I have one week in the North Island New Zealand flying into Auckland and out of Wellington, what should I do?

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Teine

You lucky sod! I miss home so much as I'm stuck in the States with my hubby whose in the U.S AF!
Ok...I was a travel agant in NZ and lived there all my life....here's the MUST see's:
Bay of Islands/Paihia: Do the Hole in the rock boat trip (Cream Trip), go para-sailing and get in some fishing while you're there if you enjoy the sport. Also take a ferry across to Russell if you get time.
Rotorua: Boiling Mud, Hells gate mud bath, DEFINATELY take in a Maori Performance and Hangi (traditional Roast dinner cooked in the ground on hot stones...has a lovely smokey flavour!)
Waitomo Caves: Glow worms
Also available in this region is all the adrenaline sports such as Jet boat rides (Huka Jet in Taupo is fab!), Bungi jumping, ZORBING (You are strapped inside a huge bouncy ball, and pushed down a hill! FUN!)
Also watch out for whale watching trips off the coast although the best place for this is Kaikoura atthe top of the South Island.
I doubt you will as you have so little time, butif you DO end up in Wellington with a day to kill...you MUST travel across to Picton on the Interislander (Fast Ferry) which only takes a couple of hours there and a couple of hours back but will give you breathtaking views of the Milford Sounds....seen on alot of NZ postcards etc. Picton/Nelson is also full of vinyards and fantastic wine trails you can book yourself onto for a couple of hours before heading back to Wellington on the ferry.
ENJOY our beautiful country! What a shame you dont have 2-3 weeks!
xx

berlingoffer

Although I've not been yet, I spotted this place on North Island.

Felidae

Hire a car and get out of Auckland ASAP. Go to: Rotorua, the corimandels then back via Tongariro and Taupo then finally Waitomo caves. This is a bit hectic. You can do it by bus, but it'll be a nightmare of logistics.

You could try and schedule a day for the Tongariro crossing (Go prepared), and you can go absailing into the Waitomo caves with the glow worms (This is so much fun). There're some lovely beaches in the Corrimandels if you after a bit of R&R tho.

Alternatively; get the bus up to the Bay of Islands (Lovely beaches) and relax for a few days, back to Auckland then fly to Wellington. You don't get to see much of the North Island this way though.

Coach firm:
http://www.intercitycoach.co.nz/

Care Hire:
http://www.nationalcar.co.nz/
http://www.ezy.co.nz/ or
http://www.rentaffinity.co.nz/ for something a bit nicer.

On the timeframe that you've got, I would heavily recommend that you get a car. NZ does not have a train service to speak of (Except for a train a day from Auckland to Wellington).

Halo

Visit Lake Taupo and do a Tandem Skydive.

iansand9876

Bay of Islands.

Harry

Get a car. Seriously. You can get anywhere you like and take it as it comes. Auckland to Wellington is only 8 hours so if you end up anywhere on your second to last day you could still get to your flight. After travelling Europe with ease as a Kiwi you just wont realise how hopeless our transport systems are, if you go other methods coach will beat trains anyday

untappedatom1

I would make a bit of a tour of it. I lived in Hamilton for 3 years, which is about an hour and half south of Auckland, so travelled all over.

Auckland is good to tour as it is based on 13 volcanos - the views across the bays are brilliant. Go down to Rotorua, which is the thermal heartland of New Zealand - Craters of the Moon is an eerie landscape, the main thermal area in Rotorua is famous for its Champagne pool, which is beautiful colours - for the best thermal sights go to Orako Korakei which is just a few miles away. It has the best silica terraces, mudpools, geysers and you get there motoring over a lake - a wonderful walk around.

Then go to Taupo - beautiful lake and you can do a bungee over the side of a ravine.

Next Ruapehu - go to the top of this volcanic mountain which is still active - get a skiing day pass.

Then the coromandel peninsula, cos it is really beautiful. Go to hot water beach, at dusk and dawn you can dig a natural spa pool in the sand on the beach, and sit there in warm water (very hot in fact) while watching the sun rise or set.

There are great black sand beaches to the west - Raglan for example which has some of the best surf in NZ, and white sand beaches to the East.

Wellington in the extreme south is worth a look as well for nightlife and fun!

Enjoy - I loved it there!

cheeky_beth_62

Visit a place called Russell. It's beautiful and it's where all the rich American's go to catch their Marlin.
Rotorua actually smells like human gas, so I'd say wear a peg on your nose!
Bay of Islands is picturesque - a definite see.
Then head right up the top to a place called Pookanui - a memorable occasion indeed.
Don't forget to stop and have a real seafood dinner. You can't beat it any where.

VodkaAngel

Head for Rotorua then Taupo across to Gisborne, Napier then down to Wellington - wish I was there!!!!!!!!

Joy

Also check out Rotarua I know everyone goes there but it is worth it if you like bioling mud and water, plus the lovely smell.
I would also recommend a night in Napier which has great deal of art deco buildings due to the big earthquake back in the 1930's.
New Zealand is a beautiful country try and make the most of it.
This is from a Kiwi here in the UK

Recko

Getting a car is your best bet but you could get a Magic bus or and Kiwi experience bus to get a round. I would suggest going north up to Paihia where there is plenty to do, getting a boat over to Russell is worth doing. Come back south via the Coramandel and Waitomo to see the glow worm caves then head towards Rotorua and Taupo where you can go sky diving and zorbing. Go to the Maori village outside Rotorua for an evening to see the local culture and try a hangi (scuse spelling). End up in Wellington where there is lots to do and see, the botanical gardens are nice. Wherever you go and whatever you do you will have a great time as NZ is the best place I've ever been.

Nemesis

Go to Paihia at the bay of islands Copthoune Resort good place to stay go over to Nelson for a trip have fun.

Linda B

Lucky you, New Zealand is brilliant!!!! I did the exact same thing a few years ago!! Hire a car (should cost about $30 a day roughly) and get out of Auckland. Go North to the Bay of Islands first for a few days then come back down south and visit Lake Taupo, Rotorua etc. It is a beautiful place and there are loads of things to see. A tip though, wear old clothes to the Thermal Parks in Rotorua because they will stink of sulphur for ages even when washed!!! Also be sure and have a mud bath at Hells Gate!!

http://www.newzealand.com/travel is a very good website and will tell you all you need to know. Have a ball!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chris O

Head up to the Coromandel Peninsula to a little place called the Anchor motel. Not really a motel, but a nice hostel place with a spa and on the beach.

V nice, enjoy!!

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