecca’s homemade breakfast, pool, afternoon aperitifs and 24 h. coffee and tea with baked cookies are included.
Tranport from and to the town are on a complimentary basis and if you stay during winter, they have their own chef cooking all day meals so you don’t have to leave the lodge. If your are traveling with children (under 12) there is a superb room with huge TV, litters and fire place.

Low Budget:
Lake Hawea Holiday Park. $28 (tent site for two) a $100 (cabin for two) www.haweaholidaypark.co.nz
This spacious and relaxed campsite has 5 hectares of land by the Wanaka river, a very peaceful option for those who love adventure.

TE ANAU

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This Fiordland doorway is so peaceful as the beauty it hides. Green and quiet, this town shows his mysteries to those who come here provoking a sensation of never wanting to leave.

MUST SEE:

The Doubtful Sound.
Real Journeys offer a variety of tours for the fiord, both Milford and Doubtful. This last one is 3 times bigger than the other and much less popular for this trip is maybe a better choice. The tour lasts all day and includes: traveling along lake Manapouri(¿), then a short bus excursion (with a visit to the underground power station, a magnificent electric wonder), and the ferry trip inside the Doubtful Sound. This last part of the trip is hard to describe in words due to the grandiose and beauty of its landscapes, a totally must see in New Zealand.

Do nothing.
Another excellent plan and a good complement for the tiring extension of the Fiordland tours is simply doing nothing at all. Te Anau is the perfect place to relax and just contemplate the lake or have a cappuccino by the fire place.

PLACES TO STAY:

De luxe:
Te Anau Lodge. $200 a $350. www.teanaulodge.com
Some friends at theirs thirty something assumed the magnificent task of moving a 1936 convent from its original location to the town of Te Anau, and then adapting it to what is nowadays the Te Anau Lodge. Matt, his wife and his sister, are the hosts in this 4 star plus accommodation. Cheerful and always available, they arrange the place with 1930 and 1940 furniture, native New Zealand woods and a very interesting library. The price for the room includes huge breakfasts any time you like and bar with hot and cold drinks 24 h. at the library/star.

Low budget:
Te Anau Lakeview Holiday Park. $15 (tent site) to $130 (family cabin). www.teanauholidaypark.co.nz
It doesn’t take too much to enjoy and have a great time at Te Anau. Besides that, this campsite has great lake views, a big kitchen, showers and Internet connection.

QUEENSTOWN

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City of extreme sports, this south island spot offers anything to anybody that likes for extreme experiences, from free fall jumping, to glow worms caves.

Must see:

One of the best thing you can do once you’ve arranged your accommodation place (during the high season it is really hard to find a room), is to visit the surrounding areas. Just 50 k. away is the picturesque town of Arrowtown, tiny and pierced by a beautiful river. Arrowtown is also a place with the most famous venison and lamb pies and great places to have a picnic. A few hours are enough to walk the entire town and if there’s time to walk a little bit further there’s a ghost town called Macetown nearby. Queenstown is also a nice place to see the seven aside rugby tournament. Every summer there are a couple of days where The All Blacks come to this town to play at the Recreative Park, a must see for just 5 dollars. You better dress comfortable and fancy clothes, in case the local news paper take your photo for the social segment.

Where to stay:

De luxe:
Queenstown House. $295/$695. www.queenstownhouse.co.nz
Louise Kiely, her family and friends, are the exquisite hosts at this 1942 house that rests beautifully over the hills. These generous rooms have everything that takes to enjoy a luxury and relaxed stay. Some of the highlights are the gourmet breakfasts (we recommend the scramble eggs with salmon), and the sunset cocktail offered by the house hosts with cheese and drinks, a time where guests gather and talk while standing at the terrace with stunning looks at the harbor. At this mansion everything works under the charming Louise motto “we don’t only offer a bed, but we give the whole experience”

Low budget:
Frankton Motor Camp. $14 p/p tent site
Modest but having everything a camping lover needs. This big park has a privilege location by the lake a few meters ago the town center.

Auckland_Around & About

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AROUND AND ABOUT
Queen St. (CBD/central business district).
This 3 kilometer long street is the main centre of the city. A street of business and the connection between the ferry terminal at the harbor and the alternative K Road up on the ridge. There are transportation facilities night and day to every part of the city, banks, money exchanges, busy backpacker hostels and some mainly Asian food places.

Ponsonby Road, Culture and history.
Ponsonby is the most interesting, safe and relaxed area of the city.
It is excellent as a base and connection point with the other areas of the city, this historical neighborhood has more Victorian style houses than any other part of the Southern Hemisphere. It is the food area of Auckland and Aucklanders go there to dine. There are bars, restaurants, cafes, fantastic bakeries, sophisticated boutiques and the area is proud to be “gay friendly”. A real bohemian environment.
Live music is from Wednesday to Sunday at various places , one of the best being acoustic music at One 2 One on Ponsonby Rd. There is even a drag show late on Friday & Saturday at Sister Dorothy’s. There are movies and songs about this street, and even guided walks that tell of this colorful heritage.
The Link Bus runs every 10 minutes so you can be at the Auckland Museum, the harbor or any other highlight of the city in a few minutes.

Karangahape Road. Nightlife and rock and roll.
This street, once the red zone of the city, today owns the title for having the most edgy night life. Walking along this street is an interesting thing to do, and a link between Ponsonby Road and Queen Street and is a a walking route to the museum.

Parnell. Shopping & chic gastronomy.
Gardens of roses and fancy boutiques are some of the outstanding characteristics of these streets. Like Ponsonby it has a huge variety of food options, from small cafes to 5 star
restaurants .