South Island Dos and Don'ts

Go to the Blue Ice Cafe, drink lots of whatever you drink eat the great food then hop in a chopper do the overland Glacier tour then get out go to the info centre get tickets for a horse ride and do the sunset beach tour. Than stay at the YHA or any of the other great venues. Rafting is also a hit you can fly into the alps get dropped off and do anything from 1-3 day tours.

Avoid the new climbing wall and talk to the locals because they know where to go, make sure you meet a guy called Scumbag aka Greg Brown and you will be the luckiest person in the world.

Also the best things are 30km before hand in HARI HARI because thats where the Wildside backpackers is get the hut out the back and stay with Dan and Kath for as long as you want, suggested minimum is a month.

Passed through here a couple or few times. There is a great club called Phat which is worth checking out for new and interesting music, quite a variation in line up, odds are high to catch a good drum and bass night here though. There is a brewery not far from Nelson called Mac's which offers tours, I haven't done it but would like to next time. I stayed at the YHA one time also, was fine. Locals generally friendly and helpful, are used to high volumes of tourists. Top place to be in summer, although I've only been through in July/Aug/Sept.

Home of the bungee--you can do three jumps in one day and the bungee company will arrange transportation from one locale to the next. Of the three jumps: Off the bridge (original), over the gorge (the longest jump in the world), and off the side of a mountain where you're harnessed in by your waist instead of your feet, making it possible to do backflips. Be sure to tell the bungee operators you're planning a backflip, because there are different precautions they take in this case (i.e. holding the cord out at the side)

Beautiful, little town, close to the Golden Beach, with a really nice Pub (I forgott the name) with open stage once a week. (There a a few really good musicians among the locals!!!)

Take time to go to every local pub, they are all great.