jjheling

Hello,
my fiancé and I are looking to go to Sydney and New Zealand for our honeymoon for 2 weeks. Looking to spend New Years Eve in Sydney and then travel to NZ-either north or south island only. A few questions since this is our first trip there. Is that enough time for both places or should we just pick one? Also if going to NZ, will we get the most from north or south island? We like to hike and explore. Debating if renting a van would be a better and cheaper than a small car and hostels.
Thanks for your help!

BigRuss

<<Debating if renting a van would be a better and cheaper than a small car and hostels.>>

What is your nightly lodging budget?

NYE in Sydney is, on average, hideously expensive. Hotels multiply their rates by 2 or 3 due to demand. Restaurants are more expensive with NYE specials. In addition, Sydney restaurants have surcharges on New Years' Day because it's a holiday and they have to pay extra to their staff. Sydney in general is not inexpensive so if you're really considering spending your honeymoon in a bloody van in New Zealand, you may not be able to afford accommodations in Sydney over NYE and the added flight costs to New Zealand.

jjheling

Thank you for your post, with the high cost for New years, we may be better off staying in Australia and picking one more location there to visit. Do you think that would be more cost effective? I've just recently started to really try to plan everything and am just looking for suggestions.

tripplanner001

With 2 weeks and your interest in hiking, my suggestion would be to spend anywhere from 4-7 nights in Sydney, depending on how much you want to do in the city and surrounding region, and spend the rest of it in Tasmania.

In Sydney itself there is a lot of walking / easy-grade hiking trails you can do around the harbor. Check out WildWalks (www.wildwalks.com.au) for ideas on trails; you cannot go wrong with the walk from Spit Bridge to Manly Beach or from Rose Bay up through Vaucluse to South Head and then all the way down to Coogee Beach. There's plenty to do in the central part of Sydney too, if you're into gardens, museums, shopping, and the like.

You could also spend a couple of days out in the Blue Mountains to do some active sightseeing out there. Again, WildWalks has a lot of information about the hikes out there.

The most popular hiking destinations in Tasmania are Freycinet National Park on the east coast and Cradle Mountain in the north-west center of the island. You could fly into Launceston to access both parks. If you are more interested in coastal scenery, it may make sense to base yourself in and around Hobart and Port Arthur, as the coast down there is very much worth exploring.

We just came back from our third visit to Australia, where we spent just under a month in Sydney (including NYE at the Opera House), Melbourne, and Tasmania. Click on my username is access my report.

You could also spend your entire 2 weeks in NZ if you prefer that route. For hiking, I would go to the South Island over the North, even though there are plenty of opportunities on the North as well.

michelhuebeli

"Is that enough time for both places or should we just pick one?"

Three months is not enough for either, so this question can't really be answered easily. But considering how long it takes you to get "down under" in the first place, and how you might need a day or two to get your bearings and find your sleep pattern, I would advise against making it to both countries - that extra day of travel in between the two will further shorten the number of days that you can actually enjoy - in either place.

Pick one and stick with it. Read up some more and decide.

It's school holidays, general travel and festivity busy-ness time - you need reservations and sunscreen and patience...

Melnq8

And lots of money

tasmangirl

Forget Sydney. Some hotels will be booked out already and as others mention the prices are insane.
They have fireworks in Brisbane and the whole Southbank area is lovely with it's gardens and restaurants.
Or come to Auckland! We have fireworks as well. You could probably get a week at the Hilton for the same as a weekend in Sydney.

jjheling

Thank you all for your comments, I realize it was crazy to think we could do both. With that said, we are thinking about just doing New Zealand South Island for 2 weeks. We are looking for hiking/outdoor activities. There is a lot to see but we think we would be better off picking 3-4 main places to stay a few nights and really explore. Looking into flying into Queenstown for New years, renting a car and leaving out of Christchurch or vise versa. Need help with itinerary for 2 weeks. Thanks!!

michelhuebeli

Congrats on your decision.

There have been a lot of great suggestions lately on his board - start by searching under "New Zealand" and reading up on some of those exchanges.
For example, this one:
http://www.fodors.com/community/aust...the-ground.cfm

Bokhara2

Have a look at Melnq8's teriffic trip reports about the South Island of NZ.

There is a lot of good info on Trip Advisor's Australia & New Zealand forums, too.

I would also be costing out using Airbnb, motels & renting a normal sedan, rather than a camper van, unless you're experienced in driving them on winding, often narrow roads & absolutely committed to the campervan as an Experience in itself.

It often works out cheaper, by the time you factor in vehicle rental, fuel & insurance excess. You can still set up basic food catering to save some cash.

Have fun. FWIW, although Sydney's NYE is fabulous - Sydney is fabulous at any time - I think you have made the right decision, given your time & budget constraints.

New Zealand is gorgeous & you can come & visit us for NYE next year for your anniversary!

BigRuss

<<With that said, we are thinking about just doing New Zealand South Island for 2 weeks. We are looking for hiking/outdoor activities.>>

Just be careful about following old guys with floppy hats into the mountains, especially if he's followed by four little fellers, a grumpy bearded git, two rough-hewn large men and a slight fellow with pointy ears.

ElendilPickle

As fellow budget travelers, you might enjoy reading our trip report from May 2016. We spent about two weeks on the South Island and had a wonderful time.
http://www.fodors.com/community/aust...-june-2016.cfm

Lee Ann

tasmangirl

Queenstown at New Year's is just as bad as Sydney (well relatively speaking as it is much smaller). Make your bookings now. It's the south Island hotspot for seeing in the New Year. If you are not fussed either way then start the trip in Christchurch.