Advice Please!! Two week vacation in Australia and NZ in January.
 

Me and my hubby are planning to go on a vacation trip to Australia and NZ to celebrate our 9th wedding anniversary in January and we have 2 weeks. We are in the early stages of our planning and would like to get your expert advice and tips to help us put together a solid itinerary.

First, is there any advantage in choosing NZ or Australia as the starting point or it doesn’t matter? (BTW, we will be starting from San Francisco or LA)

Clothing: It will be Summer in Australia and NZ in January and so t-shirts and shorts will be fine. But should we also consider packing a jacket or rain coat?

Airlines: There are 100s of websites to choose for good deals for Air Tickets and hotels. Any websites that we should not miss to check?

This is our first visit, so is it wise to book a vacation package from US (for example by AAA) or booking a vacation package after reaching NZ or Australia or plan the trip ourself?

Thank you!
Snappy.

With only two weeks I strongly suggest you choose between Australia or NZ, but don't try to do both.

Australia is HUGE. NZ is much smaller, but but you can easily fill two weeks or longer on either one of the two islands, let alone both.

I certainly understand the temptation to see as much as possible, but two weeks just isn't sufficient time for both countries. You'll barely scratch the surface of one as it is.

Weather in Australia will vary significantly depending on what part of the country you visit. Weather in NZ can be unpredictible year round and it's always wise to be prepared for rain.

snappy, have a wonderful 9th anniversary! I agree with Melnq8, choose one country...either New Zealand or Australia. It will be more relaxing and cheaper to do one country instead of two. Plus, you'll see MORE in the country you choose.

I haven't been to Australia yet, but I've been to New Zealand twice. I LOVE the south island of New Zealand. We plan to go again some day! (We also want to see Australia someday.)

We had a wonderful 25th anniversary trip to New Zealand in February 2007 (late summer in NZ). My favorite experiences were our overnight trip on Doubtful Sound (romantic, beautiful, memorable); our stay on the gorgeous wild western coast of the south island; our visit to Mt. Cook...we got clear weather and loved staying at the casual and cozy Aoraki Mt. Cook Alpine Lodge right up in Mt. Cook village.

Also loved seeing the yellow-eyed penguins on the Otago Peninsula.

Have fun choosing!

I prefer independent travel. New Zealand is a good country for driving yourself, especially in their summer. Scenery around every bend in the road.

We really enjoyed our non-stop flight from LAX to Auckland on Air New Zealand. It was a 12-hour flight but it didn't seem that long. The seats were more comfortable than we expected, and we had our own individual video screens with movies on demand. They serve decent meals for a flight. We would definitely fly Air New Zealand again. When we arrived in Auckland, we caught our connecting flight to Dunedin. (Booked in advance...on Air New Zealand's web-site.)

We flew into Dunedin and out of Queenstown. We had 2 weeks in NZ.

Have you planned your own trip before? The trick is don't plan to drive too many hours in one day...and allow 2 or 3 nights in each destination so you have time to see the sites, relax, and take a walk in a gorgeous spot, or do an adventure sport, whatever you like...Try to minimize 1-night stays as they aren't relaxing and involve too much packing and unpacking, etc.

I prefer to book our accomodations in advance. I research driving times, and I always spend 3 nights at our first stop to allow for jet lag. So I try to fly into someplace interesting where there is plenty to do.

Queenstown would also be a good city in NZ to fly into. (LAX to Auckland, then connecting flight on to Queenstown.)

I agree with the above comments that with only 2 weeks, that really isn't enough time to visit both Australia and NZ. It's barely enough time to scratch the surface in either country. I was in NZ for 3 weeks last year and felt like I barely touched on a few highlights (although I did do a quick stopover in Sydney for 3 nights before getting to NZ, so it's doable if that's all you want is a quick "hi" to the Opera house and Harbor Bridge).

Airlines: Check out the websites for both Qantas and Air New Zealand, because they are always offering special deals.

Hi Snappy!

You'll find that many Fodorites will recommend choosing just one country (AUS or NZ) on your 2-week visit, as I found out when I first posted about our 23-day trip to both countries :-). I do wish we could do 2 separate trips but finances/vacation time limit us to doing both countries on one trip.

Anyway, here's an overview of our itinerary (still in the process of finalizing it). We will be in Aus/NZ in Dec/Jan (we have concentrated our NZ trip to the South Island).

'Hope this helps!


