North or South??

[Loz]

I will hopefully be coming to NZ around the 29th April 03. But I can't make up my mind if I want to do the North or South Islands. My budget will be pretty tight so I think one or the other will be my only option. I would like to do one of the 6 day tour for the 18-35s' and then stay in one of the major cities for 3 or 4 days, hire a car and do my own thing. I will be travelling on my own and I have never been overseas before. I'm not travelling far from home as I'm in Australia. Were is the high speed boat thing that races in and out of canyons etc?? would love to do that. In your option, how much money do you think the average traveller for 14 days would need on average?
Thanks everyone.

[Marianda]

Hi,

I am also living in Aussie (melbourne) NZ is my true home though. As to your questions I would say the South Island is by far the more beautiful and alot more attractions etc to do. There are also fantastic places in the north like Bay of Islands but if its 14 days I would spend most in south.
As to money ? Do you have accommodation already organised. I would say $1000 would get you by (without accommodation/rental car) but if you would like to do bungy/jet boat/white water rafting then set aside another $300 or so. Queens town is the best place to do these types of activities although there is always Hamner (2hrs drive out of Christchurch)
If you need anymore help on an itinery I would be glad to be of assistance.
Regards
M

[netchicken]

Its really a matter of what do you want to see ...

beaches / guysers / cities / volcanoes = North

Mountains / snow / tramping / adventure stuff = South

[PhattTim]

There really is no question here, haha, South by a long shot. There is nothing really that you can see in the north that you can't see in the south. But the South also has sooooo much more.

You may even want to think about doing your own thing. Those tours are good because they take you places and arrange stuff for you so you don't have to worry too much but they're very expensive and from what I've seen, I'm pretty skeptical about what they show you. I personally think that you should jump onto someone you know in NZ or people on here, find out the places you want to go, rent a campervan or a car, stay in backpackers and go to the really truely beautiful places that the tour operators don't even know about. New Zealand is beautiful, no question, but it is so much more incredible if you jump off the beaten track and have a look.