11 Things to Know Before Traveling to New Zealand

Thanks to New Zealand’s extensive visa waiver scheme, border formalities for most foreign visitors are a breeze.

Many nationalities—including American, Canadian, British, and most E.U. passport holders—don’t need a visa to visit Aotearoa. They just require a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA), which allows visits of up to three months (or six months for Brits).

Travelers apply to New Zealand Immigration for an NZeTA, either online or by using their app. It costs $17 NZ via the app and $23 NZ if you apply online. Approval is usually granted within 72 hours, and as the NZeTA is an electronic permit, there’s no need for a sticker or a stamp on your passport. The authority is valid for multiple entries within two years of issue, but visiting is limited to a maximum total of six months in any 12-month period. Your passport needs to be valid for at least three months after your planned date of departure.

At the same time as applying for their NZeTA, visitors will have to pay New Zealand’s International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy of $100 NZ. This charge funds tourism infrastructure around the country and helps protect New Zealand’s natural environment from the impact of visitors.

New Zealand is one of the numerous countries around the world that chose the name “dollar” for its currency. Exchange rates between the various dollars fluctuate, of course, but at the time of writing, one U.S. dollar equals about two New Zealand dollars.

Bills (or “notes,” as the locals would say) are constructed from a springy plasticized paper, which makes them water resistant: handy if you intend to indulge in the aquatic pastimes much beloved by Kiwis. And they still bear a picture of the head of the British monarch—a reminder that New Zealand is a former colony and still part of the British Commonwealth of Nations.

But you won’t need to carry too much cash, as cards are king here and accepted everywhere. It might be wise to keep some notes in your wallet, however, as card machines and ATMs can sometimes be a little fussy about overseas plastic.

Prices in New Zealand might be a little higher than you’re used to—a natural consequence of the country being tucked away at the bottom of the globe, pushing up the cost of imports from the rest of the world. And like many other places on Earth, New Zealand is currently experiencing a cost-of-living crisis.

Groceries, in particular, can seem expensive, a situation not helped by the fact that New Zealand’s three big supermarkets are owned by two companies. Successive governments have sworn over the years to address this duopoly, but little has changed, and Kiwis pay more for their kai (food) than many other comparable countries.

If you’re hiring a vehicle, expect gas (called “petrol” and sold in liters, not gallons) to cost almost twice as much as you’d expect to pay in the USA. But other travel costs — such as accommodation and eating out—are not particularly high in global terms, especially if you take advantage of New Zealand’s plentiful motels and simpler restaurants.

If you’re not joining an organized tour and you want to see New Zealand outside the major towns and cities—and you really should!—you’ll probably want to hire a car, or perhaps a campervan.

You’ll find all the familiar names of the international hire companies operating in New Zealand, but it pays to check out the local firms; they are often more cost-effective but just as reliable. If you’re visiting in winter, be aware that you may need to use snow chains, especially when passing through the Southern Alps. Your rental company should be able to advise, provide them, and show you how to fit them.

If you’re embracing the liberation of touring and sleeping in a campervan, be aware that freedom camping—the practice of staying overnight wherever you like — is often illegal outside designated locations.

New Zealand’s main road is SH1, (State Highway 1), which is 2,033 km (1,263 miles) long and runs from the top tip of the North Island to Invercargill at the bottom of the South Island. But if you intend to drive its length you’ll also need the Interislander ferry, which carries people and vehicles across the Cook Strait from Wellington in the North Island to Picton on the South Island.

New Zealanders tend to prefer to drive over using public transport. So, although national bus and train networks do exist, they are perhaps not as expansive as in comparable nations.

Inter-city bus routes are operated by the suitably named InterCity bus company, which serves major towns and cities across both islands. New Zealand also has a national rail network operated by KiwiRail, the passenger services of which tend to focus on the more picturesque areas of the country. From a tourist’s perspective, the most useful routes are

– The Northern Explorer, connecting Auckland to Wellington
– The Coastal Pacific line, which hugs the South Island’s beautiful east coast from Picton’s ferry port to Christchurch
– The TranzAlpine line, which squeezes through a pass in the Southern Alps to link Christchurch to Greymouth on the west coast

And, of course, you can fly between destinations. Major airports serve Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Queenstown, and all are capable of handling international flights. In addition, across the two islands, some 23 smaller airports and aerodromes service domestic flights to local communities.

But pause for a moment to consider if you really need to take to the air. Environmental considerations aside, much of New Zealand’s charm is to be found in the communities and landscapes experienced when exploring the country with your feet (or wheels) firmly on the ground.

The country’s three biggest cities—Auckland, Christchurch, and the capital, Wellington—all have good public bus transport systems, with Auckland and Wellington also supporting metropolitan and suburban rail services. And naturally, the bigger population centers have traditional taxi services and ride-share companies such as Uber.

However, no city in New Zealand offers an underground rapid transit system. And all the urban tram systems are now reduced to tourist attractions, trundling around limited parts of Auckland and Christchurch to remind visitors how residents once commuted around the city.

