We have compiled a list of our favourite things to do in NZ,ranging from FREE to $$$- very expensive!
1. Milford Sound ($$$)- The 8th Wonder of the world is not really a 'sound' but a fjord as it was carved by a glacier as opposed to water, millions of years ago. 11m of rain falls here every year as unsuprisingly it rained whilst we were there but the thundering waterfalls made up for the lack of blue sky.
2. Whale Watching, Kaikoura ($$$)- After waiting for 3 days for perfect whale watching weather we were rewarded by seeing 10 sperm whales in 2 hours! Only 10% of their body is visible above the water but our boat was dwarfed by the size of their 45tonne bodies as they dove.
3. Baby seal waterfall, Ohai (FREE)- A chance encounter with a friendly Kiwi led us to a crystal clear waterfall where douzens of baby seals were left by their mothers to play whilst they went hunting for fish at sea. The babies were unafraid of humans and came up close to have a good look at us!
4. Killer Whale Kayaking, Cathedral Cove ($)- Marky Mark guided us through Catheral Cove where we were suprisingly greated by 4 huge Orkas that chased us and came up for a good view of our boats. The only time I've ever seen Roo terrified!
5. Boulders, DOC site (FREE)- The best campsite we stayed at! A drive that lasted for ever took us to a small site with a compost toilet and a river that NEEDED to be played in! Roo went for a river walk up to her armpits but I watched from the side!
6. Penguin Watching, Dunedin (FREE/$$)- We paid to watch little blue penguins swim ashore at Dunedin at night but it was really worth it! hundreds of tiny penguins (less than a foot tall) brave their way through the rocks and onto the beach every night during breading season. We were there when a seal decided to have a nap on their ramp up to the breeding grounds. After the penguins attempted to walk around and over the seal, the staff shooed him away with a mop! We also saw a handful of Yelloweyed penguins (the rarest in the world) after waiting patiently in the rain for a few hours!
7. Waiheke Island, Auckland ($$)- We spent our last day in NZ on Waiheke Island, a 35 min ferry trip from Auckland. We hired Mopeds and whizzed around the Island (Roo whizzed, I ambled) and had a gorg Spanish meal at a local vinyard! Perfect!
8. Kerosene Creek, Rotorua (Free)- We got a bit 'hot springed out' whilst in Rotorua. Everything was so expensive, hence the nickname we gave it, 'Rota-rip-off'. These cute little springs however were free and secluded, and despite the rain we spent an hour soaking our limbs in a foreset-fringed warm waterfall. It smelled a bit or turps but you cant have everything!
9. Fox Glacier, West Coast-South Island ($$$)- Again, it was raining when we decided to splash out on a touristy activity! The only way to walk on a glacier is to pay for a guilded tour. It was cold and wet but it was fun. Tranversing a massive river of ice, moving at half a meter a day is always going to worth the money!
10. Trip to Eden Park ($$$)- An expensive 80 minutes of our lives and whilst the game was pitiful, and we were surrounded by French, Eden park has a brill atmosphere and it was a fun day out. We dressed like fools, just a shame the score line wasn't different!
11. Great Coastal Walk- Able Tasman National Park (Free)- We almost walked our feet off during this 22km walk but it was worth it! A perfect day spent exploring deserted golden beaches, waterfalls, streams and rainforest. We met some seals, one of whom we went for a paddle with and we managed to do it in under the recomended time! Unlike us!
12. Te Paki Sand Dunes, Northland (FREE-ISH)- We hired boards and hurlded oursleves down 100ft sandunes, the only complaint was the walk back up and discovering sand in unspeakable places days afterwards!
13. Cathedral Caves, Karamea (FREE)- A drive all the way up the West Coast of the South Island was worth it to explore the deserted caves discoved in 1980 and marvel at the enormous stalegtites.
14. Devils Marbles, Dunedin (FREE)- Enourmous balls of limestone scatter the beach in an erie fashion! They look like they've been rolled there by some giant! Fun to climb on and rockpools to explore.
15. Te Anu Glowworm caves, Te Anu ($$)- Was that water dripping on our heads, or glowworm poo? We'll never know! Beautiful boat trip into the depths of a cave system where Glowworms illuminate the walls and cielings making the place look like the nights sky.
16. Queenstown Icebar ($)- After deciding that most things in Queenstown were either out of our price or age range, we opted for a little visit to the local bar- made entirely on ice. We enjoyed a cocktail or two from our ice carved glasses whilst trying not to get stuck to the ice seats!
17. Rowing to the lake within a lake, Wairoa ($)- A hilarious few hours, going in cicles messing about on the water. We could see the island but getting there was a different matter!
18. Watching NZ Vs France at a fanzone, Wairoa (FREE)- A brilliant atmosphere where we witnessed NZ trounce the French, we even started supporting France at one point we felt so sorry for them! We saw the local kids doing the Haka.
19. Incredible Pacific Views (FREE)- everywhere we went in Ol, we had spectacular scenery. There's nothing like spending every night for 3 months on a beach!
20.- Meeting people (FREE)- Kiwis are friendly and funny, the people we met really made the whole journey much more fun and their local knowledge helped us to get off the beaten track and see things most tourists can't be bothered to get to.
No comments:
Post a Comment