3 weeks in NZ on budget
 

We have a 3-week vacation starting in early February and are considering New Zealand, where we've never been. Could you help me develop a realistic budget? We don't need to move around all the time, in other words could get a week or two rental in one spot if it has a lot to offer. We don't need anything fancy, just clean and basic accommodations. We love beautiful scenery, walking, maybe even golfing if not too expensive. I guess we'll need a rental car. Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

Laura -

I don't know what you've got in mind, but inexpensive lodging in NZ is easy to find. It can range from hostels/backpackers accommodation, tourist flats at holiday parks and self-contained motels.

I would suggest you decide where you'd like to stay, then do a search for budget accommodation in that area. Keep in mind that if you stick with self-catering motels, you'll have kitchen facilities, so you can prepare your own food and save money that way.

Outside of your airfare, a rental car will probably be your biggest expense. You can save money by renting from an agency that rents older vehicles - I believe APEX is one.

I know you can stay in a good motel for as low as $39 US, because I've done it. I'm sure you can go even cheaper, you just need to do some research.

Another possibility might be to stay in a cottage or bach that offers reductions for longer stays. You might want to look at the following sites to give you some ideas: www.holidayhouses.co.nz. or www.placestostay.co.nz.

You'll pay more in tourist towns like Queenstown, etc, but you might be surprised at the deals you can find in other areas.

I hope this helps.

I would also suggest hiring a vehicle, as suggested above. Here are some rate from Car Rental NZ: http://www.carrentalsnz.net.nz/car_types.htm#Budget

I would further suggest that you not stay somewhere for a week at a time - instead drive from place to place, covering much more ground and seeing many more places. You can easily drop into one of the ubiquitous holiday parks in any town, most of which have 'tourist flats' which tend to be cabins of some sort. These are quite economical, and all such parks have communal kitchen/dining facilities, so you can cook your own food and commune with fellow tourists. There are several lists of such parks on the Web, such as: http://www.holidayparks.co.nz/ or, http://www.topparks.co.nz/
Expect to pay between NZ$30 and NZ$60 for such accommodations.

Food will be slightly more expensive than in the U.S., but you can have a great economical time!

Playing golf here is very reasonably priced compared to other countries, at small towns the local clubs charge about
$10US, the resorts about $25US and the luxury resorts if you can get in are in comparison to Greenbrier Resort in WV.
Bring a few clubs of your own if you can otherwise it doubles the price per round. Some of the small clubs have the best hospitality and you can often join up with a few locals. Have fun.

Thanks for the info. I'm not sure if the trip will materialize, but it's great to dream about!