The route:
Flew in and out of Auckland (4 days)
- Bus ride to Paihia + Cape Reinga day trip (3 days)
- Bus ride to Whitianga (3 days)
- Bus ride to Rotorua (3 days)
- Bus ride to Turangi/Tongariro Crossing (3 days)
- Bus ride to Taupo (3 days)
- Bus ride to Napier (3 days)
- Bus ride to Wellington (2 days)
- Bus ride to Whanganui (3 days)
- Bus ride to New Plymouth (4 days)
Total number of days: 31 days
Cost:
Transport
|
Accommodation
|
Food
|
Activities
|
Misc.
|
Total
|
Average/day
|
NZD292
|
NZD676
|
NZD297
|
NZD308
|
NZD71
|
NZD1644
|
NZD53
|
SGD310
|
SGD716
|
SGD315
|
SGD327
|
SGD75
|
SGD1743
|
SGD56
|
USD250
|
USD578
|
USD254
|
USD263
|
USD61
|
USD1406
|
USD45
|
Day tours are expensive, any tours will cost at least NZD100. Sky diving (Tandem) in NZ is the cheapest in Taupo according to my research and costs around NZD239 for 10,000ft, NZD249 for 12,000ft and NZD339 for 15,000ft.
Hostels cost around NZD25 per night for a dormitory bed.
I cooked quite a bit in NZ so the amount I spent on food were mostly for buying groceries and Subway after I fractured my arm and couldn't cook anymore.
Getting around New Zealand:
I know that driving is the best way to discover New Zealand but what if you can't drive? Have no fear, you can still enjoy NZ like I did! There are two cheap bus companies (NakedBus and Intercity) that offer bus services to most towns in NZ. And if you book early enough (like 3 months in advance when the bus timings are just out), one trip can be as cheap as NZD 1!
I didn't feel that there was any difference between the two bus companies though some people say Nakedbus uses the old buses from Intercity. I just booked whichever is cheaper and most of the time it was Nakedbus. After you booked your seat, write down the booking number and tell the driver.
Getting around the towns in NZ is another story, there are usually no buses except in big cities like Auckland and Wellington. You have to either walk or cycle. I recommend walking. The small towns are usually small enough to discover on foot and walking around is a fun way to discover a place! :)
Supermarkets:
PAK'nSAVE is the cheapest supermarket around because the interior is like a warehouse, so no pretty shelves to browse around but who cares when you get cheaper groceries! I always get very excited when I spot the huge yellow sign of PAK'nSAVE, you can't miss it!
Countdown which is green can be cheap sometimes when they have offers.
New World which is red is the most expensive out of the three big supermarkets I've visited.
Four Square is a smaller supermarket, a little like 7-11 but bigger. Some of the smaller towns only have Four Square. Price wise, well it is definitely more expensive than PAK'nSAVE but still alright if you have no other options.
WiFi:
Most hostels do not provide free Wifi. So you can get a SIM card with data if you really need WiFi, one of my hostels in Auckland gave out free SIM cards so all I had to do was to top it up with value. But I didn't because... you can get free WiFi at all public libraries (within opening hours) and most Burger Kings!
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Sharing a video I made on my trip to New Zealand!
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