Things to Know Before Traveling to New Zealand

Things to Know Before Travelling to New Zealand Created By : Charlotte Carroll

Be prepared for a strict customs check When you arrive in New Zealand and go through customs at the airport you will immediately notice that they have a very strict customs check policy. Even if you mark “nothing to declare” on your customs sheet, you’ll be questioned regardless and will likely have your luggage searched. This is particularly true if you are travelling with outdoor gear. When we arrived in New Zealand, th e customs searched all of our bags entirely and inspected every in ch of our gear. Fortunately, they let us keep everything. So my biggest tip would be to make sure that your gear is cleaned thoroughly before you pack it, and if you are packing food, make sure that it is closed in its packaging and recognizable. For instance, we packed a bunch of Cliff Bars and customs said that w as OK. Be sure to check the bottom of your shoes too because the y will check that as well!

There are no poisonous animals or large predatory animals in New Zealand Rest easy when you are hiking or exploring New Zealand because there are no poisonous insects (except for one spider called the Katipo Spider), snakes or animals here and there are also no large animals on the island. Unlike most countries where you will have to be aware of the dangerous species when you go into the outdoors, you can check this off of your worry list. In fact, there are absolutely no snakes in the country of New Zealand! Instead, you’ll find a lot of sheep and farm animals.

New Zealand’s summer months are December to February When planning a trip to New Zealand keep in mind that, like all southern hemisphere countries, the seasons are opposite than that of northern hemisphere countries. The best time to visit New Zealand if you are hoping to do a lot of outdoor activates will be anywhere from November to April. During its summer months, December to February, you’ll find great weather but also more crowds. If your schedule allows, opt to visit New Zealand in the off-summer months like November or April when the weather is still very nice, but there are less crowds and prices are lower. If you’re looking to go skiing though, hit New Zealand up during June to August.

Be prepared to drive on the left-hand side of the road Like many countries in the world, you need to be prepared to drive on the left-hand side of the road in New Zealand. Before you visit just make sure to know the basic rules of the road and be extra cautious at first. If you’re uncertain, look at the traffic around you and get a feel for how everyone else is driving. In the big cities, there will be a lot of roundabouts, so be sure you know which direction to drive on them.

Travel New Zealand by camper van! Travelling by camper van is by far the easiest and most rewarding way to travel around New Zealand. And you will be in good company as a lot of the vehicles on the roads tend to be RV’s or camper vans. Travelling by camper van is a very popular way to travel around the North and South Island and there are a ton of great companies in New Zealand to rent campers from. As mentioned above, just be aware of where you can and can’t camp before travelling to a new destination. You’ll find travelling around New Zealand is very easy and everyone is super friendly. If you stay at Holiday Parks you will hardly feel like you are camping at all with all the amenities like kitchens, showers, and sometimes even pools and bars.

Hobbiton Evening Tours If you are a Lord of the Rings fan, you probably have a tour of Hobbiton on your list of places to visit while in New Zealand. There are tons of day tours that run through the movie set at Hobbiton, but if you want to have an extra-special evening tour with less crowds and a “Hobbit-like” feast, look to book a Hobbiton Evening Tour 4-6 months in advance of your trip. These tours fill up very fast but are a really unique way to enjoy the Hobbiton Movie Set, especially if you are big fan.

Internet in New Zealand We never really had the best internet access in New Zealand. Many McDonald’s would say they have free Wi-Fi, but we always had issues connecting. We usually got the best internet service when staying at holiday parks. This wasn’t always free, but sometimes they would give you a certain amount of free Wi-Fi each day. It’s best to just prepare yourself for being more disconnected on your visit to New Zealand, or opt for a cell phone plan that allows you to use data there.

Restaurants and food in New Zealand When we traveled to New Zealand we weren’t really thinking about the food, and we weren’t sure what the country was “known for” as far as food goes.The coffee in New Zealand is also excellent nearly everywhere you go. Even if you are getting gas station or roadside café coffee, you will be pleasantly surprised. Opt for the popular “flat-white” coffee to order what locals tend to love the most.

Take advantage of all the unique outdoor activities there are in New Zealand The most amazing part about New Zealand is its captivating and diverse landscape. Spend less time in the big cities and get out and explore the country! There are activities for all kinds of adventure rs. You can go mountain biking all over the North and South Island. You can hike some of New Zealand’s most well-known h ikes such as the Tongariro Alpine Crossing on the North Island or the very popular Milford Track on the South Island. And you can find places to rock climb, surf, kayak, and sail all over the islands. Also, be sure to schedule a tour of the out-of-this-world glow worm caves in Waitomo. And be sure to visit one of New Zealand’s many natural hot springs.

Take the scenic route and don’t be afraid to visit unique unscheduled places on your visit There are a bunch of amazing scenic road systems throughout New Zealand, and driving around New Zealand is a great way to visit the country. Don’t hesitate to visit unscheduled and less touristy destinations either. One of our best memories from our travels around New Zealand was when we took a side stop to the towns of Tongaporutu and Mokau. We went on some beautiful hikes, saw some really beautiful stretches of New Zealand coastline and it was much less crowded than most places we visited.

THANK YOU!