| Page Views: 5,343 Last Visit to New Zealand: - I Used To Live Here | New Zealand by worldkiwi - last update: May 26, 2004 |
This is one of the best places in the world to live. You can find beautiful beaches, snowy mountains, sub-tropical rainforest, thermal pools, trout filled lakes, misty fiords, majestic glaciers, vine clad hills, woolly sheep and green pastoral scenes, and even a bit of big city life. It's all here in a relatively small area. |
|  | Planning a visit to New Zealand?
When is the best time to visit New Zealand?
New Zealand's climate is maritime. That means it is influenced greatly by the surrounding ocean. Despite it's latitude (equivalent to Spain, Portugal, or Italy), New Zealand has a more temperate and wetter climate than those places, because the nearest continental landmass is over 2000km away.
However, the ocean also prevents it from ever getting unbearably cold in most places and pleasantly warm in summer.
In the top half of the North island, December - March are the warmest months (summer). February and March are usually the sunniest and hottest. July - September can be windy, wet, and cold, but in July (the middle of winter), there can be some brilliantly sunny days.
In the winter months (May - August), the South Island is cold and snow is common. Early spring (September) is popular for skiers.
The weather here is very changeable, so always be prepared. Finally, the southern hemisphere sun can be fierce in the middle of summer. Use sunblock!
Where should I go and how long will it take?
Lots of visitors leave NZ regretful that they didn't give themselves more time here. NZ is a fraction larger than Britain, and the roads seldom go in straight lines. Distances may seem short, but seldom are! To see the whole country in depth you will need 4-6 weeks. As to where to go... read on... there is a huge variety of landscapes in our small archipelago!
Some useful websites
www.yha.org.nz
www.jasons.co.nz
http://www.destinationdownunder.com
http://travel.newzealand.com/vins/vins.html - the i-site offices are invaluable when you're on the road.
http://www.vip.co.nz/
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| Kiwi (not my own picture) |
| | Why are the people named after fruit?
We're not!
Kiwis are actually named after our national symbol, the rare nocturnal kiwi bird. Kiwifruit (as we call it) has strangely been called "kiwi" for some time in the US and Europe now... why?
By the way... kiwifruit are really a type of gooseberry from China!
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| Pros: | "Great natural variety in a relatively small area." | | Cons: | "Dodgy roads." | | In A Nutshell: | "I don't think I could live anywhere else... it's all here!" |
worldkiwi's New Zealand Travel Tips
 Comments for worldkiwi about New Zealand | | | | |
Ann75 Sun Aug 6, 2006 04:24 UTC
Great New Zealand page, Glenn! I'd love to fly over right now (not with Air Canada though...hehe!). Cape Reinga looks awesome as well as Lake Wakatipu and many other spots. Great tips and beautiful photos! | jag17 Tue Aug 1, 2006 11:04 UTC
Gorgeous pictures and great tips! I am looking forward to my first trip to NZ in November. | spgood301 Fri Mar 10, 2006 19:19 UTC
Enjoyable page on your country, Glenn. I hope to visit one day. | AKtravelers Sat Dec 31, 2005 03:42 UTC
Great tips! We'll be back to your page often as we plan our February visit. We promise to keep to the left while driving (mostly). |
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