Melbourne - 2 days (Christmas Eve/Day with extended family, so this city is a required stopover for us :-) )

Ayers Rock - 3 days (summer is not one of the best times to go there but since we're probably not going back to Australia anytime in the next decade, we decided to make this stopover)

Sydney - 4 days

New Zealand South Island - 8 days (we fly into Christchurch and drive our way to Queenstown with stops along the way . . . We fly out of Queenstown at the end of the trip)

Cairns - 5 days (for our 5-day/4-night liveaboard dive trip in the Great Barrier Reef)

Sydney - 1 days (prior to returning to the US)

If you have your heart set on seeing both countries on this trip, I think you can do it by limiting NZ to the South Island and just choosing one or two Australian cities. Happy Anniversary!

Hi Snappy,

I have been planning a trip to Australia which started out as a trip to NZ. I have never been to either yet, but it really looks like they are vastly different. (gulp- I know I am about to get yelled at by some folks who live in both countries). NZ is just all about rugged nature, and readily offers Glacier Hiking and Tandem Hand gliding, and Cave swimming. AU has nature but specializes in luxury. You would be hard pressed to find even a 4-star hotel in NZ; AU seems to have dozens of 5 star hotels all over -perhaps the most in the world. Australia has a very active nightlife; after roughing it in New Zealand all day, people probably opt for sleep instead. In any event I agree that you need to choose just one country - and you will be able to see only a very small part of that country in two weeks. The choice depends on how athletic you are, and whether you want to be pampered in a luxurious extra-large whirlpool bath while watching a big screen TV in your hotel room after a day spent bridge climing and wine tasting.

SkaiSW -

As one who has visited both countries several times, I feel I need to comment on your remarks.

I'm not going to yell at you, but I respectfully disagree with your comment that NZ doesn't have luxury accommodation. NZ has many lux lodges and hotels, one just has to look for them.

For example -

Blanket Bay (Glenorchy) - I don't know about you, but I think a lodge that charges between $1,600 - 2,518 per night is probably pretty lux

www.blanketbay.com/

And this one -

Grasmere Lodge - which charges from $622 - 1,700 per person per night, exclusive of 12.5% goods and services tax

www.grasmere.co.nz

And this one -

http://www.treetops.co.nz/

I could list more, but I think you get my point.

I certainly agree that NZ and Australia are different from one another - afterall, they're different countries.

NZ is about the size of Colorado without nearly as many people. Australia is bigger than the US (minus Alaska), but with 10% of the population.

It stands to reason that a large country with more cities will offer more nightlife and a greater number of accommodation options. However, the assumption that a person need be athletic and willing to "rough it" to visit NZ is silly and dare I say it, ignorant.

SkaiSW - I really hope you didn't talk yourself out of visiting New Zealand based on your incorrect assumptions.

Melnq8,
Sorry -(this is how I learn). I will look again at going to New Zealand now in 2009 - can't do both countries in 2 weeks. But I won't drive myself in another country and it did seem when I looked at NZ like I would have to spend alot of time on a bus, and the rest of the time hiking. I like to walk alot, but I am 50 yo and overweight. Tell me more...

SkaiSW:
I am not going to "yell" at you either. However; may I, with the very greatest respect, suggest that categorizing countries which one has not visited and about which one has demonstrably very little knowlege, is unlikely to be helpful to other posters, or to oneself.

SkaiSW -

Granted, NZ is best seen by car. Is there a reason you're unwilling to drive? It's an easy place to get around once you've mastered driving on the left. And the lack of large cities is a bonus for left side driving newbies IMO.

There are buses and tours of course, but personally neither would work for me.

I'm an avid walker creeping up towards your age, but definitely not a multi-day tramper. I like a day of walking amongst beautful surroundings followed by a hot shower, a nice bottle of wine and a good dinner. NZ can definitely deliver that. As can Australia.

If you're strictly a city person, yeah, you might be disappointed in NZ, but please don't discount the entire country based on the idea that one must be athletic and frugal.

Apologies to Snappy for hijacking your thread.

With two weeks of time I would opt to do New Zealand this time and plan a little longer vacation time for Australia on another trip. The reason being that New Zealand is smaller in size, however not in quanity.

My wife & I visited Australia & New Zealand in 2003. We spent one week in New Zealand, visiting Auckland & Christ Church.

We spent 6 weeks in Australia visiting Sydney, Adelaide, Hobart, Ayers Rock, Perth, Surfers Paradise, & Port Douglas. We did a pretty good job in Australia but still felt that another day or two in each place would have been better - each location was so unique and different from the others. Two weeks would really limit you to only two places in Australia to visit and believe me to do justice to Australia you need to visit more than two places.

