New Zealand Travel Guide

New Zealand, or Aotearoa, has my heart after a year spent traveling around every inch of these incredible islands. Whether you’re visiting for a short or a long time, New Zealand has something amazing to offer that will stay with you for a lifetime. This guide hopes to introduce you to this must-visit destination and prepare you to plan for your own adventure.

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Fast Facts

• New Zealand’s main languages are English and Te Reo Maori. Most signs are written in both. (Despite some conservative politicians saying this can be confusing, the signs are clear and easy to understand.)
• Aotearoa means land of the long white cloud in Te Reo Maori. This derives from the Maori ancestors first impression of their new home when they sailed here from the Pacific islands.
• New Zealand consists of two main islands: North Island and South Island. The third largest island, Stewart Island, sits under the southern tip and is often – but shouldn’t be – overlooked.
• There are no mammals native to New Zealand, so any that you see are invasive. There are many government and local initiatives to trap and kill these animals that are threatening their native bird species. If you see traps on the ground or in the trees during your hikes, don’t touch them! (Or look inside…)

Food

Not to sound harsh, but New Zealand food is, for the most part, British food with a good variety of Asian restaurants. That’s not necessarily a bad thing! Especially if you’re a lover of some British classics, you will not be left wanting in Aotearoa. The strong immigration numbers from their Asian neighbors provides a lot of delicious, authentic restaurants and foods. Don’t feel like you have to stick with strictly “New Zealand” foods while visiting – the diversity of New Zealand’s population should be celebrated and enjoyed.

Fish and Chips

I actually way prefer the fish and chips I had in New Zealand over what I’ve had in the U.K. (I’m really just creating enemies left and right, aren’t I?)

Really though, their fish and chips are most often fresh, locally caught fish. This means the kind of fish will change depending on where you are in the country. From Blue Cod in the south on the South Island to Snapper in the north of the North Island, every area has its own local specialty you have to try.

Savory Pies

Fan of foods you can pick up and take anywhere? New Zealand’s savory pies are a must! I probably ate these for 50% of my meals because they are everywhere, easy to eat on the go, and so delicious. Again, you can find a lot of local specialities in the pie shops. For example, paua pies are a huge draw in the North Island’s Eastern Cape while the South Island wows with venison.

My favorite pie stop is the Fairlie Bakehouse in (you guessed it) Fairlie. This small town sees all the traffic moving between the Southern Alps (Lake Tekapo, Mt Cook, etc) and the South Island’s east coast. Fairlie Bakehouse, despite being situated in a small pass-through town, always has a line and it’s well deserved. The line moves fast and they have a large variety of seasonal pies and other pastries for you to try.

Hangi

If you want to escape from the British colonial influence (and I suggest you do), look no further than hangi. This is the traditional Maori way of cooking their food. In a big pit, they burn wood at the bottom and place their food on top once the fire turns to embers. They bury the food (protectively wrapped, don’t fret) and in a few hours you have a perfectly cooked meal for the whole family.

The easiest place to find Hangi as a visitor is Rotorua. There are several Maori experiences there that offer Hangi meals to guests and provide some background on the practice. Whakarekarewa also showcases the use of geothermal vents in their hangi cooking. If you’re lucky, you may also come across some trucks selling hangi on the side of the road!

Snacks and More

Outside of whole meals, it’s really the small details that set New Zealand apart from it’s British ancestors. Kiwi onion dip, for example, is a mix of a can of reduced cream and a packet of onion soup powder to create a delicious chip dip. It’s such an easy and cheap snack visitors can make to feel a bit more like a local.

Bakehouses and cafes have a lot of kiwi treats to give a try. A lolli bar is a classic cabinet staple that are chocolate bar base filled with lollis (a specific type of candy that you have to taste to understand). These cabinets are also filled with dimsum, chicken and chips, and other fried delights (said with part sarcasm and part earnesty).

Speaking of fries, they will ask you if you want regular salt or chicken salt. Chicken salt is only found in New Zealand and Australia and I encourage all visitors to give it a try. Despite its name, this seasoning is actually vegan (though double check with each vendor). This ‘salt’ is the seasonings typically put on chicken. It’s delicious and I miss it everyday.

Last but certainly not least is fresh fruit ice cream. Sold in nearly every town, especially by the beach or orchards, fresh fruit ice cream is exactly what it says on the label. They combine fresh fruit with vanilla ice cream with a special machine right in front of you. You can pick which fruits you’d like and watch them blend it fresh in front of you. Mixed berry is classic choice and what I recommend for first-timers. There’s nothing more refreshing on a hot summer’s day.

