NEW ZEALAND

unsolicited adviceShoulder Season(Sept–Nov or March–May) to enjoy fewer crowds and lower prices while still experiencing great weatherNorth Island 10 days is the minimum time needed, do not try and pack north and south into 10 daysTime allowing- would recommend flying through Singapore or Fiji to see more while on that side of the world
"Deal New Zealand" is a great way to get day of passes at a discountMost stores close around 4 or 5PM, besides grocery stores and some restaurantsIf kayaking at any point, call ahead to make sure they are renting that day. Swells might cause them to be closed.Any "hot water" beach- plan to get there ahead of low tide in order to ensure you can find a spot and dig a hole. At iconic hot water beach they wont give you a shovel if its to lateHave a drone? Look up where you are going and the rules for those areas. It was worth it for us to bring, but there were some restrictions. Mineral water will tarnish your jewelry, recommend that you do not wear jewelry for 24-48 hours after being in mineral water
very family + kid friendly

Arrival & Customs

Do not bring food – Declare everything or risk fines. Truly, they are strict.

Declare dirty hiking gear – They'll clean it, not confiscate it.

Tourists need NZeTA – Apply online before arriving.

Getting Around

Let others pass – It’s the law.

Freedom camping is legal – Use an app, avoid private land + check for local signage.

Emergency number: 111

Local Lingo

Kia Ora – Hello.

Togs – Swimsuit.

Lolly – Candy.

Sweet As – Awesome.

Dairy – Corner store.

Kiwi – A local, not a fruit or bird. Many walk around barefoot.

Money & Dining

Tipping not expected – Included in pricing.

Pay at the register – No table service bills.

Carry reusable bags – Most stores don’t provide.

Nature & Wildlife

Limited mosquitos – But sandflies are worse (esp. in summer & South Island).

Locals say marmite helps repel sandflies.

Strict biosecurity – Don’t mess with it.

11 sheep per person – Yes, really.

auckland

2 days is enough, if you are including the ferry ride to wine island ensure you have a full day for that

EAT

Ada Resturant
Bestie Cafe
Cocoro
Depot
Federal Delicatessen
French Press Cafe (locals spot)
Giraffe
Giapo (ice cream)
☆Hello Beasty
Mexico Britomart
Origine
Pici

SEE

Auckland Art Gallery
Mount Eden
One Tree Hill
Phia Beach (day trip black sand beach)

SHOP

Britomart Shopping Mall
Harker Herbals Commercial Bay
Karen Walker
Kiri Nathan Briomart
kookai
moochi town
St Kevins Arcade
Trelise Cooper Pavilions

Arcades are their version of a mall

SLEEP

Hilton Auckland

Wine Country

Take a ferry to Waiheke Island for a day of wine tasting from the Ferry Terminal in downtown Auckland

Do not need to buy tickets ahead of time, but plan to wait in line

If this doesnt fit into your itinerary, Hawk Bay is also known for wine and there are a few random winereis. Just check what days they are actually tasting

When you get there, you can rent e-bikes and wine hop or just walk to one winery (about 30 minutes walk)

The line coming back is going to be long, plan to be waiting for a few ferry cycles

Option to have lunch at Casita Miro

Main Wineries:

Cable Bay Vineyards (underwhelmed, but pretty location)
Goldie Estate
Mudbrick Vineyard
Owhanake Bay Estate

hahei

on the way from Auckland to hahei, we camped at Broken Hills near the Pinnacles and hiked the Kauaeranga Kauri Trail—complete with glow worm-lit mines. Also a big Pinnacles hike as an option.

we stayed one night in hahei, but could have spent two nights as base camp here

EAT

maddens ice cream parlour and pizzeria
purangi winery

SEE

Hot Water Beach (10 min drive from here)
☆Catherderal Cove (park at Maotohe Trailhead Car Park and walk 30 min)*
Rings Beach (one hour north, hidden gem)

*Go for sunrise. They'll suggest parking at a town park-and-ride, but it's unnecessary and their hours aren't great. the car park listed above doesnt open until 8AM, we were sneaky and parked right outside the gate

SLEEP

☆Hahei Beach Resort*

*incredible beach w/ great amenities—wish we’d stayed longer than just a quick overnight.

a Kiwi challenge

Swim at a waterfall

Fish and Chips (aka chippies) on the beach

Climb a mountain over 500m

Find a Town Icon

Eat a mince pie

Catch a fish

Swim in thermal hot pools

Run on a black sand beach

Drink a "Longest Drink in Town" milkshake

Eat a Kiwi Burger

Quick Foodie Guide

Snacks & Sweets

☆Whittaker’s Chocolate – Beloved Kiwi chocolate brand (see my favs here).

Lolly Cake – A marshmallowy, biscuit-based treat.

Yo Yo – Classic buttery cookie sandwich.

A Slice – Catch-all term for rich dessert bars.

Jaffa – Chocolate-orange candies with red shells.

Tim Tams – Aussie import, but a Kiwi favorite.

Hokey Pokey Ice Cream – Vanilla ice cream with honeycomb toffee bits.

☆GoodnessMe Fruit Snacks

☆Macy Tailor Pretzels

Tasti Dipped Mango

Cheeses to Try

Meyer Vintage Gouda

Evansdale Farmhouse Brie

Mahoe Aged Gouda

Whitestone Farmhouse Cheese

Mainland Cheese

Airedale

Halloumi Cheese

Seafood

Crayfish – A luxurious local delicacy.

