Travelling to New Zealand (our thoughts):
1. Cost — New Zealand is expensive. Even with our strong CAD dollar factored in, it chews up money. At times we paid over $3.00/L for gas, $17 for a container of strawberries (all produce is pricey), and the cheapest pint I found was $14. Add in the average house price in NZ at a whopping $900k+, I am not sure how Kiwi’s make it. We definitely didn’t expect the cost of living to be this extreme and we felt it in our pocketbook.
2. Rent a car — All the hot spots are isolated from one another. Everything you want to see is hours apart. Unlike big cities in N.A., the beauty here lies in the landscape, which is crazy diverse from coast to coast. Public transportation is limited outside of the cities, so having your own vehicle is essential to truly experience everything. Don’t be scared of driving on the “wrong” side of the road and car (note: if you’re a good driver at home, you’ll be a good driver here). The roads are generally well-maintained, but be prepared for winding routes and one-lane bridges. Now, imagine driving from Denmark to southern France… you wouldn’t, which brings me to — Time.
3. Time — Even though NZ is small-ish, it’s incredibly wide-ranging. As mentioned, if you overlaid NZ on Europe, it would span multiple countries. Split into two islands—the North and the South—it’s also divided by countless mountain ranges and dormant/active volcanoes. Roads wind through the landscape like a slow-moving snail (though locals drive very fast), making it nearly impossible to see everything in just two weeks. Either break up the islands (two trips are better than one anyway) or plan for a long adventure. We lived in NZ for six months and still missed plenty of beautiful spots.
4. Talk to locals — First off, Kiwis are incredibly friendly and helpful. I had people offer me their contact info after just meeting them at the park. Secondly, they know all the hidden treasures (waterfalls, beaches) and the sights you don’t want to miss. What I found interesting after talking to numerous Kiwis during our adventure is that not one of them ever mentioned Auckland, Wellington, or Christchurch (their three largest cities) as a must-see. Instead, they always pointed to some remote beach, charming small town, or stunning hike, which brings us to our last point — physical abilities.
5. Physically hard — Kiwis are born into a landscape of challenges. Living on an island full of mountains, dense bush, and beachside cliffs means everything is either on a hillside or in a valley. When we were stationed in Wellington, we’d rack up 60 floors on our Fitbit just walking to grab a coffee or a visit to our closest park. Even some of the tourist hotspots—like Cathedral Cove, Abel Tasman, and the beautiful waterfalls—require long hikes in and out.
Bonus: Weather — They warned us that you can get all four seasons in one day, and the wind (especially in Wellington) makes Sasky winds feel like a breeze. One thing I didn’t expect was how much the sun hurts—if the weather app says 24°C, it’s going to feel like 32°C, and if you’re not wearing sunscreen, you’ll burn—badly. They don’t even sell sunscreen below 30 SPF, and it’s true: the sun in the Southern Hemisphere is harsher due to higher radiation levels and a thinner ozone layer.
