New Zealand - Self Drive Trip in December 2007

[Wt_know]

Hi guys,

 

I'm planning a self-drive holiday in NZ in Dec. I have secured the airticket. Below is the self-drive route downloaded from http://www.newzealand.com/travel

 

Itenery:

Singapore -> Christchurch (14-Dec)

Christchurch (15-Dec)

Lake Tekapo + Mount Cook (16-Dec)

Omaru (17-Dec)

Dunedin (18-Dec)

Te Anau (19-Dec)

Queenstown (20-21 Dec)

Wanaka (22-Dec)

Franz Josef (23-Dec)

Greymounth (24-Dec)

Nelson (25-Dec) - not a popular town, maybe will reroute.

Blemheim (26-Dec) - not a popular town, maybe will reroute

Kaikoura (27-Dec)

Christchurch (28-Dec)

Christchurch -> Singapore (29-Dec)

 

Car rental:

It seems like thrifty is the cheapest car rental I can find in NZ. Are they reliable ?

http://www.thrifty.co.nz (1.8L - 2.0L), NZ$59 per day (excl insurance)

http://www.budget.co.nz (1.8L - 2.0L), NZ$68 per day (excl insurance)

 

I'm taking 1.8L-2.0L because it is only $5 more expensive than 1.6L

 

Accomodations:

Most likely I will book individual motel over the Internet instead of using the Golden Chain (limited choice). Any recomendations of motel based on above itenery ?

 

Any tips and comments are welcomed and greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks guys !

Edited August 20, 2007 by Wt_know

[Sabian]

i was planning to go to NZ ard the same time as you but the strengthening NZD put me off. Heading to US instead.

 

have u considered the fuel consumption of a bigger car (assuming only 2 pax sharing the costs?) as the distance for self drive in NZ coves a lot of ground.

 

You not doing the North Island?

[Tohdj]

>Nelson (25-Dec) - not a popular town, maybe will reroute.

>Blemheim (26-Dec) - not a popular town, maybe will reroute

 

not much in these 2 towns. skip it and spend some time in kaikoura and join the whale spotting cruise. Or take the helicopter ride at franz josef.

 

Nothing much at greymouth except jade mine, abandoned gold mine. But u need to take a rest while driving from franz josef -> kaikoura.

 

Te Anau is a lakeside town which serves as a transit area to milford sound. Nothing much there except a lake where you can canoe there. borrow from the owners or rent. If u not keen on milford sound, then skip this town.

 

Golden Chain motels are generally old. The best motel i stayed in was in greymouth...under the Flag Hotel chain. BTW their washing machine usage is free....The second best was bella vista in north island.

 

http://www.hotelstravel.com/newzealand-so.html

[Vertigo_blues]

Remember to visit the penguin colony in Omaru. Its the penguin capital of New Zealand. Its a nice little town there.

[Hiphiphoray]

Its best to take a bigger car since u are going to cover a lot of ground.

 

The last time i did self-drive in melbourne, i rented a Ford Terrority 3.5l. Comfortable ride for a family of 4, including a elderly and a young kid.

[Sabian]

Which part of North island did you like most?

 

I did plan to visit the northern tip where the Pacific meets the Indian Ocean...

[Porker]

Doesn't make sense Elmo. NZD is strengthening but its nowhere close to exchange rate between USD and SGD if you know what I mean

[Tohdj]

I toured both north and south island. 20++++++ days. Even drove the Coromandel. Skipped the northern tip though.

 

Actually we regretted going to north island....should've spent all 20+++++ days in south island. Nothing much to see in North Island compared to south. Rotorua hot spring is ok. Coromandel's white sands is on the eastern side of the place....which u need to drive 2~3 hours of dirt tracks from the Coromandel town.

[Sabian]

that is why my wife so happy...

 

if not for the NZD on steroids and USD overdosing on laxatives, I might have headed south.

[Sabian]

hehe...that was why I asked if you went to the North Island cos the northern tip was only thing that attracts me.

 

guess i may have to relook the north island.

[Tarzan666]

Bro...try NZ.com can book hotel & car there..saw corolla going at NZ40+, thinking of booking campervan, can save on hotel...hope suspension is good.

 

ANyway im oso going on 22 Nov - 14 dec,how much u paid 4 ur tix?

 

I paid $2k 4 airticket(qantas) incl tax + 5day motel stay + 5 day car rental(package bit exp IMO) rest of the days Im going to book separately...cheaper. tour agency quoting me $110/140 per day 4 car & motel respectively.

 

Itinerary not so sure..wife planning,she into nature coz she teaching geography...me juz need a break..

[Tohdj]

dun bother with north island. period.

 

i rented from hertz. during the offpeak period....hertz was charging me $29/day.

[Wt_know]

SQ air ticket cost me $1622 (per pax) inclusive of ALL TAXES.

 

Initially I was contemplating whether to go during peak period. Air ticket ex, car rental ex, motel ex, everything is ex. But what the heck, where got time to travel during non peak period ? hahaha

 

Decided to cover South Island only because all my friends say SKIP North Island.

 

I would like to thanks all for your feedbacks and suggestions. Let the suggestions keep coming especially what to do and what not to be missed

 

I going to use my Nokia Navigator as GPS ... need to download map from Route66. Where can get NZ free map ??

 

Going to confirm the car rental and motels by this week via Internet.

All the operators said peak period ar ... must confirm asap

Edited August 21, 2007 by Wt_know