Road Trips!
While Auckland is a great city, there are many places that are only a couple of hours away that you MUST visit! Whether you want to buy a bus pass, do an organized tour, or rent a car, there are many easy and relatively inexpensive options for getting around outside of the city. My friends and I rented a car and this allowed us the freedom to travel wherever and whenever we wanted.
Rotorua
Zorbing!
Rotorua: also known as Roto-Vegas.
The tourism industry in Rotorua is by far the biggest industry here. It's known for its geothermal activity: there are many hot pools and geysers. One can't help but notice the smell of sulfur that permeates the air in Rotorua. All of the fun activities that Rotorua has to offer makes enduring the smell totally worth the trip. There's bungee jumping, zorbing, luging, and many more incredible activities in Rotorua.
The tourism industry in Rotorua is by far the biggest industry here. It's known for its geothermal activity: there are many hot pools and geysers. One can't help but notice the smell of sulfur that permeates the air in Rotorua. All of the fun activities that Rotorua has to offer makes enduring the smell totally worth the trip. There's bungee jumping, zorbing, luging, and many more incredible activities in Rotorua.
Taupo
Parasailing over Lake Taupo
The region of Taupo is truly magnificent. It is centred around the vast Lake Taupo, framed by rolling hills and mountains. The film location for The Lord of The Rings trilogy and the upcoming The Hobbit movie, the region is centred around the majestic Lake Taupo, the largest freshwater lake in Australasia. The people here are friendly and teh scenery is picturesque. There are plenty of activities to partake in here as well. For example, you can skydive, parasail, kayak, swim, hike, or just relax on the beach. I can definitely see myself owning a summer home by Lake Taupo one day.
Tongariro National Park: Tongariro Alpine Crossing
Okay. I'm juuust a little bit obsessed with Tongariro. It is without a doubt the most beautiful place I ever visited in the North Island of NZ. I remember seeing a picture of the Emerald Lakes before I arrived in NZ and I was instantly drawn to this place. There are a lot of places to see in Tongariro National Park, but if you're going to do Tongariro, you have to do it right... That means you've got to do the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. The Track generally takes about 7 to 9 hours to complete, and is 19.4 km. Although the trek could be arduous at times, not one minute went by that I wasn't in awe of my surroundings. Just make sure you come prepared - the temperature at the highest elevation can be quite chilly, even if you're sweating at the beginning of the track. The most important thing you need to have with you is your camera, and make sure you don't lose it on the hike!
Coromandel Peninsula
Cathedral Cove
There's many things to do in the Coromandel Peninsula. In fact, there was so much to see in Coromandel that I went twice. The first time I went to Coromandel, my friends and I went to the Hot Water Beach, which is a geothermal hot spring on the peninsula's east coast. The beach is filled with tourists and locals who dig into the sand in search of hot springs to sit in. There are also mean waves at this beach which are great for surfing!
Another great attraction in Coromandel is Cathedral Cove. Cathedral Cove has a beautiful beach surrounded by large rocks protruding from the turquoise blue water. I had a great time exploring the area, kayaking, and swimming. We even saw a sting ray in the water, which was both scary and exciting!
I'm reluctant to share my secret, secluded, and favourite area in Coromandel with you, but I love it so much that everyone deserves to visit this place! The destination I'm referring to is called New Chum's Beach. The beach was voted as one of the top 20 beaches in the world in 2006, so you can imagine my surprise when we arrived at a completely isolated and perfect beach. The beach may have been isolated due to the fact that we had to balance on rocks, and walk through a muddy trail in order to get there, but it was totally worth the trip. The best part of the beach by far was the look-out point. We had to basically rock climb in order to get to the look out point, but the view was remarkable. Check out my photo page to see the view from the top.
Another great attraction in Coromandel is Cathedral Cove. Cathedral Cove has a beautiful beach surrounded by large rocks protruding from the turquoise blue water. I had a great time exploring the area, kayaking, and swimming. We even saw a sting ray in the water, which was both scary and exciting!
I'm reluctant to share my secret, secluded, and favourite area in Coromandel with you, but I love it so much that everyone deserves to visit this place! The destination I'm referring to is called New Chum's Beach. The beach was voted as one of the top 20 beaches in the world in 2006, so you can imagine my surprise when we arrived at a completely isolated and perfect beach. The beach may have been isolated due to the fact that we had to balance on rocks, and walk through a muddy trail in order to get there, but it was totally worth the trip. The best part of the beach by far was the look-out point. We had to basically rock climb in order to get to the look out point, but the view was remarkable. Check out my photo page to see the view from the top.
Piha and Raglan
Surf's Up in Piha!
Piha has a north and south beach featuring a rugged coastline. Many people come here to surf; in fact, I went surfing for my first time in Piha. The conditions can be quite unpredictable, as there can be rip currents along this section of the coast.
Raglan is another great area for surfing. The black sandy beaches are beautiful, and great for making sand castles! The surf town of Raglan has many cute shops and cafes.
Raglan is another great area for surfing. The black sandy beaches are beautiful, and great for making sand castles! The surf town of Raglan has many cute shops and cafes.
Bay of Islands and Cape Reinga
Lighthouse at Cape Reinga
Bay of Islands is one of the most popular tourist destinations in New Zealand, and it is located very close to the northernmost point of New Zealand. It is a beautiful beach town with many water related activities. I would recommend going on a boat cruise or swimming with wild dolphins! The nightlife there is also quite fun, there are many happy hour bars and a great bar called Pipi Patch.
Cape Reinga is the northernmost point of New Zealand. At the tip of Cape Reinga, just past the lighthouse pictured here, one can clearly see where the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean collide. It's very cool!
Cape Reinga is the northernmost point of New Zealand. At the tip of Cape Reinga, just past the lighthouse pictured here, one can clearly see where the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean collide. It's very cool!
Wellington
Panorama of the Wellington waterfront
Wellington is New Zealand's capital city. It is located at the southernmost point of the North Island, so it's a pretty far drive from Auckland but TOTALLY worth the trip! It's not as populated as Auckland and it tends to be a bit cooler and more windy. Wellington is home to Te Papa, New Zealand's best museum, and has many other notable cultural institutions like the Wellington Art Gallery. Wellington also many festivals and a great music scene. It is located right on the water and is truly beautiful. The nightlife in Wellington is also great. My friends and I had a great time bar hopping in this cultural hub.
THE SOUTH ISLAND
View from an airplane - Queenstown
If you're living in Auckland, going to the South Island isn't going to be a short trip. It involves either a flight or a ferry ride. Many of the most beautiful locations in New Zealand are in the South Island. You HAVE to go here! My friends and I went for our Midterm Break trip. The South Island is generally cooler than the north, but the temperature varies depending on where you are. We started off our trip tramping and swimming at Abel Tasman National Park. We then went hiking on Franz Josef Glacier - what a change in temperature! We also went kayaking in Milford Sound, surrounded by dolphins, and skydiving in Queenstown. The experiences my friends and I had on our road trip around the South Island were unforgettable and unbelievable. I have so much to say about the South Island, I should probably make a separate website to tell you all about it.