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Before You Go
New Zealand Travel Information – Quick Facts
Before you go.
New Zealand Entry Requirements for US Citizens:
Passport valid 3 months beyond stays
plus onward/return ticket & sufficient funds. Contact: Embassy of New Zealand,
37 Observatory Circle, NW, Washington, DC. 20008. (202) 328-4800 or consulate
in Los Angeles. (213) 477-8241.
New Zealand Entry Requirements for UK and
EU Citizens
Valid Passport. No visa required.
Health: Good medical care widely available. Doctors and hospitals may
expect immediate cash payment for health services. US medical insurance not
always valid outside USA. Supplemental overseas , including coverage
for medical evacuation, useful.
Crime& Security: Crime
low but increased in recent years. Most prevalent - theft from cars, camper
vans & hostels. Violent crime against tourists unusual.
Money: New Zealand Dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents.
Notes of NZ$100, 50, 20, 10 & 5. Coins of NZ$2 and 1, & 50, 20,
10 & 5 cents. Mastercard, Amex, Diners & Visa accepted. Banks
open from 9.30am to 4.30pm Mon to Fri. Provided encoded with PIN number, international
credit cards may be used to withdraw cash from ATMs, widely available in main
shopping centres & suburban malls.
Weather: Subtropical in North Island, temperate
in South Island. North has no extremes of heat or cold but winter can be
quite cool in South, with snow in mountains. Rainfall distributed throughout
year.
Advice & Tips for New
Zealand:
Public Holidays: NZ public holidays in Year 2000: New Year 3-4 JAN, Waitangi
Day 06 FEB, Good Friday 21apr, Easter Monday 24 APR, ANZAC Day 25 APR, Queen's
Birthday 05 JUN, Labour Day 23 OCT, Xmas & Boxing Day 25-26 DEC.
Road Safety: Drive on left! Many roads only 2 lanes. Use extra caution
in rural areas to avoid animals. Look carefully in all directions before entering
street & cross at crosswalks. NZ Road Code.
Customs: Duty Free Allowance of NZ$700. Animal products, fruit, plant
material or foodstuffs containing plant or animal pests & diseases may not
be brought into country. As heavy fines imposed on people caught carrying prohibited
materials, place any items, particularly fruit, in bins provided before approaching
immigration area. More NZ Customs Information.
Driving in New Zealand: Enjoyable motoring on uncongested, good quality,
though sometimes narrow, roads. Multi-lane motorways found on approaches to
larger cities. Drive on left, give way to all traffic crossing or approaching
from right, & if turning, give way to all traffic not turning. Speed limit
100 km/h on open road & 50 km/h in built up areas. NZ Land Transport Safety Authority for
more on NZ Road Code. Signposting follows standard international symbols. All
distances in kilometres. Most foreign drivers licences acceptable.
Electricity: 230
volts AC, 50 Hz. Most hotels provide 110-volt AC sockets (rated at 20 watts)
for electric razors only.
Airports
Auckland International Airport
By Taxi:
Taxis licensed to operate from Airport carry quality guarantee. To/from City
fare is approx. $35NZ.
By Bus: Licensed shuttle buses offer economical transportation
between Airport & city or suburbs on a 'shared ride' basis.
Info Tel #: Hotline
0800-AIRPORT (0800-247767)
Terminals: 2
terminals - International & Domestic.
Inter-Terminal: Free
bus runs between International Terminal & Air New Zealand Domestic Terminal,
every 25-30 mins from 5.30am until last domestic flight of day.
Car Rentals: Rental cars available close to Terminal. No need
for shuttle bus service to off-site location.
Lounges: Spinnaker Bar
& Bistro, Kiwi Cafe & Bar
Smoking only in smoking lounge near Gate 17
& Kiwi Cafe smoking area.
Food: McDonald's,
Down Under Cafe, City of Sails Bar, Jean Batten Cafe, Spinnaker Bar and Bistro,
Vineyards Bar & Grill, Kiwi Cafe & Bar.
