If you are dreaming about travelling the amazing islands of New Zealand, you should know about a few important things that are necessary to consider. In this post I will show you my top 5 things to know before visiting New Zealand.
An island where you have it all. From beaches to deserts, mountains to volcanoes, forests to the ocean and lakes. The natural beauty of New Zealand has so much to offer and is highly underrated. Not only will the landscapes impress, but the strong connection to its culture, natural resources, exciting cities, wildlife, and countless fun activities are the key to the heart of New Zealand. Travelling to this welcoming destination is not too complicated, but there are a few important things you should know beforehand. 5 things to know before visiting New Zealand, let’s go!
1. Visa
To cross the ocean and get to the island you will need a visa. Depending on where you are from (which passport you hold), the duration of your stay, and the reasons for travelling to New Zealand, are the factors that will influence the type of visa you are eligible to apply for. Due to the various options, I am unable to show you exactly which visa you need. However, the official New Zealand Immigration website provides a good overview and allows you to apply for the correct visa directly.
After you enter the main details that I mentioned at the beginning, you will receive an overview of the suitable visas. First you can reread, if the selected visa includes everything you need for your stay. Afterwards you will find different categories of relevant information. Which can be the criteria you must meet, the length of the visa and therefore your stay, the possibilities you have with this visa, what you can do after your visa expires and last but not least if there are opening and closing dates for your application.
Visitor Visa:
New Zealand is a very welcoming country and offers a simple and not too expensive service to apply to the visitor visa. Of course there are different factors you need to have in mind before applying, but those factors are relevant for every visa! It’s important to know that you cannot get your visa directly in New Zealand, except you need to extend your stay. This is something you need to do beforehand.
A fun, though actually more frightening, story from my experience. We went directly from Australia to New Zealand and forgot?! to apply to the visa. When we were at the airport it was thankfully not such a huge deal, we downloaded an app, applied to the visa and got it within a few minutes! Don’t do that because it is pretty scary and stressful, but it’s good to know that sometimes mistakes can be fixed, even when it seems too late.
Work and Travel Visa:
- The Work and Travel or Working Holiday visa can be a bit more challenging to obtain. There are more requirements and often a limited amount available for each country. Therefore it is important to be well-informed in advance of your trip and to start the application process as soon as it makes sense. The perfect time to apply to your work and travel visa, is shortly after the new opening date. Every year will be a time where New Zealand opens up for this specific visa. After the fact that there are only a specific amount of visas available for each country, It’s not too unusual that after the opening date, a lot of people apply to the visa. To avoid being too late, watch out for the exact opening dates. If you are close to the closing date and you can wait a few more months before you start your trip, I would recommend to wait until the new visa season begins. For a more detailed information and your application use the official website: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/
2. Seasons
New Zealand is known for it’s breathtaking views. I have never visited an island that has everything nature can provide. Sometimes I felt like I am at home in Austria, with all the mountain views, the glacier and a lot of forest areas. With the difference that only a few hours car drive later I will be at the ocean, surrounded by beaches and shores where the seals were resting and little blue penguins sleeping. Those views are often the main inspiration for travellers to travel to this stunning place.
But don’t forget it is still nature! Therefore watch out for the season, because this is something we did not do. If you’re planning to see all the bright colours, the lavender fields, cherry blossoms, blooming tulip fields, or the alpine flower blooms, watch out for the right season. In this case the perfect time will be in spring and summer, which is between September and February. But there are also seasons for the wildlife, which contains the right time for whale watching, yellow-eyed penguins as well as the kiwi breeding season. If you have the option to travel New Zealand in a specific season, watch out what you want to see and choose the right timeline.
3. Travel Options
New Zealand is measured with a relatively small size and consists of two main islands, the north and the south, along with numerous small islands. Usually there are a few places you definitely want to see while travelling there, as well as a few hidden or more unknown spots that make it on the bucket list. But how do you get from A to B? That can be quite difficult at some point, because there is barely any public transport outside of the cities. Therefore you have three options. Join tours, go by public transport, or rent a camper van.
