Where have you been on holiday in NZ?
Sep 28th 2007, 12:31 am
#1
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 402
Where have you been on holiday in NZ?
Ahipara in the Far North. Right at the bottom of 90 mile beach, spent a week there back in 2005 and it was bliss. Beautiful beach, spent hours playing in the surf, stayed at a old Kauri villa that had been converted into a lodge. Got a beautiful double room overlooking the beach for $60 a night. Went back twice and had a great time each time.
So if you have some free time, where in NZ have you been on holiday and did you like it? Or where would you like to go?
So if you have some free time, where in NZ have you been on holiday and did you like it? Or where would you like to go?
Last edited by Beachcombers; Sep 28th 2007 at 12:43 am.
Sep 28th 2007, 12:47 am
#2
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 402
Re: Where have you been on holiday in NZ?
Forgot the photo's!
Sep 28th 2007, 12:52 am
#3
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Blenheim, NZ
Posts: 1,504
Re: Where have you been on holiday in NZ?
This is taken from my diary on our hols to Gisborne.
We decide to head north east of the North Island we used Gisborne as a base. We stayed at www.portsidegisborne.co.nz (Portside Hotel), a lovely hotel with full kitchen, balcony overlooking the harbour and a huge double spa bath. Temperatures averaged at 25c and beautiful blue skies.
We set off on from Wellington on the last Sunday in February at 8am for our 8 hour drive. Stopped off just before Napier and had a picnic, another stop at Wairo for 10 mins (a lovely beach town). Arriving at Gisborne at 4.30pm.
On Monday we drove along the Pacific Coastal Highway - north along the coast. The beaches are gorgeous, beautiful white sandy beaches for miles, with not a soul around. We could've gone skinny dipping if we'd wanted. We drove up to Tolaga Bay, they have the longest pier in NZ - 600 meters long. A bit old and battered, in the UK it would have been classed as unsafe for the public. We took some photo's on the pier, but I didn't feel too safe, so we didn't walk to the end - even though there were people fishing at the far end.
On Tuesday we drove along State Highway 2 through the Waioeka Gorge Reserve to Opotiki. It was a very scenic drive, just outside of Opotiki at Ohiwa we found beaches to die for. The sand was far too hot to walk barefoot, the water was so pleasant, with no oooooooooh and a shiver. About 40Kms off the coast is White Island, it's a constantly active volcano island. From our lovely beach you could see the white smoke keep puffing out.
On Wednesday - we took the Gisbone Historic Trail. Drove up to Kaita Hill & Cooks Landing, had views across the city, just across the harbour could see our hotel. Fantastic views of Poverty Bay. This is where Captain Cook first set foot on New Zealand in 1769, sailing from Britain on the Endeavour. Across the bay on headland is a cliff named Young Nicks Head - a sailor named Nicholas Young was the first to sight land which was Poverty Bay. Gisborne is steeped with British history and monuments. At Cooks Landing there is even a tree - a Pohutukawa Tree - NZ native Xmas tree, planted by Princess Diana which is now a memorial for her. When you think of the hooha in UK to get any memorial for her at all, and they just turned a simple tree that she had herself planted into a memorial - no red tape.
We then drove to Endeavour Park, where there is a statue to Young Nick. Waikanae Beach just around the corner from our hotel, also has a statue of Captain Cook as this is where the first meeting took place between Eurpoean & Maori. Four streets away was the home of Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (the famous opera singer).
Even though we weren't wine drinkers, we decided to head off the a local Winery. NZ has the right climate to produce good wines. We were persuaded to have a tasting session and a bite to eat, it was an interesting & enjoyable experience. The wine was much more pallatable than what we'd previously tried. We even bought ourselves a bottle of Viognier made in Gisborne - yummy.
Thursday, we went to another Winery for lunch, it was good fun, then chilled at the beach for the afternoon. Needed to relax before packing and setting off on Friday morning.