Duty Free: Duty free shops located for convenience of passengers.
After collecting baggage & clearing Customs
passport control you will not be directed to any exit. If you have Customs or
Agricultural goods declared on Arrival Card, go to “Goods to Declare Way Out”
(Red Exit). Otherwise walk thru “Nothing to Declare Way Out” (Green Exit). If unsure
go to Red Way Out. Duty Free Allowance of NZ$700. Animal products, fruit, plant
material or foodstuffs containing plant or animal pests & diseases may not
be brought into country. As heavy fines imposed on people caught carrying prohibited
materials, place any items, particularly fruit, in bins provided before approaching
immigration area.
Regions and Cities
New Zealand is 1200 miles southeast of Australia & consists of 2
major islands, North Island (44,197 sq miles) & South Island (158,170
sq miles), separated by Cook Strait. Stewart Island (676 sq miles) immediately
south of South Island, & Chatham Islands 420 miles to southeast of North
Island.
Compared to huge neighbour Australia, NZ’s 3 islands make up country that is
relatively small. Two-thirds mountainous, region of swift-flowing rivers, deep
alpine lakes & dense subtropical forest known as ‘bush’.
Abel van Tasman was first European explorer to see NZ in 1642, but it was Captain James
Cook who first set foot on the soil in 1769.
Largest city, on peninsula that forms northern North Island. Southern
North Island characterised by fertile coastal plains rising to volcanic peaks.
Around Rotorua, 149 miles south of Auckland, violent thermal geysers,
pools of boiling mud, springs of hot mineral water, silica terraces, collared
craters & hissing fumaroles which make Rotorua world-famous tourist attraction.
South Island larger, although only one-third of population lives there.
Southern Alps extend whole length of island, culminating in Mount Cook,
country’s highest peak. Also Franz Josef & Fox glaciers.
4 Associated Territories: Cook Islands, 2175 miles northeast of NZ; Niue,
570 miles west of Cook Islands (100 sq miles); Tokelau, 3 atolls about 600 miles
northwest of Niue (4 sq miles); & Ross Dependency, over 270,270 sq
miles of Antarctic.
Sightseeing
Tourist FM Radio: provides visitors travelling throughout NZ with information
on history & culture of an area, availability of local services, accommodation
& activities 24 hrs a day. Blue road sign tells visitors they are in broadcast
area with transmission on frequency 88.2 FM (100.4 FM for German language &
100.8 FM for Japanese language).
Upland Journeys - Guided 1-day nature walks in Fiordland National Park
North Island
Northland 'Te
Raki': West coast kauri forests, 90 Mile Beach, Bay of Islands & Cape Reinga.
Auckland & Devonport
Auckland, 'City of Sails',
between 2 stunning harbours, enjoys mild year-round climate. Country's most
visited region & largest urban area.
Coromandel Peninsula:
Fine beaches, vacation
resorts & great hiking trails just 1-1/2 hours east of Auckland.
Waikato: Riverside
city of Hamilton, known for lush pasture lands. Beneath
rolling southern hills are Waitomo
Caves
Bay of
Plenty&Tauranga:Favourite
vacation spot with great climate & superb surfing beaches at
Mount
Manganui.
Check out Kiwifruit country.
Turangi - Tongariro &Lake Taupo
Lake formed after world's
largest volcanic eruption. Water attractions - jetboating, water-skiing, sailing
& swimming. Trout fishery world-renowned.
Rotorua, Heart
of North Island, only 3 hour's drive from Auckland, famous for awesome geothermal
activity. Bathe in soothing thermal spas. Experience culture & hospitality
of Maori people.
Ruapheu, Dominating Tongariro National Park is North Island's
highest peak, the active volcano, Mount Ruapehu that occasionally provides spectacular
pyrotechnic display. In winter slopes are premier skifields; in summer sub-alpine
walks.