Join tours:
because the country is relatively small, it is often possible to reach specific places and attractions from a city. Therefore, there are a lot of tourist packages where you are picked up in the city, spend the day at the location, and return in the evening. These trips can even extend into multi-day adventures, allowing for a longer stay at one or even more destinations. Trips like these usually entail a long driving time, but the destination is always worth it and the provided time usually enough.
If you want to get around the island without being glued to the cities, you can look through the hop-on hop-off and the small group tours by kiwi experience. They offer a variety of bus tours, each with a unique itinerary that affects the price and the length of the trip. More information on: https://www.kiwiexperience.com/. There are actually so many more providers, Kiwi Experience was the one that stuck with me the most:)
Public transport:
There are longer bus routes across the islands that help you travel from one place to another. These routes cover the most important and popular cities and villages. Another option is travelling by train, with three itineraries available. These offer a great view through panoramic windows while providing a convenient way to travel between cities. The northernmost point is Auckland, and the southernmost is Christchurch. To travel between the islands, a ferry operates between Wellington and Picton.
Rent a camper van:
A very popular option is renting a camper van. With your own car, you are a little bit more independent and can choose your itinerary, as well as the duration all by yourself. Especially the independence and the chance to see the places you might not reach with others, is a huge pro. There are many providers that rent their cars. We chose Jucy Rentals, a very noticeable but also loveable car rental company. You can choose both where you pick up the car and your destination. This gives you the option to start for example on the North Island and finish your trip on the South Island.
4. Find the Right Itinerary
In this paragraph I am mainly talking about my experience with travelling by a camper van. Although these are considerations you should have at the beginning, they are important for everyone, regardless of how you choose to travel. When you start your trip and rent for example a camper van, you have two things to take into account. First, where it starts and where it ends. And second, how much time do you have to get from the starting point to the finished line. The key to enjoy your trip to the fullest and not miss out on anything, is the right itinerary and the right schedule.
Keep this in mind, always. Your best friend during the trip is your plan.
Look where you want to go, what you want to see and create your personal itinerary. This helps you to get a great overview of your route and a checkup to see if you included all the places on your bucket list. After you did that, create a timeline. How long are you planning to stay at one place and when do you have to move on. This plan doesn’t have to be strictly followed. During your journey you will realise that there are places where you don’t want to move on instantly, and places where you don’t even want to spend a full day. You will add new routes and remove others. And sometimes you even have to rewrite your plan. It still helps you to keep track of your itinerary and gives an overview of how long it takes you to get from one place to another. It’s your guideline and helps prevent last minute issues, such as struggling to return the car on time.
5. Culture
The last thing you should be aware of before starting your journey to New Zealand is the culture. New Zealand is a country rich in spirit, traditions, and celebrations of Māori culture. As a tourist, you should be aware of their history and treat their background with respect. It’s not necessary to study their culture extensively before you arrive. The people here are incredibly friendly, open, and down-to-earth. Through their transparency, museums, and the small details in the daily life, you will learn a lot during your stay.
With these 5 things to know before visiting New Zealand, you are perfectly prepared and ready to plan your journey.
Kia ora!
Johanna
About the Author:
If Johanna were a word, she would be "stardust" – nondescript, quiet, demure, until the passion appears that brings the stardust to fully unfold. She’s a traveler at heart, constantly curious to see more of the world, with a camera always close by to capture every moment just as it is. Whether she’s at a concert, lost in the music, or exploring a new city, Johanna’s world is filled with an endless curiosity and love for the little details that make life feel like stardust.
Johanna
About the Author:
If Johanna were a word, she would be “stardust” – nondescript, quiet, demure, until the passion appears that brings the stardust to fully unfold. She’s a traveler at heart, constantly curious to see more of the world, with a camera always close by to capture every moment just as it is. Whether she’s at a concert, lost in the music, or exploring a new city, Johanna’s world is filled with an endless curiosity and love for the little details that make life feel like stardust.
