shirl

Hi All

As this board is becoming very negative lately I thought it was about time to sing the praises of New Zealand. What attracted you to the place when you decided to come to New Zealand or are they just distant memories now.

Come on I know you have favourite places: Where would you recommend someone new to the country to visit.

I will start it off shall I:

1. Love the Bay of Islands and the Waitangi Treaty House area and all that culture and the little trip over to Russell.

2. Love Lake Tekapo with it's diverse range of weather and scenery and turquoise blue lake.

3. Love Queenstown with all the adrenalin rush activities.

4. Love Lake Wanaka with all the willows on the shore and the calmness of the place.

5. Love living here in the South Island with the lovely dry winters (since I came anyway!!) and beautiful scenery.

Lets get this board back to a place of harmony shall we.

clair73

Well done Shirl

My top five places or activities

1) camping around the southern lakes in the summer, star gazing until late at night watching out for shooting stars and satelites

2) Fiordland National Park, boat trips or tramping....havent actually been here but studying it in college and really want to visit

3) Kaikoura whale and Dolphin watching

4) Glow Worm caves Westcoast and Shanty Town

5) Goat Island


I could think of loads more after just completing destination NZ but will stick to five

I_Will_Freckle

1. Love the Bay of Islands.
2. Love Abel Tasman Park.
3. Love Bay of Plenty.
4. Love all the mom and pop type cafes and coffee shops.
5. Love the abundance of local art.
6. Love the friendly people.
7. Love the slightly dark sense of humour.

Woops sorry, too many.

NZBee

...being able to drive 25 minutes west to Piha beach and Karekare from Auckland. Beautiful. Just beautiful. Rain or shine. Peace of paradise near home

Ash1

In no particular order


Bay of Islands................Stunning
Rotorua......................... great entertainment
Waitomo caves...............interesting
Corramandel....................stunning
Bay of plenty..................I live here

can i have another 5 please
Ash

NZBee

Another one to add to your list....Orakei Korako (spelling may be incorrect!)...NZ best kept secret. Well.....was!!

clair73

yes add more and things to do there i am studying travel and tourism at the moment and love hearing about different places i have not discovered yet

pixi-dust

no order and 5 isn't enough!

Cathedral Cove, Coromandel
Abel Tasman National Park
Millford Sound
Bay of Islands
Wanaka
Nelson
Kaikoura whale watching, and it's a sweet wee place.
Orakei Korako ( completely agree - amazing place, take a jet boat)
Taupo Bay ( Northland)

shirl

Now you have to tell me where that is - bet it is in the North Island. Damn why I have to live so far from the beauty spots, Not used to that coming from the lovely South West used to drive to different places on a Sunday and stop for lunch on the way like Exmoor, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and pass all the lovely beautiful bays etc.

NZBee

It is on the North Island I am afraid. Near Taupo kind of.
It is gorgeous and really well worth the visit soon; I heard a rumour that developers are going to be moving in there in the next few years. Dont shoot the messenger....but that is what I heard which would be a great great shame and a loss for New Zealand

shirl

Guessed as much now tell me is the North Island in terms of distances to nice places on any scale to the Uk. Here in the south you need to travel a couple hours to get anywhere, i.e. Kaikoura, Timaru, Lakes etc well from Christchurch anyways. Are the bays around the North Island closer to each other. I have only flown in to Auckland and then on to KerKeri to stay a week at Pahia in the Bay of Islands and loved the scenery there but I am sure there is lots more beautiful places. Would it be viable to say have a base and then explore the coastlines easily on a 2 week holiday. Can you just get in the car from say where you live and visit a bay not on your own doorstep so to speak within say half hour to an hour. Exmouth in Devon we lived for while and very often would pop over to Dawlish or Teignmouth and Torbay area and do a little tiki tour on a Sunday and stop for lunch on the way. Sorry to ask so many questions, having not visited the North Island except for as above it is hard to imagine when all you see is the deserted south! Thinking of my next holiday!!

Thanks in advance.

NZBee

I live in Auckland. You can get to the Bay of Islands in about 3 hours from here (in good time so I am told)....so if you wanted to go for a day it is going to be a long drive! Hamilton is a 2hour drive south, Rotorua is 3 hours south east, then from there Taupo is another 1 hour and a half. Wellington is approx a 9 hour drive from Auckland (flying is cheaper!)...Palmerston North is 7 hours.....soooo it is hard to see lots in the North Island and just use one base. You can get some good deals on camper vans at the moment, and the camp sites in New Zealand are fantastic....far from roughing it. If that doesnt take your fancy, there is some great Bed and Breakfasts (there is a book available in Whitcoulls and Borders a Guide to NZ B and B's)...and also motels are in major towns (try www.wotif.com for good deals). Driving in the North Island can be a pain and tiresome due to lack of motorways, and in some places just normal roads.
Hope this ramble helps give you an idea a bit!!!

shirl

Sure does - thanks so much for all the information. Much appreciated.

southerner

Hmmm - on the whole the better scenery is in the South Island. You just picked the only flat boring bit to live in.

If you widen your distances to include doable places for a weekend trip then from Christchurch you would have Nelson, Marlborough Sounds, Mt Cook, Tekapo, Arthurs Pass, West Coast, Akaroa, Kaikoura, Hanmer. Those are some pretty stunning places.

From Dunedin the equivalent list would include Milford, Fiordland, Stewart Is, Catlins, Maniototo, Queenstown, Wanaka, Mt Cook, Waitaki Valley, not forgetting on the backdoor step, the Peninsula.

My top 5 (north to south) are:
Abel Tasman
Mt Cook
Queenstown
Milford
Stewart Is

themoores

the south Island is def more picturesque. We are in Hamilton and for me is perfect, as we are central to everything. Auckland - about 1 1/2, Bay of PLenty and Rotorua, just over and hour, skiing and coromandel 2 hours. Have to try out the place near taupo.

My fav 5 would be (but still learning)

Queenstown, Wanaka, Bay of Islands, Pauanui on the Coromandel, Rotorua (the north Islands queenstown , but smelly and not as pretty!!) and Taupo if I am allowed a sixth !?!