Restaurants

Pay at the bar or host stand – they won’t bring the bill to you. Sometimes you also go up to the bar to order, those typically have signs. Generally, restaurants in New Zealand make it easy to split the tab between multiple people when paying. Just make sure you each remember which items belong to who so you can tell the worker.

Tipping isn’t obligatory in New Zealand (though as someone who worked as a server here, it’s much appreciated). If you’re paying by card, most places don’t even have an option to add a tip to your card payment. So if you do want to give anyone tips, expect to use cash. You can either leave the money at your table when you get up to pay at the till, or give it to the person processing your payment and request that it’s given to your server.

If you do want to tip, $10 seems to be an average tip for a table at a sit-down restaurant.

When to Visit

If you’re from the northern hemisphere, remember that New Zealand sits in the southern hemisphere and therefore has opposite seasons! This means summer months are December to March, fall is March to July, and so on.

Winter

A slower tourist season and therefore less crowded, winter is a great time to visit for anyone looking for an active ski/snow season and fewer crowds at the tourist spots. The ski areas (Remarkables/Queenstown in particular) can get overcrowded with fellow skiers quickly and competition for accommodation can get fierce, especially on weekends. If you do some research, you can find other ski spots around the islands to give you some variety and a chance for a quieter ride.

I would recommend renting a 4×4 car during this time if you want to explore the mountains as the weather is fickle and snow flurries can hit at any time. Unless you really have the highest quality gear, I wouldn’t put camping on the agenda. Some rental campervans may have heaters, but expect to book into some accommodations on especially cold nights.

Spring

A very wet time of year, but also one with decent patches of good weather. Access to mountain areas that may have been inaccessible during winter begin opening back up while the snow capped views remain. If you come early enough, some ski fields will still be open and you may get to ride out the last snow storms of the year.

Honestly one of my favorite times to visit. The flowers begin to bloom. There’s snow capped mountains on the horizon. You can begin camping again and still get some sunshine. It’s also shoulder season so you’ll mostly be in off-peak pricing and summer activities will begin opening again.

Summer

By far the busiest travel season, but for good reason. School holidays add extra pressure to book your accommodation in advance because families plan their holidays up to a year in advance. Many of them are in campgrounds — which definitely impacts those looking to camp during their stay — but they also fill in the hotels too.

Many accommodations and attractions will have different pricing during peak season – aka summer. If you’re on a tight budget, stay away from summer and the additional costs due to high demand.

Summer is the season for flowers. Lavender farms are at their peak and can be found scattered about both islands. Most known is the lavender farm up in Wanaka. Lupins also take hold of the southern alps, especially in Arthur’s Pass and near Lake Tekapo. The flowers are beautiful, but they are non-native and invasive. Lesser known are the hydrangeas and agapanthus that bloom to impressive heights all around the north island.

If you ask a kiwi, they’ll say they haven’t had a real summer in years. From my experience, I have to agree. While the summer months can still be very hot and the quintessential beach weather we think of, summer storms can cover the islands for days at a time and bring a massive amount of damage in their wake.

The key to a successful summer in New Zealand is a bit of flexibility, luck, and willingness to accept whatever you’re given. Sometimes you can move your plans around and align good weather with important plans (think big hikes, stunning views, beach days, etc). And sometimes you have to lock a day in and just hope for the best.

Fall

True New Zealand summer weather is really March. So even though the holidays occur in December, the best bet to get a quintessential kiwi holiday will be the end of the summer season/early fall.

A good shoulder season to avoid the summer crowds from international and kiwi travelers, while still providing decently warm and forgiving weather. Fall even feels like summer is meant to after these last few years, but with lower prices and fewer crowds.

Many New Zealand fruits are harvested this time of year, so kiwifruit (green, gold, and ruby) and feijoas are cheap, plentiful, and delicious. If you’re going through big agricultural areas like Tasman Bay and Bay of Plenty, there will be dozens of roadside produce stalls selling fruits right from the farm for ridiculously cheap prices. Don’t be afraid to pull over and see what’s on offer!

Transportation

Trains

This section will be short and sweet for you. There are passenger trains in New Zealand. They are, however, uncommon. I’ve heard of some people taking the train between Auckland and Wellington, so there is a track down the middle of the North Island at least.

