I went to New Zealand last year and traveled around the place. New Zealand is beautiful during summer. I reckon summer is the best time to visit NZ – having lived there, I know how unforgiving the cold winters can be and the reduced amount of daylight is a bit of a turnoff.
Summer on the other hand has plenty of sunlight and warmth to go and do the things you love. The pointed Mitre Peak shown above is probably one of the most famous sights at Milford Sound.
Milford Sound is a fjord that is probably NZ’s most popular tourist destination. The vista is truly breathtaking and the tips of the mountains are topped with permafrost…even in summer. Rudyard Kipling is said to have called it “the Eighth Wonder of the World”.
Rotorua is one of my favorite places in New Zealand. I fell in love with it the first time I was there – about 17 years ago. The smell of sulfur that assaults your nostrils as soon as you get there is off-putting to some…but to me it smells like VACATION! 😀
(which it was)
Glaciers in summer?
Yes! It is in fact the only time you can do a glacier hike. Summer is the best time to hit Fox Glacier and Franz Josef Glacier and walk about the place.
It’s about 1-2 hours and an amazing experience for those who’s doing it for the first time. Imagine cooling off the summer heat with a nice visit to the glaciers. You can experience extreme hot and cold weathers – hell, almost four seasons, in just one trip. 🙂
New Zealand is one of the those places that has something for everyone:
I can go out and hit the exclusive clubs at Auckland Quay with my friends and end the night by eating a sausage roll to soak up the excess beer…and wake up the next day to go bungee jumping.
My sister can sit and have a long lunch at one of the quaint cafes.
My mom can take a leisurely stroll along Lake Tekapo.
My dad can soak up history by visiting the Church of the Good Shepard.
New Zealand is such an awesome place that you won’t be able to glean even the surface of what it has to offer in a single trip. I’ve did my high school in Christchurch and I’m lucky enough to have a sister who lives in Auckland so I can crash at her house, eat her food and drive her car for free visit her to enhance family ties.
However, it’s really not that expensive to visit New Zealand. The flights are very affordable with AirAsiaX. I also recommend staying at backpacker places and renting a car to drive around. Your license is valid in New Zealand. Begin your journey by surfing over to Pure Joy Summer 2011 where you can discover all the wonderful places you want to go.
Fancy a dip in the Champagne Pool? 
Wow glacier hiking in the summer? must be a unique experience. did you fly straight into auckland? where is the champagne pool?
Yup, you can only do it during summer. It’s too cold during winter. 🙂
New Zealand is very close to Antarctica so the winters there can be a bit harsh for those not used to it. I had hail the size of marbles coming down on me the first year I was in Riccarton High School. Now I know why you need an umbrella. Haha.
It’s a lot of fun though – I prefer Franz Josef Glacier. I flew straight into Auckland at that time but it’s cheaper to fly to Christchurch using AAX. Christchurch has a lot of fun places too, that was where I did my high school.
The champagne pool is in Rotorua. If you want the full experience, start at Christchurch, swing down to Dunedin and back up to the North Island. That’s how we did it during my first landing for PR when I was 13. 🙂
omgomg now i’m even more excited for my NZ trip next year! i think it’ll be springtime when i’m there though.
Oh ya, you’re going to New Zealand next year! 😀
I’m tempted to go as well, haven’t visited Christchurch in a while. Hey Fresh, if you need a place to stay in Auckland you can crash at my sister’s place. She lives with her husband and my niece. 🙂
man, this reminds me of LotR
Yeah, I love the Lord of the Rings movies! Quite a good book-to-movie deal and it’s filmed in New Zealand.
I believe The Hobbit is just resume filming last month in NZ too. I can’t wait to catch that one. 🙂
I always believe that the grass is always greener on the other side! The cloud looks prettier too… I’m looking forward to my trip next year
Hey, you’re going to New Zealand next year too Charmaine?
A lot of my friends are headed to NZ. 😀
Yup, it’s a very nice place alright, having lived there when I was doing my high school, I can say that it’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been to.
Have fun on your trip to NZ! 🙂
I love NZ – laid back, slow, relaxing…maybe not for those into clubbing, the type that prefer Thailand and Bali and the like. I love the southern part of England too…but the UK’s very expensive. People love China, not me…and I did not like Oz – the first and the last time I went. NZ, been twice and I would not mind going again – but Mother Nature has not been very kind lately – earthquakes, wild weather, snow… Hope to go again sometime when things get a bit better…
Yeah, the best thing about New Zealand is the beautiful scenery, nature activities and stuff like that. I agree, it’s very laid back. One thing I miss the most is the dairies in the suburbs – popping in and grabbing a pie is awesome stuff. I used to live opposite to one 15 years ago. Heh.
Well, nature is like that, it happens all over the world. My sister has lived there since we went to do our high school in Christchurch and she’s still there. 🙂
…doing fine too, although she’s in Auckland.
I am planning to go to NZ again too, more towards Christchurch this time. I never got to take a photo of my old school, meant to do that last time I was in NZ. I wanted to see how it looks like now. 😀
My favorite place in NZ is still Rotorua though.
new zealand looks awesome as usual, and the light brings hope instead of ‘going to die but not yet’. LOL
Haha! That was taken at Milford Sound, I didn’t do it intentionally, just realized that the flare was exceptionally strong when I went through photos I took during my last New Zealand trip. 🙂
Yeah, it’s always awesome! There’s something new each time.
It’s the first time I’ve ever been glacier hiking. I never got around to doing it while I was actually studying there (coz I was a high school student with limited funds). I’m glad I went during the last trip.
it’s an interesting activity to do during summer. I prefer Franz Josef Glacier – the icefalls are more sublime. 😀
HB, I think women like NZ more than men due to more freedom equal treatment in that country.
Hmm…that is also true for all developed countries. 🙂
I guess you have a point, my sister is a doctor in Auckland. She went there at the same time I did and never came back to Malaysia.
always wanted to visit NZ. looks amazing!
Yeah, New Zealand is a wonderfully beautiful country. 🙂
There’s so much to do there too, some of it unique to NZ. Plan a trip and have fun bro! 😀
the view does look pretty amazing there!
Yeah, it is beautiful! You should go someday bro! 😀
Great post! If u do visit Auckland again..let us know…
The sausage and onion was goooodd..ay..
Hey cheers for bringing me out. Haha! It was fun eh? I got so inebriated during the night that I can’t remember taking that photo. 🙂