As for New Zealand we plan to go back on another trip just to see more of that country. I figure to do New Zealand justice we need at least two weeks but will probably aim for 3 weeks. Our one week didn't even scratch the surface of that beautiful place.

It's better, if you can, to provide enough time to really see and experience a place especially if the number of visits will be limited.

The New Zealand and Australia vacation was our best ever and one neither my wife of I will ever forget. We had a ball. Whatever time you spend you will wish you would have had more time at either one of these countries.

Firstly, a quick aside to jmoy.. PLEASE do not go to Ayers Rock in the middle of January. Really, it's just too too too hot - the average high is 100F.
To Snappy, re clothing: yes take jackets for NZ at night, if you have decided to do both countries.
You just really need to narrow down what you want.
How much scenery (NZ) vs city life (Oz)
Why not do 6-7 days in the south island of NZ, which is scenically the most gorgeous (ok, those of you who know, don't yell about the bay of islands, we are narrowing down, remember!). Then zap over to Cairns (far north queensland) to see the amazing Great Barrier Reef (I would imagine you could fly from Queenstown or Auckland or Wellington in NZ direct to Cairns airport. Spend 3-4 days exploring reef and rainforest, then the last 3 days in Sydney. Remember, Oz is huge so you have to allow for travel time. Cairns and Sydney are both on East coast.
or you could do other way around and fly direct to Cairns, then Sydney, then NZ - doesn't make any difference. Depends if you want to end up in city or scenery. Good luck!

Hi

I'd like to join the postings and do feel free to agree or disagree with what I say - I'd like to hold up my hand and say I feel reasonably qualified to talk up NZ being Scottish and have lived in & visited many countries over the years i.e. we know such a great thing when we see it!!! :D
(Re another posting about a perceived lower standard of accommodation to OZ, we were pampered to death when we lived in Asia for a number of years and we can tell you that the beauty of this country is that the scenery is free and you can stay in a huge range of accommodation from basic backpackers to 5 star -and anyhwere in between. The food is excellent and the wines, well that's why we came here they impressed us that much :))

So much so, that we immigrated to Nelson, top of the S Island of NZ 5 years ago. We have a vineyard / accommodation business and the majority of our overseas guests come from the US/Canada, followed by Australia, UK and Europe. Without doubt over the 3 years we have been hosting, we have NEVER had a complaint excepting our guests always wish they were able to spend more time! It's true to say this is a small country but there is so much to see and do and so many stop offs to take in the stunning scenery, you could easily spend 3 weeks in the SI alone. On our own and the collective experiences of our guests, I recommend flying into Christchurch Enjoy the city for a couple of days, then do a circular route, suggestions as follows; Up the East Coast to Kaikoura whale watching (easy day drive). Blenheim for wineries and then maybe the Marlborough Sounds. For boating, remote lodges, fishing and walking the Queen Charlotte track. Over to Nelson (Nelson has highest sunshine hrs in NZ)see the arts and crafts, World of wearable art, wineries, waterfont restaurants. Abel Tasman National Park, boating and nature walks, seal swimming, kayaking, hiking etc etc. If you have time drive over the 'marble mountain' to Golden Bay, this can be done day trip(Farewell Spit has the longest sandspit in the world at 35kms and is at the northernmost tip of the SI) Birdwatchers can be taken out there to view the birdlife on a day trip if you are staying overnight there. Back inland through the Buller Gorge then over the coast to the west stopping off at the Bayhouse Cafe for lunch (seal colony there also) on the wild west coast nr Westport, then continue to Hokitika. Stopping enroute at Punakaiki to view the Pancake Rocks(This drive is one of the worlds top rated by Lonely Planet). A night at Hokitika, see exquisite 'pounamu' greenstone pieces. Then proceed to the glaciers, stay at Fox Glacier do a heli hike or guided glacier hike. Then head over and stay at Wanaka (breathtakingly beautiful)and nearby Queenstown for at least 4 days, (NZ's adrenalin capital) jetboat, white water rafting, bungee jumping, tandem skydiving or chill out and enjoy the wineries, cruise on the lake and don't forget the ice bar. True to say it's pretty busy in the town itself with more bars/restaurants than you can shake a stick at, you won't be bored....Then back to Christchurch (nearly forgot Akaroa, a day trip from there and a very picturesque French settlement) and you'll have taken in many of the highlights and felt like you've really DONE the SI of NZ. Phew, now that I've gotten that off my chest, time for a coffee! We feel truly blessed to live and work here and am sure coming here will love it!

rubybay-

Welcome to Fodor's. I for one look forward to your future posts, as you live in one of my favorite places in the world.

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