But if you’re confident on two wheels, shorter urban trips are made easy by the electric bicycles or scooters available in many major Kiwi towns and cities. You’ll find them parked on the sidewalks, and you just need the right app and a credit card to activate a one-way ride to your destination.

In the spirit of full disclosure, if you’re traveling primarily for a gastronomic experience, then you might be better served booking a flight to Paris, Tokyo, or Rome. Or somewhere. New Zealand’s charms lie more in its natural beauty than in its native cuisine.

Staples of mainstream Kiwi mealtimes are often descended from the British foodstuffs and habits imported by the colonial settlers of the 19th century and the influx of Brits after the Second World War. Fish and chips are perhaps the most visible vestige of the U.K.’s culinary influence on Kiwi culture, but meat pies are also popular, along with lamb and beef—as evidenced by the number of sheep and cows you’ll see in New Zealand’s rural areas.

But it’s not all British batter, pastry, and stodge; immigration from elsewhere in the world has helped New Zealand raise its game in the food stakes. Global cuisine, particularly from various Asian areas, has added some much-needed spice to the Kiwi dining experience in recent years.

Māori influence also brings diversity to the nation’s kai (food) through the tradition of hāngī, in which various foodstuffs are slow-cooked in an underground pit. It’s an important part of traditional Māori hospitality and can be experienced at various tourist-orientated locations, especially in the North Island.

New Zealand has perfected the cultivation of some fine temperate-location varieties of grape, allowing Kiwi vineyards to create world-leading wines. Make sure that a visit to a vineyard is part of your itinerary, and come away with a bottle or two.

Compared to many international destinations, New Zealand presents low health risks to travelers. Other than the katipō spider—a critter so rare that it’s endangered—there are none of the infamously venomous arachnids and reptiles that lurk in neighboring Australia. And the more exotic diseases that might concern a traveler, such as dengue fever and malaria, are not Indigenous to Aotearoa.

There are no vaccination requirements to enter New Zealand, although it is recommended that you ensure any inoculation routine in your home country is up to date before you travel.

New Zealand has a modern government-funded healthcare system, largely free to residents at the point of delivery. As a visitor, your right to access it will depend on your home country; for example, Brits have more rights than Americans since a reciprocal agreement on healthcare exists between New Zealand and the U.K.

If you need emergency medical care, dial 111 for an ambulance (which is the same number for all the emergency services). Otherwise, you can present yourself at the emergency department of a hospital or visit a GP (a general practitioner, the Kiwi name for a primary care physician, or a family doctor).

Kiwis do have to pay for some medical services—such as dentistry and ambulance transport—and visitors should expect the same treatment. Travelers should always purchase appropriate medical insurance before coming to New Zealand. Although the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) might cover some of the costs of emergency medical treatment for tourists, there are limits and exclusions for non-emergency conditions.

New Zealand’s climate is complex, varying from warm subtropical conditions in the far north to cooler climates in the south. And the mountains which run down the spine of the country mean that the west coast is often considerably wetter than the east, especially in the South Island.

The seasons are, of course, reversed to what northern hemisphere dwellers are used to. Summer (December to February) is the warmest and sunniest season: visitor numbers are high, the beaches are full, and many locals take off to their bach (holiday home) for a break.

Autumn (March to May) is a great time to visit the nation’s forests, as the foliage turns a riot of reds, yellows, and golds. It’s also a great time to go for a tramp, (a hike), as usually temperatures have dropped from the summer highs, but the inclement weather has yet to arrive.

Winter (June to August) is the time to visit if winter sports are your thing. The skiing and boarding in Queenstown and Wānaka, and on the North Island’s Central Plateau, is best in July and August when the snow falls thickest.

Spring (September to November) sees warmer but wetter days. It’s a great season to spend time in New Zealand’s nature as the fields and forests come alive again.

However, the effects of climate change are being keenly felt in New Zealand, and the last few years have seen greater incidences of extreme weather events such as Cyclone Gabrielle, which ravaged the North Island in 2023. You can use the New Zealand Met Service website to keep an eye on the weather forecast.

New Zealand’s relatively moderate climate means that you don’t usually need to pack for extremes and being aware of the season in which you’ll be visiting should be your guide to what you’ll need.

If you’re tramping (hiking), cycling, or undertaking any other outdoor pursuits, athletic layers topped by a light waterproof jacket will help you counter changes in temperature. And if you’re going into the bush, a hat with a fly-veil would be useful.

Obviously, if you’re coming for winter sports, you’ll need appropriate cold-weather gear, including boots and gloves, but generally, New Zealand only gets thick snowfall at higher altitudes. Consider waterproof trousers in addition to a rain jacket, especially outside the summer months.

Although it’s quite remote on the globe, New Zealand is a modern, well-developed nation. You should find everything available in its shops that you would at home, so don’t worry if you forget to pack your roll-on deodorant. However, be aware that strict biosecurity regulations forbid bringing most foodstuffs into the country and are enforced at the border. So arming yourself with a month’s worth of your favorite deli pastrami is a no-no.

