help on touring NZ

[VJ]

I'll be off to NZ in may for a holiday. visiting auckland and taupo. need help in deciding which places to visit. i am on my own so i need to probably book tours once i am there.

[Bonbon]

there's tour , backpacker's van/bus called kiwiexperience goes around I think....

find out info from the hostel, they sometimes provide really cheap backpack style hostel.

where to visit? Auckland? it's a city like Singapore, skycity tower, parnell, missionbay. What you want to see?

Taupo is not bad, you'll go by pass rotorua, seeing the sheep farm,

what exaclty do you want to see, lots of culture stuff, don't expect shopping!

[uk-kiwi]

just curious as to why auckland and taupo. you will be there late autumn and i can't think of anything that great about that time of year in those two places. if you have to go then ok but if not, you should go to the south island which is apparently fantastic in autumn - quite dry so you can see things like the glaciers, lakes & queenstown (party town) without the drizzle and snow. taupo has a great lake that you can water ski or fish on and auckland is a city with some nice beaches (too cold in may) and not that much else unless you know people there who can take you to the 'local spots'. i grew up in auckland and my sister lives in taupo so i'm fond of both but wouldn't recommend them as the places to go if you haven't been anywhere else?!

[sweet_longan]

If you are confined to Auckland, may I suggest the following - which are a few of the places I got to visit after being stuck there on business over a few weekends:

Pick up the Auckland A-Z guide from the Airport in the transit lounge.

1. Take a ferry (Fullers) to Devonport and hop on the hour long tour bus from Devonport Explorer Tours. You will find a travel service counter at the entrance to the Ferry terminal, and can buy the tour from there. This rather economical tour is lovely as you get a glimpse of charming historical period architecture and the now exclusive residential housing, and a fantastic view of Rangitoto island from Mount Victoria (Takarunga).

2. Take a day's outing to Rangitoto island - this is an extinct volcanic island that suddenly sprung from the sea around 500 years ago. Lovely fauna and flora and the daytime temperature of around 15 degrees this time of the year is lovely if its not raining.

3. Parnell is charming in the evenings as it has some very nice restaurants all set in a charming maze-like structures of inter-connected terraced buildings along the street.

4. Ponsonby Road - lovely shops and gallerys;

5. Waiheke Island - good day out and there is a vineyard tour run by Fullers;

6.. Bay of Plenty - beautiful beaches, great fishing etc. White Island is a must! You can see seals here in the winter months and maybe dolphins as well. Oh and by the way, its a live volcano!

7. Sky City - if you are into casinoes and bungy jumps.

8. Worth spending some time in Rotorua - natural hot springs and wonderful spas there.

Oh and if you have a craving for great prawn wonton soup noodles whilst there, my favourite little place is this chinese roast duck shop on wyndham street, off lower albert street a few doors down from dick smith's electronics. Costs NZ$7 for a large bowl.

And don't forget to get your UMF 20 Manuka Honey to bring back to Singapore!!!

Have a great time there!