While in Montenegro in 2017, I was lucky to meet a lovely gal from England at a hostel. We hit it off and stayed friends throughout the years, and fortunately we discovered we would both be in Asia at the same time! We decided to meet up in Singapore before heading to to Borneo together.
CITY: Singapore
HOW LONG: 3 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
My friend Louisa and I booked a 3 night stay at the Bohemian Chic hostel, but when we arrived, then said they had a better room at their sister hostel, Chic Capsules. From my research I didn’t find that the options for hostels in Singapore were all that great. None seemed all the social, but luckily because I was with Louisa, I didn’t have to stress too much about finding a hostel that I could easily make friends. The hostel had free breakfast and a capsule bed setup, which was quite a treat. The room was completely dark, but each bed had a personal light and curtains. It meant anyone could sleep whenever they wanted, which was great for me because I ended up being quite sick while in Singapore. I think at one point I slept 16 hours in a 24 hour period. The two sister hostels are a 2 min walk from each other and are located in the Chinatown area of Singapore.
WHERE TO EAT:
OK honestly, given that I was so sick the whole time in Singapore, I barely ate anything besides some plain crackers. However, I was craving an Impossible burger the whole time I was abroad, and Singapore is one of the few places outside the US can get it, so we headed to The Marmalade Pantry, which is adorable. Great for a girls lunch!
Found the Impossible Burger in Singapore!
We also went to Privé in Clarke Quay. It was very cute and also had a great truffle Impossible Burger. All I could handle was a chamomile tea though 😦
Lastly, we joined a family friend of Louisa’s at nice Italian restaurant called Original Sin. I had some delicious bread and cheese, a rare treat in South East Asia.
WHAT TO DO:
Louisa and I explored the Botanical Gardens (slowly) one afternoon, which is quite beautiful.
The highlight in Singapore was having a drink at the top of the Marina Bay Sands hotel (like in Crazy Rich Asians) at Cé La Vi. Such cool views. After our drink we walked around the Supertree Grove nearby.
OVERALL THOUGHTS:
I wasn’t able to explore much or eat much because I was so sick, but Singapore was still quite delightful. I can see why people are enchanted by this sprawling metropolitan city in the middle of Southeast Asia.
Time for the classic East Coast of Australia backpacking trip. You can rent a camper van or you can get a Greyhound pass, which is what I did. I bought a Whimmit pass, which allowed me unlimited travel for 30 days for $399 AUD. I spent 6 weeks heading up the coast, starting in Melbourne and finishing in Cairns.
CITY: Melbourne
HOW LONG: 5 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
United Backpackers– I preferred this hostel but it was the more expensive. It had free pancakes for breakfast with maple syrup. The bathrooms were really nice and updated. The rooms were a bit dark and smelly but that’s common for 10 bed dorms in the middle of a heat wave. The WiFi was excellent and there was a nice, small, comfy bar downstairs. Kitchen was large and easy to cook in. Location was great as there are lots of great bars and restaurants nearby. Also, it’s very close to some parks and I enjoyed going for a run right from the hostel. If you have the money, this is a great spot.
Nomads All Nations – I switched hostels my last night so that I was closer to the greyhound station. This hostel was much cheaper but it showed. The kitchen wasn’t as nice and the bedroom, while bigger, was fairly run down. Also the location (other than being close to the bus station) wasn’t nearly as convenient.
Where to Eat:
Famish’d– This is a great build your own salad place for a healthy meal.
Captain Melville– We went here after the walking tour and tried Chicken Parma for the first time. It was delicious! It also had a nice open air seating area in the back.
Section 8 – This is a fun outdoor bar in Melbourne, down a graffiti filled alley.
Weirdoughs – Ready to try some plant-based cookie dough? Here’s your chance! This was a delicious, fun treat.
Metro burgers– This is on the cutest little walking street, full of restaurants! Got a delicious burger here.
Doughnut Time– Never can go wrong with cute doughnuts.
What to do:
I arrived in Melbourne fairly exhausted from Queenstown and was little burnt out from all the activities, so I spent my time in Melbourne quite leisurely. I would sleep in, go for a run, then take a book to one of the many parks and read. This is my kinda day. Because I was burnt out from busses and day trips, I didn’t go the Great Ocean Road, but this is one of the top things to do in Melbourne!
I did do a free walking tour which I would definitely recommend doing. Just ask your hostel for details.
My favorite thing I did was head to St. Kilda and see all the penguins at dusk. The sunset was beautiful and then we headed to the end of the pier to see the penguins start to come out. Don’t skip this while in Melbourne.
Overall Thoughts:
Melbourne was definitely a cool city with a European vibe to it. There was a great food and bar scene. If I were to pick a city in Australia to live this would definitely be it!
Hanging in a park
One of the many alleys
CITY: Sydney
HOW LONG: 2 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
I stayed at Mad Monkey on Broadway in Sydney. It’s a smaller hostel but it meant you got to know people fairly easily. WiFi worked great. The kitchen was painfully small which made it difficult to want to cook (I didn’t cook at all here) but there was a GREAT free breakfast! Know having stayed at wake up in Byron Bay, I would stay at Wake Up in Sydney if I ever went again.