In global terms, New Zealand is a very safe country in which to travel. But it does have safety and crime issues of which visitors should be aware.

Solo females should find Aotearoa one of the planet’s easier societies to explore unbothered by unwanted attention but should exercise the same level of caution they would at home, especially in towns and cities. Travelers should take all the usual precautions to dissuade theft of their belongings. Don’t leave valuables visible in a parked vehicle and be aware that camper vans parked in remote spots are sometimes targeted by thieves looking for high-value items while the occupants are out on a tramp.

The multicultural nature of the nation means that Kiwis are used to rubbing along with all kinds of folk, and the default attitude of most New Zealanders is to treat people fairly, equally, and in a friendly manner.

So blatant racism is unusual, and LGBTQ+ travelers should also not normally experience any overt prejudice. However, recent rainbow events, such as library book readings and pride parades, have come under sometimes violent pressure from protest groups identifying themselves as Christian. Please exercise caution if joining public events of that nature.

Recent years have seen an uptick in the brazen shoplifting of food and other goods from supermarkets, along with ram raids on shops and the daylight robbery of jewelry stores by groups of armed offenders. While none of these crimes target tourists directly, they can be shocking if witnessed. Being a society where heavy security measures have not previously been necessary, New Zealand is struggling to work out how to deal with these unwelcome developments.

While violent crime does exist, gun crime is rare, and police do not routinely wear sidearms. However, police vehicles do contain firearms which can be deployed immediately.

For your personal security, consider getting a local pay-as-you-go SIM for your cell phone. They are usually available at international airports as you arrive, and also from the phone company shops in major towns and cities. Dial 111 to call the police or any other emergency service.

Kiwis most commonly speak English, although sometimes you’d be forgiven for thinking otherwise.

New Zealand English exhibits some curious shifts in vowel sounds. The letter “i” is generally pronounced as a “u”; thus the national dish “fish and chips” turns to “fush and chups” in the mouth of a Kiwi. And the letter “e” often emerges as an “i,” so rendering the word “neck” as “nick.” At first it can be quite confusing on the ear, but you do get used to it.

The strong presence of Māori culture in Aotearoa has influenced society, and the country now has three official languages: English, Māori, and New Zealand Sign Language.

As a result, it’s common for Māori words to pop up in English sentences, common examples being: “whānau” (extended family), “mahi” (which usually refers to work), “aroha” (love) and “kai” (food). When you see a macron (a line) above a vowel, just elongate the sound of the vowel when you pronounce it.

There’s even a word for people of European lineage—“Pākehā”—which is not pejorative, and freely used by all communities. The Māori greeting “kia ora,” which literally means “be healthy,” is commonly used by both Māori and Pākehā and can also be used to casually express thanks.

Another way to greet someone—or again, to say thank you—is “chur, bro!” But that’s about as casual as it gets, so make sure that the situation is appropriate.

And finally, although Kiwis are generally very agreeable people, visitors may find it hard to know if a local is agreeing with them or not. There’s a tendency among New Zealanders to use complex phrases such as “yeah, nah, yeah” and “nah, yeah, nah” when saying yes and no. If confronted with one of these streams of apparently contradictory words, remember that if it ends in “yeah,” that’s a yes. And if “nah” is the last word, then it’s a no. Got it? Good!

New Zealand’s main electricity is delivered at twice the voltage that is in the U.S. and Canada. With many modern appliances, this is not an issue, as they are designed to operate on a range of voltages from 110 volts in North America to 230 volts in New Zealand and most other countries. Check your appliance to see if that is the case.

However, some older or more specialist equipment may require a voltage adaptor, which can be purchased at an electrical hardware store. Not using one may damage your appliance and could even be dangerous.

Even if voltage is not a problem, you will almost certainly need a plug adaptor as New Zealand’s plugs resemble those in North America, but with the pins angled in towards each other. Again, a visit to an electrical hardware store will enable you to make your appliance Kiwi-compatible.

Getting online is easy in New Zealand. Airports, cafes and other public places often offer wi-fi, and it’s a standard facility in visitor accommodation. For optimal flexibility, you might like to buy a local SIM for your mobile device and use its data facility. Beware that in some more remote areas, cell phone reception might be patchy or non-existent.

If you’re a coffee connoisseur, you’ll find some of the world’s finest examples of barista craft in New Zealand. While the origins of the flat white are subject to hot debate, New Zealand certainly lays a credible claim to being its place of birth. Just don’t expect to enjoy one after mid-afternoon, when—even in the big cities—most of New Zealand’s cafes tend to close.

The practice is certainly an inconvenience for caffeine addicts and cafe culture aficionados. But it allows cafe workers to have a reasonable length of working day and a life outside work, which is very much in keeping with the New Zealand ethos. So when you visit, just embrace that chilled Kiwi approach; after all, experiencing the little differences is one of the reasons we travel. Chur, bro!