Friday set off 8.30am for 2 nights in Taupo. Hubby had noticed a tourist/scenic route on the map, passing a lovely lake. This went from Wairo to between Rotorua & Taupo. I wish he would keep his ideas to himself - this road is one to avoid. What starts as a decent road, very quickly turned into a gravel road - then a single track gravel road - very skiddy on steep sharp hills & bends. Some of the way, I ended up only doing 15kms hr (I'm the only driver). We got to the lake, there was nowhere to turn off, or the road /or tracks got even worse. About halfway along this road we hit civilisation - a visitors centre in the middle of nowhere. We may be 12,000 miles from UK, but it really is a small world, the guy who worked there, laughed when he heard our northern accents, he was from Boldon Colliery (Sunderland) only 5 miles from where we are from. We didn't arrive at Taupo until 4.30pm & nearly out of petrol.
In Taupo we stayed at Karaka Tree Motel - very reasonable. A large studio room $115 a night. All rooms have their own Mineral Spa Pools - very large - so relaxing. The motel was just across the road to the lake, a lovely walk into town along the lakeside, lots of cafes, pubs and resturaunts. Taupo has loads to see & do. We went to Huka Falls, Craters of the Moon, Volcanic Activity Centre, Shawn the Prawn, and still loads left to see for another trip and only a 4 hour drive from Wellington..
Food is excellent everywhere you go in N.Z, people are friendly and helpful.
http://s158.photobucket.com/albums/t113/boopy-pics/
Check this out, photo's from Gisborne & Taupo also Rotorua, click onto the sub albums for pics & slide shows.
We decide to head north east of the North Island we used Gisborne as a base. We stayed at www.portsidegisborne.co.nz (Portside Hotel), a lovely hotel with full kitchen, balcony overlooking the harbour and a huge double spa bath. Temperatures averaged at 25c and beautiful blue skies.
We set off on from Wellington on the last Sunday in February at 8am for our 8 hour drive. Stopped off just before Napier and had a picnic, another stop at Wairo for 10 mins (a lovely beach town). Arriving at Gisborne at 4.30pm.
On Monday we drove along the Pacific Coastal Highway - north along the coast. The beaches are gorgeous, beautiful white sandy beaches for miles, with not a soul around. We could've gone skinny dipping if we'd wanted. We drove up to Tolaga Bay, they have the longest pier in NZ - 600 meters long. A bit old and battered, in the UK it would have been classed as unsafe for the public. We took some photo's on the pier, but I didn't feel too safe, so we didn't walk to the end - even though there were people fishing at the far end.
On Tuesday we drove along State Highway 2 through the Waioeka Gorge Reserve to Opotiki. It was a very scenic drive, just outside of Opotiki at Ohiwa we found beaches to die for. The sand was far too hot to walk barefoot, the water was so pleasant, with no oooooooooh and a shiver. About 40Kms off the coast is White Island, it's a constantly active volcano island. From our lovely beach you could see the white smoke keep puffing out.
On Wednesday - we took the Gisbone Historic Trail. Drove up to Kaita Hill & Cooks Landing, had views across the city, just across the harbour could see our hotel. Fantastic views of Poverty Bay. This is where Captain Cook first set foot on New Zealand in 1769, sailing from Britain on the Endeavour. Across the bay on headland is a cliff named Young Nicks Head - a sailor named Nicholas Young was the first to sight land which was Poverty Bay. Gisborne is steeped with British history and monuments. At Cooks Landing there is even a tree - a Pohutukawa Tree - NZ native Xmas tree, planted by Princess Diana which is now a memorial for her. When you think of the hooha in UK to get any memorial for her at all, and they just turned a simple tree that she had herself planted into a memorial - no red tape.
We then drove to Endeavour Park, where there is a statue to Young Nick. Waikanae Beach just around the corner from our hotel, also has a statue of Captain Cook as this is where the first meeting took place between Eurpoean & Maori. Four streets away was the home of Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (the famous opera singer).
Even though we weren't wine drinkers, we decided to head off the a local Winery. NZ has the right climate to produce good wines. We were persuaded to have a tasting session and a bite to eat, it was an interesting & enjoyable experience. The wine was much more pallatable than what we'd previously tried. We even bought ourselves a bottle of Viognier made in Gisborne - yummy.