Eastland
Gisborne
2000
Gisborne, main city
of region is favourite holiday spot with great surfing beaches, sunny climate
& long-established vineyards. With high Maori population, area has some
carved historic buildings. To west, Te Urewera National Park has forest walks
around Lake Waikaremoana.
Hawkes Bay - Napier
Area of fruit growing
& vineyards. After being razed by earthquake & fire in 1930s Napier
rebuilt in art deco style with finest collection of art deco
architecture in world. Natural attraction are gannets - one of few mainland
colonies in world.
New Plymouth,
Taranaki & Palmerston North
In north, lush farmlands
dominated by almost-perfect cone of dormant volcano, Mount
Taranaki.
To south, Wanganui on historicWanganui River & Palmerston North, attractive
University City.
Wairarapa & Kapiti Coast Beaches of Kapiti Coast & adjacent inland
ranges support wide range of outdoor activities. Over ranges, Wairarapa provides
adventure activities & classic wine growing area at Martinborough.
Wellington Region of lower North Island, which
includes capital, Wairarapa, Hutt Valley, Porirua & Kapiti Coast.
South Island
Marlborough: Stunning
scenery, wine trails, waterways & hiking trails.
Nelson: Nature,
art, fine food & wine
& adventure experiences.Abel
Tasman National Park. Golden
Bay.
Murchison
& St.Arnaud.
West Coast: Bounded by Southern Alps & Tasman
Sea, combines adventure & history with breathtaking scenery. Glaciers, native
rainforests, river gorges & wildlife make this one of most scenic regions.
Christchurch, Canterbury& Ashburton
South Island's largest
city, with country's 2nd major international airport. Vibrant city of exciting
festivals, art galleries, theatres & shopping.
Chatham Islands:
"First to See
Sun". 800 kms from any inhabited land in South Pacific, some 850
kms east of mainland.
Mackenzie Country:
land of lakes, open spaces & golden, tussock-covered hills that roll towards
Southern Alps. Dominant is Mount Cook, highest mountain. Flight- seeing to Tasman
Glacier - a highlight. Mount
Dunedin, with
Scottish feel, possesses grand architecture, museums, galleries & fine gardens,
plus wildlife on nearby Otago Peninsula.
Queenstown
Cromwell
Glenorchy Arrowtown
Nestled beside deep
blue waters of Lake Wakatipu, at foot of Remarkables Mountain Range, Queenstown
is year round active resort.
Wanaka offers variety of outdoor activities
from skiing & snowboarding in winter to windsurfing on lake Wanaka in summer.
Fiordland & Te
Anau
One of largest national
parks in world, World Heritage Area. Waterfalls tumble into deep glaciated forest
valleys surrounded by towering granite peaks & where coast deeply indented
with fiords.
Southland
Unspoilt in its isolation,
Stewart Island offers superb forest walks & cruises around some of New Zealand's
most beautiful coastal waters.
Eating Out
New Zealand
has reputation as leading producer of meat & dairy produce with lamb, beef
& pork on most menus. Venison widely available as deer farming increases.
Locally produced vegetables, such as kumara (natural sweet potato), good. Range
of fish including snapper, grouper, John Dory & trout. Seasonal delicacies
- whitebait, oysters, crayfish, scallops & game birds recommended. New Zealand’s
traditional dessert is pavlova, large round cake with meringue base,
topped with fruit & cream.
Many picnic areas with barbecue
facilities provided at roadside sites.
Restaurants usually informal
except for very exclusive ones. Many restaurants require customer to bring own
liquor.
Tipping: Tips
generally given in appreciation of extra-special service or kindness, at discretion
of visitors. Service charges not added to hotel or restaurant bills.
Liquor laws fairly liberal & most night-spots, restaurants & cafes
serve liquor 7 days a week.
Have you been to New Zealand and know about some more great highlights worth a mention? Add details for other visitors to read about.
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