Country Introduction
New Zealand, an island nation in the South Pacific, is made up of two large islands, North and South. The North Island is home to Auckland, the country’s largest city, and Hobbiton, which was used in the filming of the movies “Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit.” The South Island is home to Christchurch, which retains a traditional English townscape, and Queenstown, where you can enjoy spectacular views of the lake and mountains.
New Zealand Visa
If you are traveling to New Zealand, you will need to obtain an NZeTA, which is equivalent to a tourist visa, before departing.
Click here to see how to apply for one yourself online.
New Zealand Cities
①Auckland
②Christchurch
③Queenstown
①Auckland
As New Zealand’s largest city, it is home to many buildings, but it is also blessed with plenty of nature, with many volcanoes and hills remaining within the city and the sea nearby.
There are many tourist attractions, so here are four model itineraries that can be done in half a day.
Course①City Centre
【Overall rating】
★★★★★
【Time required】
5h30
This is a course that goes around the classic spots in the center of Auckland. Starting from the Sky Tower, it is full of highlights such as museums, shopping streets, and the seaside.
Course②Devonport
【Overall rating】
★★★★☆
【Time required】
4h30
Devonport is a seaside area that can be reached by boat from central Auckland. There are many things to enjoy other than the beach, such as old-fashioned rustic townscapes, museums, hills overlooking the city, and famous chocolate shops.
Course③One Tree Hill・Mount Eden
【Overall rating】
★★★★☆
【Time required】
5h30
Auckland has many hills and mountains. Here we will introduce a course around the popular tourist spots One Tree Hill and the extinct volcano Mount Eden. The view from the top is beautiful, but you will be climbing a hill, so we recommend wearing comfortable clothes.
Course④History Museum・Ponsonby Road
【Overall rating】
★★★☆☆
【Time required】
5h30
This is a course that goes around the Auckland Museum and the shopping street, Ponsonby Road. The museum introduces a wide range of New Zealand, including the culture of the Maori people, the indigenous people of New Zealand, as well as flora and fauna, and you can also see the traditional Maori dance, Haka. Ponsonby Road allows you to enjoy shopping in buildings that are typical of New Zealand, different from those in the city center.
Find out how to get from Auckland Airport and use public transport here.
②Christchurch
【Overall rating】
★★★★★
【Time required】
7h
It is the largest city on New Zealand’s South Island and is said to be the most English city outside of England. It is also called the Garden City because of the 740 parks in the city.
③Queenstown
【Overall rating】
★★★★★
【Time required】
8h30
A resort town on New Zealand’s South Island, it is a small town surrounded by nature, with the mountains and lakes of the Southern Alps. If you take the ropeway up the mountain, you can get a spectacular view. There are also other gourmet spots to look out for, such as a world-famous hamburger restaurant and a popular chocolate shop.
What is the Itinerary for a Round Trip?
Each town is very fascinating, but how should you plan your trip to visit them all?
For reference, here is the itinerary I took when I actually traveled there:
Day 1: Enter New Zealand + half-day sightseeing in Auckland
Day 2: Full-day sightseeing in Auckland
Day 3: Hobbiton tour + half-day sightseeing in Auckland
Day 4: Travel to Christchurch + full-day sightseeing
Day 5: Travel to Queenstown + full-day sightseeing
Day 6: Travel to Auckland + half-day sightseeing
Day 7: Depart New Zealand
All domestic travel was by plane. It is also possible to travel in the reverse order: Auckland → Queenstown → Christchurch → Auckland.
New Zealand Specialities
New Zealand is a country blessed with nature and delicious food. They have hearty dishes like lamb, world-famous hamburgers, and classic fish and chips, as well as desserts like chocolate and hokey pokey ice cream.
Check out this article to learn about their classic local dishes.
Hobbiton Tour
New Zealand is rich in nature and offers a variety of tours. I will introduce my experience of going on the particularly popular Hobbiton tour. This article summarizes how to book a tour of the filming locations of the movies “Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” and the process of participating in the tour.
I also introduce what it was like to participate in a small group tour.
Useful Links for Travel
【Hotel Reservations】
ExpediaThere is a lot of great hotel deals listed, and you can read comments from people from all over the world. You can also book these together with your flight.
Hotels.comThere is also a lot of hotel information here. Another great thing is that many of them offer no cancellation fees.
This world-famous hotel booking site has a huge number of listings, so you can find the hotel you like. If you become a member and stay many times, you can get discounts and get even better deals.
【Flight Reservations】
ExpediaIt is a world-famous travel site. It is convenient because you can also purchase domestic air tickets.
【Attractions and Tours】
klookThis is a convenient site where you can book tickets and tours to tourist spots around the world. Be sure to check it out as they sometimes offer discounts.
Information about Your Best Trip
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