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It could be chilly or........

by fishandchips

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It could be chilly or........
by fishandchips
It might be warm!!
by fishandchips
What to Pack
by Kakapo2
Be prepared
by TheWanderingCamel
Kimi the Bear & his luggage for a...
by Kakapo2

Most Viewed What to Pack in New Zealand

Packing List Christchurch

10 Reviews Make sure you bring plenty of warm clothing in our colder months of May through September. These months tend to be wetter than usual and often include a cold southerly wind which will make the...

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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Guide "Lord of The Rings Location Guidebook"

by halans

If you're a fan of the Lord of The Rings movie trilogy, you will love Lord of The Rings Location Guidebook (-$NZ25), the definitive guidebook on all locations used in the movies. Author Ian Brodie is a devoted Tolkien fan, director of the NZ Fighter Pilots Museum in Wanaka, and an established and successful aviation writer. It is lavishly illustrated with photographs of the locations, stunning movie stills provided by New Line Cinema, cast and crew contributions, interesting URLs, and even GPS locations (!). Not only LOTR locations, but also where the cast and crew went for dinner, shopping, ... This is where we got the tip for the Belgian brasserie 'Leuven' in Wellington. Else we would probably never have known.

Do not bring fruit and other fresh food into NZ

by Kakapo2

NEVER EVER bring fruit, vegetables, honey, meat, fish, flowers or such things into NZ. If you have not eaten your apple in the airplane, leave it there, or - your last chance - throw it into the amnesty bins at the terminal upon arrival. If you have this apple in your bag and you have not declared it and the MAF dogs discover them you will instantly pay a NZ$200 fine. Answer all questions in the immigration papers honestly, otherwise you could get into trouble. Update Feb. 2010: Although the MAF website is not updated yet the instant fine has increased to NZ$ 400.You are allowed to bring chocolate and biscuits and such stuff into the country, just note it in your papers.You are even allowed to bring preserved fruit in alcohol or brine solutions, just not fresh fruit. When you bring jams make sure they do not contain honey. Everything that contains honey is highly likely to be...

You just cant go without.....

by dandeelionz

Lots of warm clothes. Beanies, scarves, boots, socks, gloves, big warm jackets, (wind n waterproof), warm pants. Film, film, film. Make sure you take plenty of film/memory cards for your cameras. You will need it. If you think you have enough....get some more. Its an amazing place with amazing scenery. Charge your digital cameras and video recorders every night!!!

Air New Zealand's New Bag Allowance Policy

by Kakapo2

If you plan to get on a (or more) domestic flight(s) in New Zealand you should know about the new baggage policy of Air New Zealand that applies from 15 September 2008. In some cases it will surely make sense to pack for your international flight accordingly if you want to save some dollars.Only the first checked bag of up to 25 kg will be free. A second bag (whatever the weight is) will cost you $ 15, the third bag $ 50, and every further bag $ 200.International allowances will remain unchanged and depend on the weight and not on the number of bags. If you fly east via Australia and Hong Kong only 20 kg are allowed. If you fly west via the US you can travel with two bags weighing up to 23 kg each. (All this applies to economy class.)

Sand Flies are the scum of the earth.

by wrldtravler

Get a bucket of insect repellent. Most of the south island is infested with sand flies and they are a serious nuisance. We met and saw people come out of treks looking like they were hormonal teenagers with acne that could be considered a contraceptive (no sex with that face).Another thing to note with the sand flies is a few days later the itch subsides but when you take a hot water shower the itch returns .. this can go on for over a week or so.. quite annoying!

Remember it's the opposite season!

by IslandGirl10

If it's winter when you go you are probably going to need your two bag limit as airlines are getting finicky about weight. An unbrella would have been a great idea. You will need walking shoes! If you go in the winter, a mid weight jacket with a windbreaker is a nice thing! Take a nicer pair of shoes if you are planning to go out to nicer restaurants in the evening. Even though medicines are fairly plentiful, they are expensive. Take what you need when you go. If you are on any prescription drugs, get a letter from your doctor before you go about the medication and the reason you take it, just in case customs asks. We took our digital camera and our laptop. I took 500 photos, so it was nice to be able to download them once the memory card was full. We also took our video camera and made a few DVD's. The scenery can keep you busy! Pack a lightweight bag so you can take gifts home for...

Be prepared for all seasons

by Kakapo2

Really depends on your way and preferences of travelling. I have totally given up hard-case suitcases because they weigh so much that you cannot pack anything... LOL And soft-case suitcases are more forgiving if you buy too many souvenirs in NZ and have to "extend" your suitcase...Either wear or pack your tramping/hiking boots near the top of the suitcase/backpack as they want to check them at the airport for biosecurity reasons. Be prepared for all seasons with the ever changing wind and weather in NZ. Best is to pack clothes which you can wear in layers - because we can have four seasons in a day. Also be aware that you can have really cold days in summer and warm winter weeks. Fast drying t-shirts, fleece vests and jackets, anorak and rainjacket are essential, a tiny umbrella would be good. Special tramping/hiking gear and boots, hiking sandals for crossing rivers, and not too many...

Don't forget Sunblock

by kiwi78

NZ get slammed by the brutal UV rays due to the lack of ozone, clean atmosphere and the fact that the Southern Hemisphere actually gets closer to the sun than the northern hemisphere during summer. You can easily get burnt in 10 minutes during summer months, and even during spring skiing. Skin cancer is no joke! Get some sunscreen!

Pack for your Itinerary

by fishandchips

Depending which direction you come from will dictate how many bags you can take. Via the USA you are allowed 2 bags & via Asia 1 bag with a 20Kg max. Be careful here as overweight luggage charges can be expensive. These items are going to depend greatly on what you intend to do. New Zealand has some stunning tracks to go tramping (hiking) so sturdy shoes/boots are a must for this activity. For the Urban tramper a good pair of walking shoes is recommended - especially those that can be dressed up (I travel light myself so like multi use items). New Zealand summers can be cooler than you'd like, especially in the evening (though we get some hot ones!!) so do bring something warm and a shower proof jacket so you're not caught out. New Zealand is a clean green country with safe water though you'd be advised to bring some squeeze on hand cleaner as public toilets don't always have adequate...

Hot and Cold

by ahouse2003

Let me just say that I was completely unprepared for this trip when it came to clothing. I read that because of its location, New Zealand could go from hot to cold in 24 hours. I didn't really believe it, and since we were traveling during NZ's summer time, I packed cool clothing. It was cold and windy the entire time we were there, and if it had not been for my thin jacket I brought to wear on the plane, I would have frozen to death. I recommend you pack for all kinds of weather.

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1 Review and 169 Opinions Within stroling distance from the main town. Welcoming and homely. A warm cozey room admist the cold...

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Questions and Answers

Q: Hi, Are there good beaches where you can go for snorkeling on the South island ? Eddy

A: You betcha Eddy! :-) Snorkelling off New Zealand's South Island coastline offers snorkellers the chance to snorkel alongside fur seals or the world's smallest...

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