Travel advice for New Zealand

New Zealand - 3 weeks - Auckland, Whangarei, Paihia, Matamata, Rotorua and Turangi

You can hitchhike around New Zealand. You can't do it in the main cities but you can around the towns both to get around the town locally as well as from town to town. Try and get to the outskirts of town on the road to where you need to.

You can do a village visit (cultural experience of Maori culture normally 100+ NZD) in Rotorua. A much cheaper way of getting the same thing is going to kiwi kai restaurant in Rotorua or Whangarei or Nelson and getting a meal (10 NZD) and then seeing a cultural performance at the Waitangi treaty grounds, Whakarewarewa village (performance included in the price) or at the New Zealand military museum in Auckland (extra 20 NZD).

the famous glow worm caves in New Zealand are Waitomo caves but they cost money. There are free ones in Whangarei and Waipu which also have glow worms and are unguided so best to do it with a friend. Also in Whangerei you can do a glass blowing lesson.

if you go to Whakawerawera village in Rotorua you can get into the Te Puia centre as they're next to each other by walking through the brush or going around the gate on the big track. they are 2 seperate sites so don't get caught. you can also go to thermal baths

To do the Tongariro crossing if you don't have a car you would have to use a carrier service which costs money. You can however hitchhike there and hitchhike back. I would recommend doing it in reverse so you finish at the start point so you're at the place where all the cars are. If you stay at a hostel people with cars who are also doing the crossing you can join them and get a lift.

if you stay in hostels people sometimes forget or deliberately leave behind food in kitchens. A technique I had was to slightly rotate/move the food leave it for 24 hrs if i was still in that position then I would take it as it was clearly not being used by someone and could be taken. this technique is particulary good at large hostels. check stuff at backs of shelves as well. this is the stuff most of often forgotten unused.

there are lots of tour companies that will take you around New Zealand on a bus with a tour guide very easily. these are very expensive for what you get. you can get around cheaper but getting Maha Bus or other bus companies and you have the flexibility of staying as long as you want in a location, stay in the cheapest Hostel and go exactly where you want to go. All for less money. It is harder to do it all for yourself though and you meet alot of similarly minded young people on the bus tour. I did it on my own and would recommend it for both cost and freedom.

If you wanted to do the whole country I would recommend atleast 5 weeks.

£1200 spent

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