Thursday, we went to another Winery for lunch, it was good fun, then chilled at the beach for the afternoon. Needed to relax before packing and setting off on Friday morning.
Friday set off 8.30am for 2 nights in Taupo. Hubby had noticed a tourist/scenic route on the map, passing a lovely lake. This went from Wairo to between Rotorua & Taupo. I wish he would keep his ideas to himself - this road is one to avoid. What starts as a decent road, very quickly turned into a gravel road - then a single track gravel road - very skiddy on steep sharp hills & bends. Some of the way, I ended up only doing 15kms hr (I'm the only driver). We got to the lake, there was nowhere to turn off, or the road /or tracks got even worse. About halfway along this road we hit civilisation - a visitors centre in the middle of nowhere. We may be 12,000 miles from UK, but it really is a small world, the guy who worked there, laughed when he heard our northern accents, he was from Boldon Colliery (Sunderland) only 5 miles from where we are from. We didn't arrive at Taupo until 4.30pm & nearly out of petrol.
In Taupo we stayed at Karaka Tree Motel - very reasonable. A large studio room $115 a night. All rooms have their own Mineral Spa Pools - very large - so relaxing. The motel was just across the road to the lake, a lovely walk into town along the lakeside, lots of cafes, pubs and resturaunts. Taupo has loads to see & do. We went to Huka Falls, Craters of the Moon, Volcanic Activity Centre, Shawn the Prawn, and still loads left to see for another trip and only a 4 hour drive from Wellington..
Food is excellent everywhere you go in N.Z, people are friendly and helpful.
http://s158.photobucket.com/albums/t113/boopy-pics/
Check this out, photo's from Gisborne & Taupo also Rotorua, click onto the sub albums for pics & slide shows.
Sep 28th 2007, 4:15 am
#4
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Mar 2007
Location: Cockle Bay, NEW ZEALAND
Posts: 1,007
Re: Where have you been on holiday in NZ?
Ahipara in the Far North. Right at the bottom of 90 mile beach, spent a week there back in 2005 and it was bliss. Beautiful beach, spent hours playing in the surf, stayed at a old Kauri villa that had been converted into a lodge. Got a beautiful double room overlooking the beach for $60 a night. Went back twice and had a great time each time.
So if you have some free time, where in NZ have you been on holiday and did you like it? Or where would you like to go?
So if you have some free time, where in NZ have you been on holiday and did you like it? Or where would you like to go?
could definitely recomend that....as long as you don't mind driving over mountains....
Sep 28th 2007, 8:54 am
#5
Banned
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 51
Re: Where have you been on holiday in NZ?
We are off to Rotorua,Tauranga and Taupo next week ,staying in the police force holiday homes that are available to staff,just a mere $50 a night for the use of ,3 bed most of them so plenty of room for friends
All costs subsidised from speeding fines ,thanks
All costs subsidised from speeding fines ,thanks
Sep 28th 2007, 9:51 am
#6
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 7,208
Re: Where have you been on holiday in NZ?
Rotorua is a great place to visit, there is sooo much to do for all age groups, Zorbing, Agrodome, Skylift gondala doobries and luge down, Rainbow Springs nature park and Kiwi's, all the geothermal parks, and loads of Maori nights with hangis etc.
Sep 29th 2007, 6:49 am
#7
Banned
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 51
Re: Where have you been on holiday in NZ?
Looking forward to doing some of those things thanks ,plus we are staying near to your pad and intend trying some of those sausages from the Jarvis butchers in Papamoa .
Love those Speeding fines that subsidise my holidays
Sep 29th 2007, 7:06 am
#8
Susie..
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,531
Re: Where have you been on holiday in NZ?
Went to Hanmer Springs and then up to Nelson during Easter. Both places were really fab and would go again...
Sep 29th 2007, 7:36 am
#9
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Joined: Mar 2007
Location: Cockle Bay, NEW ZEALAND
Posts: 1,007
Re: Where have you been on holiday in NZ?
