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Backpacking in New Zealand
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Planning |
Reports of Backpacking in New Zealand are overwhelmingly positive and result in people's expectations being exceeded, time after time. The word-of-mouth feedback is heart felt and enthusiastic ... ask someone who has backpacked here. They will tell you it's easy to get around, its cheap, and that New Zealand is vivid and diverse. Backpackers of all ages and nationalities arrive here with specific needs and desires to fulfill. Some are drawn by specific appeal, such as our unique geographic location ... the other side of the world, an exotic and a distant destination. It's safe, clean, and yet familiar. Many people go onto other destinations as well, such as Australia, Asia or Indonesia, or the tropical islands of Polynesia and Melanesia, which provides an all-encompassing South Pacific backpacking experience ... the outback and the reef in Australia; the nature and adventure activities of New Zealand; and the South Pacific's tropical island culture and village experience.
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When planning time for travelling in New Zealand, many people fall into the trap of the perception that Australia, being larger, will by mere size offer more activities to do and places to see. Backpackers, in hindsight, regret this decision. While New Zealand is geographically smaller than Australia, combine it's unique microclimates and geographic diversity with it's compact size, and New Zealand can actually offer backpackers more to do and see within a smaller area that is easier traverse.
"In the South Island the landscape changes everytime you look out the window ... incredible ."
"Sometimes in Australia , it was just hours and hours on the bus. In New Zealand everything is within an hour or two ."
New Zealand is not as well known as Australia. The positive aspect of this is that it is more hidden, remote, young and untouched. The downside of this is that travellers are unaware of the huge resource of attractions and activities, until after they arrive. This often makes it difficult to allocate the necessary time and money to do and see the many possibilities that are available.
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Budgeting |
These decisions are predominately based on recommendations of friends and guidebooks. Most backpacker travellers fix a budget of $30 to $50 New Zealand dollars a day. (That's about 68c US for NZ$1 or 39p UK for NZ$1 or 0.57 Euros for NZ$1 so, its very inexpensive.) This allows: $15 - $20 per night for accommodation. Additional activities are often not included in these budgets and are seen as 'extras'. Some backpackers do not budget but make a rough estimate of overall travel and use credit cards or paid work to supplement any shortfall.
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Where to go for information |
Often its only after a traveller has been here that they appreciate the length of time to really 'see' New Zealand . Allow at least one month for highlights, but up to 3 months to really explore the country. Stay for 6 months or longer and you will want pack up and live here.
Part of being a backpacker is the freedom to do, or go as you please. This often means the search for information and planning is either not undertaken until very late in the process or, is not undertaken at all. This spontaneity is part of the attraction.
A lot of information people get from friends or relatives. Heart-felt and enthusiastic word-of-mouth recommendations are still the most important motivator for travel to New Zealand . Ask someone who has been there, you will be headed here in no time.. Other sources of information include the Tourism New Zealand website www.newzealand.com. This has heaps of information.
Travel guidebooks about New Zealand are very good. Lonely Planet's New Zealand is considered the "Backpackers Bible" Look out for TNT Magazine,Let's Go, Footprint, Fodors, Survival Kit, Go Globetrotter, and Spartacus also all detail and cover New Zealand well.
Once you're here, the very nature of backpacking with its emphasis on interaction with others, will see you receiving huge amounts of word-of-mouth recommendations. There is a vast amount of information obtainable directly from the backpacker hostels. Most have travel centres as part of their services and are up to date on the best deals, "what's hot and what's not," with brochures for everything in that area, and the country as well. You may also want to check out the i-SITE Visitor Information Centres scattered around New Zealand , providing information on all there is to see and do in New Zealand . Search “Visitor Information Centres” on www.newzealand.com
One thing that people comment on after being here is that the sources of information are plentiful and the information is relevant and easy to obtain.
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