If you want to visit New Zealand, I would 100% advise you to get a working holiday visa, but this isn’t always an option. If you can only visit on a holiday, you’re in the right place. My post on backpacking NZ is coming very soon for those considering long term travel, but theres still heaps of handy info for you below.

Let’s assume you know nothing about NZ – you’ve probably seen some insane photos on Instagram but that may well be as far as your knowledge goes, so I’ll start from scratch, then we’re all on the same page. 

New Zealand is made up of two islands (yes there are smaller ones dotted about but I’m keeping things simple) they’re commonly known as the north and south. The north is generally warmer, with big sand dunes in the far north, volcanic activity pretty evident in the middle, and the capital, Wellington, at the bottom of the north island. Then there’s a 4 hour boat ferry to the south island, where you’ll find Nelson at the top (my home), known for its high sunshine hours, Christchurch halfway down (which is still being rebuilt following the earthquakes in 2011), glaciers on the west coast, Fiordland’s down the south, and a heck of a lot of mountain views pretty much everywhere. 

Weather

One of the most popular questions I get asked is when’s the best time to go. This is dependent on whether you want to see snow on the mountains or enjoy warm dry heat (it’s not as humid as Australia). The seasons are opposite to the UK so UK summer is NZ’s winter (April/May – September). The busiest times for tourists in NZ is December/January (which is school holidays too), so if you want to see the summer, I’d recommend coming February time.

Flights

Auckland (North Island) is the biggest city, and where most international flights land. flights take around 11 hours from Singapore (most common stop over location) so if you’re coming from the UK, expect a flight time of atleast 28 hours total 😅 My all time favourite go-to for looking up flights is Skyscanner. It’s a price comparison website for flights, but its completely free. I’ve tested it and you don’t pay more to book through them, all it does is show you the flights from lots of different airlines, all in one place (lifesaver). Plus you can do lots of filtering and select which airlines, preffered stop over, etc. 

New Zealand’s a pretty long country, and bigger than you think. The below picture shows you the size compared to the UK.

Now to put it into perspective, UK population: 66 million. NZ population: 5 million. So it’s quite possible to be driving down the road for an hour and not see another car – which moves on to my next point, you will need a way of getting about.

Transport & Accommodation

There are a few options, the most obvious being the campervan. This can be perfect if you’re travelling as a couple or friends, pulling up to spots where you’re metres from the beach, overlooking the river, or at the base of a mountain, you can find some pretty epic spots all over the country, but it’s important to know you can’t just pull up anywhere. You need to stop at places which have ‘freedom camping’ signs, specific doc sites or at campgrounds. If you don’t, you can face a hefty fine, and with the number of spots out there, you really won’t need to risk it. Campsites are pretty much open all year round, so the benefit of going in the winter means you get lower rates. However, I wouldn’t recommend campervanning with any more than two people. It can get pretty cramped no matter how big your van is. 

If you’re a group of 3+ my next recommendation would be to rent a car and Airbnb your way around NZ. We actually found that it worked out cheaper to do that than pay for 4 adults in a campervan site. If you’ve not used Airbnb before, you’re definitely missing out. There are different options where you can stay in your own place (the owner isn’t there) or you can just rent a room, and use the shared facilities. Each place is different. Although it can seem strange staying in someone else’s place, its a great way of meeting new people and getting local’s recommendations. I’ve met some great people through Airbnb, and really recommend it. There are some insane Airbnb’s out there. Here’s one of my favourites: (Don’t forget to use this link to get £25 off your first stay)
– Little blue hut, on the West Coast: https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/1584860?source_impression_id=p3_1569725997_2NIK9DOvpcEcgzRx

Another option if you want to rent a car but have cheap accommodation, is to camp. You can find camping gear pretty cheap from shops such as The Warehouse. Or you could find some bargains at DressSmart in Auckland in the Kathmandu outlet. (Shopping haven, with lots of Billabong / Quicksilver style outlets 😍). 

