Planning a Trip to North Island

The zoo is a must! there are loads of beautiful parks around the city centre. Late january to mid february is the best time to visit to take full advantage of the awesome outdoor kiwi lifestyle. A visit to Waiheke island from the city port is also to be recommended. The island is home to some great beaches.

Wellington is a cool place if the weather's right. No matter what time of year come prepared for four seasons. Check out the City Gallery in Civic Sqaure, it's free, as is Te Papa, the national museum. There's the Fine Art's Gallery near Queen's Warf (donation), sometimes it's worth a visit. Cable Car is very popular with toursists (and no you won't crash). Cuba Street is supposedly vibe-ish. Check out the beaches, Oriental, Lyall Bay, Eastborne. But it's also nice to get out of the city as it's only a short drive in any direction to get a taste of rural scenery, Waikane is nice. Most people only go to Wellington to travel through to the South Island on the Picton Ferry but it's worth a short stop to have a look around. The nice thing about Wellington is the way most of the surrounding suberbs work into the landscape, old victorian-style houses dotted on the hills. But the best sight in Wellington is the Katherine Mansfield birthplace for the literary, cultural tourist. Have a read of some of her stories before you go, like 'Prelude', 'The Wind Blows,' 'At the Bay' (set in Eastbourne) to put the place and the house in perspective. Enjoy!!

You can see glow worms in lots of caves or in the bush in New Zealand but if you don't have much time and want a guarantee that you'll get to see glowworms then this is the best. Don't miss it!

Best destination for your glbt night clubbing needs is Karangahape road in Auckland's CBD... also known as K rd it features all time favourite clubs such a s "Family", Restaurants such as Kamo and Drag theatres like Caluzzi and Finale!

Auckland is New Zealands largest city with over 1.5million residents. There are some unique things to see but don't stay too long! Best time to travel is summer Nov-Feb. Keep an eye on grabaseat.co.nz for cheap airfares over NZ. Or hire a 'Wiked' camper wiked.co.nz and drive the country. But don't drive in Auckland. Things to do: Bungy jump off Harbour Bridge, Ferry to Rangitoto(the volcano in the harbour), Take a day trip to Waiheke Island 30min ferry from city, If you want "culture" take a trip day/night to Ponsonby and Parnell both a 15 link bus ride or $10 taxi from cbd enjoy the restaurants, bars, cafes and unusual fashion specialist stores. Go to Mission Bay on the weekend and hire a kayak($17taxi). Listen to George FM 96.8 for nightlife info and good tunes ;)

Linton is one of the homes of the NZ Army. Known throughtout the decades as a party garrison, where all the attendees can fit in one room. A toilet.

i think this is the only town in the world that's tourist attraction is the public toilet. Designed by Austrian architect Hundertwasser. They look pretty weird and worth a visit if you're in the area but there's absolutely nothing else to see in town.

A small rural town on the main highway from Opotiki to Gisborne. There is a free toilet and a few shops not to mention the old hotel which serves drinks.

Te Araroa is the nearest town to the East Cape Lighthouse (only 26 km down a metal road). There are two shops to buy stuff at, there is a sports club, a rugby field, a post office, a petrol station and a pub/hotel. Te Araron has one of the oldest and possible largest Pohutukawa tree living there next to the school and marae. There is a Manuku Honey factory down the road which sells delicious stuff. Te Araroa is a magical place because you are literally so far from Gisborne and Opotiki (the largest cities) that one really notices how clean the air is.

great place to go skydiving!  Taupo Tandem is one of the safest places to do you first jump.   I know, I did it and so did my mom.   I researched on the internet heaps before picking them and I wasn't disappointed.  Don't be cheap either - spring for the photos and video of your jump - you'll be glad you did.  

See the big LP bottle (that has been moved from it's original spot so that tourists don't stand in the middle of the road when they take a photo).
Also check out the Antique stores, and see what people charge for silly things...
funny little town.

