LakesideChick

Would you recommend an overnight cruise on Milford Sound, or a day trip?

Also, if you had 5 full days to get from Wellington to Auckland, how wold you fill them? We are interested in photography, history and great food.

someotherguy

I enjoyed an overnight cruise on Milford Sound. First of all, the timing means you avoid the traffic on the drive to and from the sound (which is at least as magnificent as the boat trip). Then the light in the sound (if you are lucky with the weather) is good in the evening and spectacular in the morning. When I did it, we did some kayaking, then moored part way down the sound overnight, then went out into the Tasman and back the length of the sound in the morning. Plus, it's a good use of time. OTOH, it's not like sleeping in a hotel or cruise ship, so don't plan to do too much the next day.

From Wellington, I'd go counterclockwise: Napier, Gisborne, Bay of Plenty (maybe White Island), then Rotorua or Coromandel (or both if you can fit them in). It's worth seeing glow worms if you can, but the best-known place, Waitomo, is out of the way in this direction. Note that these are all 1* sights, or 2* at best; I'd rate the sights North of Auckland more highly.

You'll probably get recommendations for Lake Taupo and Tongariro but I was unimpressed by these (assuming you've been in mountains and seen alpine lakes before).

LakesideChick

Thanks.... the overnight cruise sound good. Where in the NI do you think (in the area we have to pick from) is best for photos? We are thinking of ziplining in Rotorua as well.. have you done that?

victorbritts

Over night cruise will gives you lifetime experience.

annhig

'chick - you seem to be asking all "my" questions. we're lucky that we do have time for the Bay of Islands but as you know we're struggling with how to divide the rest of our time.

I'll be interested to see what other replies you receive.

now I've got a related question of my own:

anyone recommending Doubtful Sound over Milford?

someotherguy

LakesideChick: It depends on what kind of photos you are after: scenery, people, architecture? Napier has the Art Deco buildings, Coromandel has coastal scenery, Rotorua has geysers (Waiotapu is the most scenic place).

I've no experience Ziplining.

Annhig: the boat trip is just part of the Milford Sound experience. You also get to drive the mountain road to get there. This is the most spectacular scenery you will see in New Zealand (unless you go into Mt Cook), far more impressive than the West Coast or Arthur's Pass. The actual boat experience is also different: Milford Sound is scenic, Doubtful Sound is bigger and has more of a wilderness feel (you also get to go across Lake Manapouri and take a bus from there over a pass with an awesome view of the sound).

ElendilPickle

We spent 10 days on the North Island in 2004. We did a loop from Auckland to the Bay of Plenty, Rotorua, Tongariro National Park, Wellington, Kaitoke Regional Park, Wanganui, Egmont National Park, Waitomo, and back to Auckland.

Unfortunately, none of our pictures are currently online, but we got some great pictures on our way to the Bay of Plenty, as well as in Rotorua, Tongariro, and Wellington.

Lee Ann

Melnq8

I've done both Milford and Doubtful (day trips) and I still can't tell you which is 'better'.

Basically, it comes down to time, cost, weather and accessibility.

The trip to Doubtful is a full day commitment from Manapouri. Plus there's the time needed to get to/from Manapouri from Te Anau (20 minutes) or Queenstown (two hours). And then back.

Part of the expense of Doubtful is just getting there - first you take a boat across Lake Manapouri, then connect to a bus, which descends into the Manapouri Underground Power Station for a short visit. Then the bus continues over Wilmot Pass for 22 km to Deep Cove, where you board another boat for the three hour cruise.

Doubtful (like Milford) gets over 200 days of rain a year, so consider yourself very lucky if you have a sunny clear day.

I enjoyed Doubtful, but I would have enjoyed it a lot more if the sun had been out. Those spectacular views you see in print aren't necessarily visible in the rain/fog.

Milford on the other hand, can also be a full day commitment, depending on where you're coming from. It's a four hour drive to Milford from Queenstown, two hours from Te Anau.

As someotherguy mentioned, the journey is a big part of the appeal. The road into Milford is stunning, and there are many excellent tracks and overlooks to explore, and spectacular vistas that just beg to be photographed.

Milford also gets a ton of rain; while it's glorious on a clear sunny day, the experience is entirely different on a wet, foggy day. The tour operators will tell you that the waterfalls more than make up for the lack of sunshine, but I've seen Milford both ways, and I beg to differ.

If at all possible, I suggest you wait until you get there and see what the weather is up to before you decide which cruise to take. I realize this isn't always possible with the overnight cruises, and the Doubtful day cruises fill up a few days in advance, but for Milford, you can just decide the day you go.

peterSale

I would suggest spending as much time as possible at such special places as Milford. It is better to take your time and miss a minor attraction than to be rushed. From all accounts the day trip is very long and you would probably regret not taking your time.

All of NZ is photogenic. However, up the middle through the mountains, lakes and thermal areas then across the top coastal area will give you a good mix of scenery.

As said, Napier is good fro art deco architecture but it is a bit out of the way.

My trip report will give you prices and links to free things to do in Rotorua. Many of the best spots are actually free, but obviously not well advertised. We were there over Easter.

Songdoc

Re: your five days ...
If you like gorgeous scenery & nature walks I would take the ferry across then spend a couple of days in Abel Tasman. Then fly from Nelson to spend a night in Rotorua. I loved Abel Tasman, and Waimangu Volcanic Park in Rotorua enough to return on a second trip.