If you’re holidaying alone, or even with a friend and don’t fancy driving, you can catch a bus, or one of the scenic trains to get about. The Kiwi Experience is perfect for the younger generation, you can meet lots of like-minded people, and pick which route you wish to pay for. Another bus option is the Intercity bus. It has various routes and does overnight travel, which is a good option if you want to avoid paying for accommodation overnight!

The scenic train (Great Journeys of New Zealand) option is not a cheap option but is truly epic. There’s only a handful over both islands, but it can be a stunning way to move from one area to another. Sneaky insider tip – apparently its actually cheaper to book once you’re in NZ, as opposed to booking it overseas. I’m hoping to do the Picton – Christchurch train soon, which sits right along the east coast of the South Island.

Activities

NZ has some of the most epic activities in the world. Both the bungee jump and zorbing were born here, let alone the jet rides, canyon swing, and of course, lugeing.

The cost can mount up quite quickly, but if you want to save a heap of money, you need to use bookme. Bookme is a website which shows you many activity options all over NZ, but most of the time heavily discounted. You book your activity and time, and pay the lower price, the only catch is you must stick to that time, you can’t just turn up an hour later expecting to do your activity, more than 15 minutes late and you lose your money. So just don’t have too much of a lay-in eh? 

My personal favourite activity is lugeing, with the best lugeing course being in Rotorua, North Island. The other course is in Queenstown, which is still epic, but just not as big. (If you’re in Queenstown though you’ve got to go, even if it’s just to admire the view up there). 

Another favourite activity is sandboarding, which is mainly in the Northland, right up above Auckland. You can drive along the famous ninety-mile beach on the west coast all the way up to the sand dunes, or get a day tour. I chose this option, and it was great because they take you to spots you might not have visited on your own. Plus on a tour, they lend you a bodyboard for the dunes. I used Harrisons Cape Runner which was awesome, but there are plenty of options out there.

Currency

The currency is NZ Dollar (NZD) which roughly equates to $1 = 51p. Charges can be super high if you want to use your debit/credit card abroad, luckily there are a few options. Of course the easiest is to take NZD from your local currency shop, but you probably don’t want to be carrying heaps of cash. My most recommended option is to open a Starling Bank account. It’s super quick and easy and all on your mobile, so you don’t need to go to a branch, you just need an official document like a passport. The benefits to Starling are massive, they do not charge for using the card, you have free use abroad (yep no charges!) and also give you an excellent exchange rate. You can view exactly what you’re spending (instantly) and on what. I genuinely rate it as the best bank in the UK – so seriously check it out here.

Another option is to get a travel money card from either STA Travel, or the Post Office.

Medical cover

The UK & NZ have a reciprocal agreement which means either citizens are allowed to use the hospital for free. But don’t skip the travel insurance – you could still be charged for the use of an ambulance etc so prepare for the worst and get travel insurance. Yes you’re unlikely to need it but heck you’ll be glad you have it when you do. When I got ill from glandular fever luckily enough I could claim back the cost of my appointments ($100 a time!!). One insurer I’ve used and really recommend is WorldNomads. They’re one of the few companies that also allow you to buy insurance whilst you travelling already which makes a difference if you’re continuing your travels! Check them out here & use them for your next holiday. Another way to look for travel insurance is via comparison sites like comparethemarket.com, just remember you get what you pay for.

There is so much to learn about NZ, it truly is a magical place, and should definitely be on your list of places to visit. I love that I am lucky enough to call it my home now and I hope I’ve helped make your holiday easier. If I’ve missed out anything or you have any questions, pop a comment below. I’m also working on my backpackers equivalent to this post, which will include lots of must do’s and don’t in the world of Backpacking so stay tuned for that too.

Thanks for reading and enjoy your trip to NZ!

This post contains affiliate links which means I may get a small commission at no cost to you. I only recommend places/products I genuinely recommend.