Go on a trip out to see the rather large windmills up past Ashhurst . Large alien like structures on the hills , good photo vantage points of the valley . Self drive option only follow signs from Ashhurst . No shops theres so take supplies and be careful opening car daws. Dress warm as it is cold and windy up there

They don't all it Windy Wellington for nothing! You can be literally blown away! It of course depends where you are...the closer to the coast it can be a little annoying...especially trying to take photos.
The shopping here is good. It was also the place to catch the ferry over to the South. But it would be alot more viable and direct to catch the plane!

pour 38 dollars vous pouvez visiter la waitomo caves durant 1heure environ mais aucune photos ou videos n'est permise pour proteger les ver luisants...vraiment magnifiques ils y en a des milliers...

If you know the value of doing very little in a beautiful place, I highly recommend Waiheke island. It's off the off the coast of the North Island of New Zealand, outside of Auckland. You can go through downtown Auckland to the peer, hop on a little ferry, and sail off to Waiheke, as a few friends and I did. As we pulled into the docking cove we could see the most vividly green hillsides I've ever seen with all of these random abstract art sculptures along the cliffs. The water was aquamarine, truly aquamarine, I mean tropical-island-blue and clear enough to see all the little fish beneath its surface. It was sort of deserted looking when we got off, so we followed what appeared to be the main road in order to rent a car, some bikes, get bus tickets...we really didn't know. The sun there is golden and the sky seems so close, so walking along the little road and listening to the funky little bugs in the lush greenery surrounding you is an experience in itself. You sort of stumble upon a little visitors info center and can find your way to this tiny strip of town, no more than a block really, with little ice cream shops and a little market and that sort of thing. You can make your way down to the beach behind it. It's gorgeous. The most intensely vibrant colors, warm water, all sorts of natural wonders along the sand – beautiful abalone, 10-legged "super-star" fish, crabs, etc. There were three people MAX on this so called "main" beach. Incredible. If you make your way along the little coastline and you'll find a tire tied to an old oak right on the shore. I suggest climbing the tree, playing on the rope-tire swing, taking a photo-op before going on your merry way. There is an unmarked path through the greenery on the Cliffside that will put you atop the cove. It was like being in another world, and I guess it almost IS another world here in many ways...walking on this deserted little road, still surrounded by lush greenery, passing the occasional English-style cottage along the way. The road turns up into a huge vineyard that you can walk alongside and that extends as far as you could see up the hillside. It eventually turns into some brush and a VERY prickly little trail. The trail brings you into a little forest along the cliff with steps dug into the side, but so unstable that someone has tied ropes to all the trees so you can sort of rope your way down the cliff forest and find yourself on this completely secluded little beach. "Fossil beach." You can walk along the shore (so very, very beautiful) to the center of the cover, where the beach turns into cliff. Another photo-op. Beyond postcard worthy, really. The beach ends as it turns into cliff, but there is this mysterious staircase etched into the cliff on the other side of the cove that sort of beckons... but it's private property so you're better off enjoying the beach!

Go for a Maori Hungi - a MUST!
Also the central Maori reserve has the best Maori performance in all of NZ.

The car ferry will save a long drive.

Always have a bullet proof vest and a loaded firearm with you

the most amazing bay with the most amazing beach around the corner (omaha). omaha would b mi favourite beach in nz. white sand. lovely estuary. although doesnt hav much to do. there is a nyc bay u can walk to from the southern end of the beach. and u will find pink sand there

Once the capital of New Zealand, Auckland is a large city in terms of surface area because everybody still has a dream of their own backyard and house. Hence the distances that must be travelled to find cheap homes and supplies are huge. Very little in the way of public transport except buses and the Britomart, if you don´t have a car it is difficult to get around. The domain, albert park, the war memorial museum, Mt Eden, One tree hill and Rangitoto, are just some of the attractions to see. Auckland is also known as the city of sails not because it hosted the Americas Cup but because one in 34 people had a boat from the 70´s (Auckland had a population of approx. 800 000).

A rural town just off the main road heading towards Gisborne. There are a few amenities there including a cinema which has sadly closed down.