Kina – Sea urchin with strong ocean flavor.

Scallops – Sweet and fresh from mineral-rich waters.

Pāua – Green-lipped sea snail, served in various styles.

Oysters – Especially tasty from Bluff or Mahurangi.

Green-lipped Mussels – Huge and nutrient-rich.

Whitebait Fritters – Tiny fish cooked in eggy pancakes.

King Salmon – Among the best in the world.

Unique Produce & Pantry

☆3 Types of Kiwi Fruit – Green, gold, and red- peak season Mar- June

Feijoa – Tart, tropical, and fragrant.

☆Mānuka Honey – Healing and flavorful.

Marmite – Salty, yeasty spread; locals love it.

Drinks

☆Bundaberg Soda (passionfruit and guava were favs)

Sauvignon Blanc – Especially from Marlborough.

L&P Soda – Lemon & Paeroa, sweet and fizzy.

Flavored Milk – Called a "milkshake" here.

Thickshake – What you'd call a milkshake elsewhere.

rotorua

on the way from hanhei to rotorua - below are some options to stop at along the way (do not try and do all of these)

kayak at whenuakura island (check weather conditions by calling ahead)
karangahake gorge- rent bikes
☆owharoa falls (park on side of road, 2 min walk, perfect on a hot day)
leveret mills reef winery and cellar door (call ahead and check actual tasting hours)
mount mauao reserve
hobbiton movie set tours (book this months in advanced)
☆blue spring

we stayed two nights in Rotorua, which felt just right—three nights max if you want to explore a bit more (IE add in Hobbiton or more things above)

EAT

volcanic hills winery tasting room
eat streat
rotorua night market

SEE

☆ hells gate geothermal reserve and mud spa*
kuirau park
te pa tu- the gathering place (cultural maori experience—one of the best of its kind, though not an essential stop)
polynesian spa
redwoods- whakarewarewa forest
secret spot hot tubs rotorua
blue lake track

*can rent a towel and swimsuit for $5—worth it, since whatever you bring will stink after. note that whatever you use/ wear after this will also have residule oder. I ended up throwing away the tshirt I wore.

SLEEP

☆ tasman holiday parks - rotorua

en route activities

below could do these while staying in rotorua or on the way out of town towards taupo/ tongariro national park

☆ waimangu volcanic valley*
rainbow mt track
warm lake rotowhero
☆kerosene creek (short walk, hot water)
waiotapu thermal wonderland

*no need for the full bus pass—just walk the first two stops and then turn back; the final one isn’t worth it. we wrrive early to fly drone, but its open enough that crowds isnt really an issue

taupo

only need an afternoon here—no need to go out of your way. McDonald's is quirky and fun but not worth a detour (plus, it's still just McDonald's).

orakei korako geothermal park & cave
craters of the moon
otumuheke steam (hot pools)
McDonalds Taupo (eat in an airplane)- near main area that has shopping
maori rock carvings (fake, tourist trap, dont go)
can go tubing- bring your own tube

STAY

motutere bay top 10 holiday park (water front)

tongariro national park

STAY

chateau tongariro hotel (seasonal)
whakapapa holiday park

SEE

taranaki falls

☆ TONGARIRO ALPINE CROSSING

register hikers online for free
plan for a 7-hour hike—bring layers, food, and water
shuttles are available, but ideally, get dropped off at the start and picked up at the finish. both trailhead lots only allow 4-hour parking
driver can park near the Chateau

where to next?

from here, time allowing, you could:

go to wellington (4 hour drive)
head to the ☆ waitomo caves then to kawai (west side of island)

Waitomo Caves

For the glow worm cave tour, skip the longer ziplining version—it doesn’t give you more time with the worms or floating, just more waiting around. The shorter floating tour is the best bang for your buck.
We stayed nearby (waitomo top 10) and did the morning tour, which made it easy to hit the road after without stress.
There’s also a zoo nearby where you might see a real kiwi, but it’s super hard to spot and definitely not worth the ~$50.

wellington

crumpet (cocktail bar)
take ferry to south island

kawai/ raglan

kawhia hot water beach (nearby holiday parks have shovels you can borrow)
three sisters and the elephant rock
bridal veil falls

hamilton

dont need to come here, its more of a place to stay overnight on the way to or from auckland

hamilton gardens

Campervan

We used Mad Campers (MAD EXPLORER van and loved it. That said we saw a ton of "Maui" - higher end, and "Jucy" seemed more budget)

Tips and Tricks

Do not forget your drivers license, so you can drive while there
Download campermate app to find/ book campgrounds. often times we would call ahead to book/ check on avaiaiblity since the website would say they were full but that wasnt always the case
Ask for an extra roll of tpilet paper, set of towels and pillows for comfort

Packing List

Tupperware for easy storage (can also buy at store and donate later)
Quick Dry Towels
Wet Wipes
Rope or something for drying
Reusable grocery bags
Extra towel for drying / using if you are camping for a long time
Binoculars
USB Cord
Bug Bite Healer (heating machine)
Bug Repellant

Grocery Store Guide

New World: Fancy and expensive, good for speciality/ fun items
PAK'nSAVE: Our favorite. Buy souvenir chocolate, coffee, food items here for a budget price
Fresh Choice
Four Square: Similar to Safeway
Woolworths: Similar to Safeway

Grocery Run Considerations