New Zealand Nth Island

Trust me, swap your tickets to Christchurch and see the south island!Image Could Not Be Found

Hi Murray R,

Don't listen to these guys. The North is great. I was there last April and did a day trip to White Island. It's NZ's most active volcano and is a boat trip off the coast. Depart from Whakatane (sic). You go ashore there and do a guided tour of the Volcano. Makes Rotarua look like chinds play.

Enjoy your trip,

Snoopy2

Murray
Like you we decided that the two islands should be seen separately. We had 3 weeks on the North Island in October and loved every minute of it. Just a few things I can recommend : Kauri Museum, Matakohe (allow a few hours); The Hole in the Rock cruise at the Bay of Islands (Unless you are a real revhead I suggest the cruise rather than the jetboat - fabulous dolphin watching as well); If you have time go up to Cape Reinga, the northernmost point of the island and a really spitual place; The Auckland Museum; The Te Papa museum in Wellington, the Tamaki Maori Village and Hangi in Rororua, and, again if you have time, drive the "Forgotten World" Highway from Taumurunui to Stratford. BTW we live at Port Stephens , the so-called Dolphin capital of Australia and the Dolphin watching here is not a patch on what we did at the Bay of Islands. I could go on, but that should get you started.

teege

Get a car from rotorua and take the scenic drive down to the glow worm gotto
bay of islands ....hire a game fishing boat....you'll see the hole in the rock on the way out
Taupo...hire a fishing boat/guide and go get some trout...the restaraunt will cook it for you,
as some else said go see the volcano

both are islands need to be done, they are different but both equally great,
do the south next time
2 weeks in each is not quite enough

Must Do's

Bay of Islands -Boat trip to the "hole in the rock", fishing charter if you are into fishing, bus trip to Cape Reinga via 90 mile beach

Auckland - get out of town as fast as you can but go up the Sky Tower and maybe a bridge walk

Hamilton - why go there. Only thing to do is walk the lake (3/4 hr) then get out of town. There is not much else unless you are there when the V8's are there. Rellay bypass hamilton and go to Hot Water Beach.

Coromandal Peninsular (between Auckland and Rotorua - Go to Hot Water beach

Tauranga - Mt Manganui - walk around the Mount (1 hr), great surfing beach

Matamata - Lord of the Rings territory. We have not done any of this but see the visitor centre

Rotorua - Tamaki Brothers Maori concert, Boiling mud at Waiotapu (there are also 3 other places, we think that Waiotapu is the best. Close by is Kerosene Creek. Ask a visitor centre or local how to find it as it is not on the tourist trail. Swim in 30 to 40 degrees water, just like a spa with a small waterfall, love it.

Taupo - trout fishing, get a guide or charter boat. Visit the mountains and Desert Road to the south.

Napier - do the Art Deco walking tour with a guide

Wellington - best place is the airport because you are leaving town but before you do, see Te Papa museum.

I used to live in NZ and still spend 4 months year there for work have have been there, done that so many times. Auckland and Wellington suck, but then again so does most cities for me.

Have fun and also consider the South Island instead of the North. Look up each place on the net and also see what else is worth doing at each place.

Stevesub

Timely as tomorrow is Waitangi Day in NZ, i would suggest adding in the Waitangi Treaty Grounds into the trip if you are heading to the bay of islands area.

Experience the real culture of NZ and learn the history of their Country in this location.

http://www.waitangi.net.nz/

Andrew

All great advice above. My only tip is book your car on the net...in NZ...not Aust.
...much cheaper. Got a 2l Auto, delivered to airport for $36 a day, 14 day hire.
Be aware that your travel insurance probably covers the excess, so dont pay extra. cheers...oldbaz.

Hi Murray,

Give me a date and I should be able to arrange a 4wd trip for you in Wellington

KK

Hi Murray

My wife and I spent 3 weeks travelling around the North Island in July last year and had a ball. Will be heading to the South Island in May this year.

Anyway here's what we did, hope it is of some help:


From Auckland we drove north along the west coast (The Kauri Coast) through Dargaville north to Omapere then east through Kawakawa and onto the Bay of Islands. Along the way there is the Kauri Museum at Matakohe and the Kauri forest which has the worlds largest kauri trees and heaps of walking tracks. At Kawakawa is the weirdest public toilet block, need to see it to believe it.

We stayed at Russell at Waikare Retreat and spent 3 days traveling around the Bay of Islands visiting the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, The Stone store at KeriKeri and generally just lazing about in Russell itself. Has a couple of great pubs and lots of old buildings. There's a great restaurant at Russell called Sally's.


Then drove to the Coromandel Peninsula and spent 3 days traveling around. We drove up the west side of the peninsula to Coromandel then across to Whitianga (heaps of different types of accommodation available). Must sees: Cathedral-cove, Hot water beach, Cooks beach, and numerous other beaches etc and Karangahake Gorge.

Rotoura: Whakarewarewa - The Living Thermal Maori Village, Mitai Maori Village (Hangi dinner and show etc), Redwoods Forest, plus the Rotoura museum and thermal park. Between Rotoura and Taupo is Orakei Korako cave and thermal park well worth the drive

South of Taupo is Mt Ruapehu snow fields

Napier: Art Deco building - Great guided tour conducted through the town from the i site tourist centre
Hastings/Havelock North: Te Mata Peak - awesome drive up and fantastic views

Hamilton and surrounding area - very clean city and very nice countryside

We didn't go there but have been told that the caves at Waitomo are worth the visit.

After the Bay of Islands we generally just stayed in motels as most you could get for around $AUS80pn. Most of the i-sites have daily specials for accommodation especially late in the day.

In short, my personal favorites are Northland and the Bay of Islands, Coromandel Peninsula and Rotoura.

Hope you enjoy your trip

Cheers

Dax

The movie set for the Lord of the Rings is slightly north of Wellington (found it when we took our 1st XV to NZ for a rugby tour in April last year). It's in a disused quarry and well worth a visit.

The lookout at the top of Mt Victoria at night in Wellington is spectacular. The planes from the airport fly right past you.

Te Papa Tongarewa Museum (what a misnomer) is just amazing. You have to try out the earthquake house!

If you enjoy a quiet libation then on the main wharf (Taranaki St?) is Mac's Brewery and pub. The beer is superb and it's just across the road from the Museum.

Finally, you have to do the Cable Car ride.

The great part about Wellington is that it's so compact that getting from one place to the other is very quick. At the top of the Cable Car ride is a Botanical Gardens. It's a hilly walk but well worth seeing.

Best fish and chips (fush n chups?) I've ever tasted. if you do decide to sample then make sure that the chippie makes his own. If not then avoid.