On the South Island, there’s really only one train worth mentioning: the TranzAlpine Railway. This train connects Christchurch and Greymouth (the top of the West Coast) via Arthur’s Pass. The views are scenic and picturesque in the best way. The track goes places that cars on the highways don’t, so you get to see something a bit special this way. The ride is pretty expensive though and the views from driving can be just as good. This is a good option for those without a car and looking for a little something different.

The TranzAlpine recently launched a premium seating option that includes high quality meals and service. Chloe from ChloeandLudvig (my go-to train expert) posted a TranzAlpine adventure video that wonderfully captures this train experience and compares the different seating options.

There are plenty of abandoned tracks throughout both islands which makes the trains in New Zealand more of a historical artifact rather than efficient means of transport.

Buses

By far the biggest option for those without their own means of transit, buses carry the bulk of the load moving travelers around. Intercity is the main (and really only) bus company. While there are smaller coach services for more local areas, Intercity is the best way to know where you can go around the islands. Locals and visitors alike use Intercity – so hop on board and get the real kiwi experience!

You have two options when booking with Intercity. Either pay for each trip when you book them or purchase a pack of hours to use at your discretion over time. The hours correspond to drive times so you can purchase, for example, 50 hours from Intercity and use 5 of those hours from Auckland to Paihia, 2 of those hours between Wellington and Palmerston North, etc. Regular fares can change and vary based on the time of day and demand for a trip. So paying for hours keeps the cost of your travel pretty consistent over the course of your time in New Zealand.

If you’re a budget-conscious traveler with a very open-ended travel plan, I would recommend going for the hours route. You can also sell and buy excess hours from others, so check backpacking boards online or hostel notice boards to see if you can help out a fellow traveler!

Cars and Campervans

Having your own mode of transport is by far the best way to see New Zealand. My favorite moments from my time there are the little side quests I found by following a vague road sign or stopping at a roadside pull off. Public transportation for intercity travel in New Zealand isn’t…the best, as mentioned above. If you’re hoping to get a little bit more off the road well-traveled and into the stunning nature of New Zealand, you need to be able to get yourself off the bus route.

Signage on the roads and highways is surprisingly clear so once you’re out of the big cities, driving without Google Maps as a constant companion isn’t actually that daunting. The roads often have sharp turns in the mountainous areas, but take it slow, pull over to let others pass, and you’ll be okay. Campervans will most likely need to take it slower than the average car, but drivers in New Zealand aren’t strangers to sharing their roads.

Driving also means you can be more flexible with your itinerary so you can follow the favorable weather or change things up from recommendations from locals and new traveler friends easily. Deciding to buy a car and drive around New Zealand was one of the best decisions I made. That’s how you see the real New Zealand!

If you’re visiting during peak seasons like December to February, make sure to book your rentals in advance. For longer trips, start comparing your options several months in advance to ensure they have stock and to keep prices down.

Related: Check out my 5 favorite South Island drives for road tripping around New Zealand

Camp Like a Local Too

Camping is also cheap and plentiful. If you’re in a self-contained campervan (meaning it has certification that you can be completely self sufficient including toilet, water, and power), freedom camping opens up your options even further. Please note that freedom camping does not mean you can park up and spend the night anywhere you please. You’ll still need to find designated freedom camping spots and follow the rules of the region you’re in.

Even without a self-contained vehicle, renting (or buying second-hand) camping gear doesn’t come at an astronomical price either. Camping culture is huge for Kiwis so there are always used sets for sale at the opp shops or on Facebook Marketplace for a good deal.

Tent or van camping not for you? Holiday parks in New Zealand typically offer basic cabins to fully equipped apartments that allow visitors a chance to visit more scenic destinations without fully committing to camping.

Tour Operators

If you want to hit some of those harder to hit destinations without dealing with a car, there are a few tour operators in New Zealand that may be a good fit for you. The main ones for the younger crowd are Kiwi Experience and G Adventures. You can select which routes you want to join on and the operators will cover your transport, hotel, and activities while you’re with them.

Because it’s a tour, you also get a built in social group as you travel with a group of new friends! Many people hit it off with others in their group and decide to keep traveling together afterwards.

If you like to have more control over your visit, this may not be right for you. But it can relieve some stress of having to plan every day and is a great option for first time travelers who want a little extra support.

Ready to Go?

I hope this guide helps you plan your next visit to the beautiful Aotearoa New Zealand! Now that you have all the basics down, check out the other New Zealand itineraries and guides I have for more specific insights. What does your next visit to Aotearoa look like? Tell me in the comments below!