Some pics of the views from the top of the mountain between Matarangi & Coromandel Town....
Sep 29th 2007, 6:19 pm
#10
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 78
Re: Where have you been on holiday in NZ?
On our last visit my wife and I went as far north as Warkworth, around the Auckland area, Down to Rotorua via Waitomo caves, and then down the country to Wellington. Over to Picton, we stayed in Kaikoura and finished our trip in Christchurch. We used public transport for the whole trip, which was fantastic as there was lots we'd have missed out on otherwise, and the Kiwi drivers were fantastic 
.
We loved everywhere we visited with the exception of one resturant: papa luigi's in Rotorua! We've got a flickr account somewhere with photos, i'll have to try and remember the name
.
.We loved everywhere we visited with the exception of one resturant: papa luigi's in Rotorua! We've got a flickr account somewhere with photos, i'll have to try and remember the name
.
Oct 1st 2007, 3:06 am
#11
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2006
Location: Porirua,NZ
Posts: 3,275
Re: Where have you been on holiday in NZ?
We're hoping to go to the South island for 8-10 days in Jan,5 of us with her mum and dad,7 in all. Can anyone recommend whether it'd be cheaper to get two campervans or to hire a seven seater and motel our way around?
Oct 1st 2007, 5:27 am
#12
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Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Blenheim, NZ
Posts: 1,504
Re: Where have you been on holiday in NZ?
The backpackers hostels are apparently nice & cheap to tour around the south island. Anyway I wouldn't of thought Donna would be to happy kipping in a campervan after her last experience.
Oct 1st 2007, 9:28 am
#13
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Joined: Dec 2006
Location: Porirua, Wellington, NZ
Posts: 645
Re: Where have you been on holiday in NZ?
Hi Dee - I'd rather be in a motel! Saying that I thought condensation was only something that happened in a campervan until we actually moved here!
Oct 2nd 2007, 8:26 am
#14
aka Mandie.H
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 157
Re: Where have you been on holiday in NZ?
We visited last year for 5 weeks went to - chch, hanmer, kaikoura, picton, Taupo, Tauranga, wellington, Napier. had a brilliant time and could have done with more time. we hired a car and stayed in accommodation found on https://www.ratestogo.com/ which was cheap and clean (was only two of us though)
We've just come back from a two week visit to NZ stayed the first week in chch then went to punakaiki, nelson, blenheim, hanmer, kaikoura. this time as there was the four of us we hired a campervan from http://www.newzealandmotorhomes.com and it was fantastic and cheaper than hiring a motel and car as very few places we could see did family rooms
We've just come back from a two week visit to NZ stayed the first week in chch then went to punakaiki, nelson, blenheim, hanmer, kaikoura. this time as there was the four of us we hired a campervan from http://www.newzealandmotorhomes.com and it was fantastic and cheaper than hiring a motel and car as very few places we could see did family rooms
Oct 2nd 2007, 9:13 am
#15
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Joined: Jul 2006
Location: Porirua,NZ
Posts: 3,275
Re: Where have you been on holiday in NZ?
We visited last year for 5 weeks went to - chch, hanmer, kaikoura, picton, Taupo, Tauranga, wellington, Napier. had a brilliant time and could have done with more time. we hired a car and stayed in accommodation found on https://www.ratestogo.com/ which was cheap and clean (was only two of us though)
We've just come back from a two week visit to NZ stayed the first week in chch then went to punakaiki, nelson, blenheim, hanmer, kaikoura. this time as there was the four of us we hired a campervan from http://www.newzealandmotorhomes.com and it was fantastic and cheaper than hiring a motel and car as very few places we could see did family rooms
We've just come back from a two week visit to NZ stayed the first week in chch then went to punakaiki, nelson, blenheim, hanmer, kaikoura. this time as there was the four of us we hired a campervan from http://www.newzealandmotorhomes.com and it was fantastic and cheaper than hiring a motel and car as very few places we could see did family rooms
