What not to expect or do in New Zealand

What not to expect or do in New Zealand

New Zealand is an easy and generally hassle free country to visit, and while you may be getting excited about what you can expect to see and do in beautiful Aotearoa, here is some useful information about what you should not expect in New Zealand, or what is not really recommended to do during your NZ trip.

 

1. Too much is too much

A While New Zealand may be a "relatively" small country, do not be misguided by the size of the country when it comes to traveling around. Distances between places to visit may not be too big, and even though the New Zealand roads are well maintained and in good condition, the geography of New Zealand is such that getting around is slower than what you might expect. Roads are hilly and windy, sometimes very windy, which means that you should not expect to average more than 80km per hour when traveling around. So a good piece of advice for if you are limited on time is to not try and see the entire country, but focus on specific regions. If you still want to visit both North and South Islands, you may even consider getting an internal flight between destinations. For people with more than a month available for traveling around New Zealand, you should have plenty of time to see most of New Zealand at a relatively relaxed pace. 

 

2. Don't leave your belongings out in the open

New Zealanders are among the kindest and most honest people in the world, but that doesn't mean you should be inviting people either to steal your belongings. Do not leave your valuables in plain sight in your vehicle and always lock your doors, whether there are many people around or not.

 

3. Seeing many people


Consider this. New Zealand's total population is about 4.5 million, and a third of that number lives in Auckland. Perhaps the other larger cities such as Wellington, Christchurch and Hamilton combined make up for another million people. That means the rest of New Zealand is pretty empty! So don't expect crowds, or busy roads (apart from Auckland and Wellington). You'll probably see more sheep and cattle during your tour of New Zealand anyway.

 

4. Peak Season


Peak season in New Zealand coincides with the school holidays in NZ, which run from around mid December until around mid February, which also coincides with the best time of year for weather you may think. This is not necessarily true, and you may find that traveling in November is really pleasant, as well as March and April, in particularly March when the days are still long, the weather is still warm and very stable. So if you can, do avoid traveling around NZ in those peak summer months when many Kiwis themselves are holidaying in New Zealand.

 

 

5. Underestimating jetlag

Let's face it, you've most likely had a long journey traveling to New Zealand with many time zone changes and hours on a plane, so jetlag will creep in when you get here. Particularly if you are self driving New Zealand, do not start driving the day of your arrival, but take time to relax and get a good night's rest. Chances are you are flat out by 8pm anyway. In the following days you may want to take advantage of the early wake ups perhaps to get the most out of your day, so that when you start feeling tired again late afternoon, you have enjoyed a full day. 

 

6. New Zealand in winter

It would be a mistake to think that New Zealand is only a summer holiday destination. Well, it is not! While it may definitely be wetter, there are plenty of days with sunshine still, the winter temperatures in NZ are not as cold as in many other places in the world, and in case you want to spend time in the mountains skiing, the Southern Alps provide ample opportunity for skiing in winter.

 

7. Tipping

Tipping is not a custom in New Zealand, so don't tip unless you absolutely feel you had an incredible service. It is not expected from you anyway, and chances are you have forked out a lot of money already just getting to New Zealand.

 

8. Driving too slow, and the right side of the road

If you are self driving in New Zealand, and you are a slow driver, then an important rule to remember is to pull over to the left when you have the chance to let traffic behind you pass safely. And remember to drive on the left hand side of the road!

 

9. Ignoring weather warnings

The weather in New Zealand is very changeable so do heed weather warning and don't ignore these. Check for road conditions in adverse weather conditions and do not attempt to drive the higher passes in snow conditions. Rainfall can be extremely heavy in winter and landslides and floodings do occur, with the possibility of road closures, so always check your next day's route before setting off.

 

10. Staying on the tourist trail

You're visiting on of the most beautiful countries in the world, and even that New Zealand is an uncrowded place, that's not always true for the main sightseeing attractions in NZ. These tourist hotspots do get crowded, and sure, there is a very good reason for it...But New Zealand off the beaten track offers equally stunning scenery without the crowds and more among locals, so do venture a little bit further off the beaten track, and you will not be dissapointed!