The Rocks Cafe– This was a yummy restaurant with a pub vibe near the Harbor Bridge and the Opera House.
Harry’s– This restaurant is a must while Bondi! Delicious brunch food.
What to do:
Unfortunately while I was in Sydney the smoke was pretty bad from the many fires in the region. This limited what I could do as often the smoke was too bad to be outside. I wasn’t able to go to the Blue Mountains, which is supposed to be incredible. However, the two days that I was able to get outside I managed to see the Harbor Bridge, Opera House, Royal Botanical Gardens, and I walked the Coogee to Bondi trail, which was the highlight of my time in Sydney! Highly recommend doing this in the morning and getting brunch/lunch in Bondi after you finish (maybe at Harry’s)!
Botanical Gardens
Botanical Gardens
Coogee to Bondi Walk
Opera House
Harbor Bridge
Overall Thoughts:
I don’t feel like I got the best impression of Sydney given the smoke, but it was a nice, big city (similar to a major city in the US). Definitely no culture shock here 🙂 That being said if you are visiting Australia, Sydney is a must.
CITY: Yamba
HOW LONG: 2 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
I stayed at the YHA in Yamba and it was pretty great. There aren’t too many options here so for sure stay here. Location is in the middle of town and about a 1 min walk from the greyhound bus stop which is very convenient. Kitchen is slightly small, but does the job. WiFi was only available at the bottom floor where the reception and restaurant are located so no WiFi in the common areas or the dorm rooms. There was a great rooftop areas to eat and hangout as well as a great tv/Netflix area. Would definitely stay here again.
Where to Eat:
Drift is the only restaurant I ate as in Yamba and they were great! They were friendly and kindly teased me about my build my own pizza (my pizza’s involve no tomato sauce and pear when I can). Worth a stop if you are ever here.
What to do:
Yamba is not your most popular stop along the East Coast backpacker route, but it should be. It’s a small, more local town with three beautiful beaches with great surfing! It’s a place to stop and chill for a couple of days in between Sydney and Byron, more high energy stops.
The pathway out into the ocean
Overall Thoughts:
I really enjoyed Yamba! I wish I could have stayed one more night here. It was very relaxing and low-key, which is needed periodically.
CITY: Byron Bay
HOW LONG: 4 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
I stayed at Wake Up in Byron Bay and it was fabulous. The rooms had air conditioning which is key during the summer months. The kitchen is spacious with plenty of burners. They have free towels, bikes and surf boards you can use. My favorite part was the free yoga and boot camps at 9am. Such a treat after being on the road with minimal exercise for a few months. It’s right next to the beach, but it’s about a 20 min walk along the beach to town. They also have a shuttle that runs about every 30 min into town and vice versa. They also have a great courtyard to hang out in the shade. Sometimes they have activities in the evenings here (such as free wine and cheese night). Overall cannot recommend this place enough!
Where to Eat:
The Corner Store– The açai bowl here was not great, but it’s a great spot in the middle of town for a cup of coffee or a pastry.
The General Store– This is my favorite spot in Australia! I love, love, love their smoothie bowls. Also, the cafe just has such a cool vibe. You know when I take a photo of the water station, they are doing something right.
THE WATER STATION!
Betty’s– This is a cute, small burger chain in Australia that is decorated in a way that Instagram influencers can only dream up. The burgers are delicious and cheap. The fries do their thing and the desserts are such a treat! I actually went to Betty’s in Melbourne, Byron Bay, and Noosa (basically whenever I came across it).
Delicious, kinda like In-N-Out
In the Pink– Yummy gelato on a hot day. Get a cup instead of a cone as otherwise it will dripping down your arm immediately.
What to do:
Byron Bay is known for it’s surfing so take a lesson while here.
Sunrise at the lighthouse is another popular thing to do! It’s the most eastern part of Australia so you see the first sunrise of the continent 🙂
My favorite thing to do was lie on the grass in front of the main beach and enjoy the often live music being played all around. The people watching and tanning is prime (just be careful of the crazy, Australian sun so put on plenty of sunscreen.
Overall Thoughts:
This was my favorite stop along the East Coast. I know people think it’s touristy, but hello, we are tourists and there is a reason so many people come here. The sun shined every day I was here and I loved the restaurant scene. The hostel also made this stop so great for me as I made some really good friends here (who I would end up traveling much of the east coast with ) and I LOVED the free yoga and bootcamp every morning.
CITY: Brisbane
HOW LONG: 2 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
I stayed at the YHA in Brisbane. Kitchen was fabulous. Rooms were small and dark. Lockers were available to store belongings in the room. I wouldn’t stay here again as I found it difficult to meet people as a solo traveler. There was a rooftop bar and a tv room, but both were hard to meet people at.
Where to Eat:
Corbett and Claude is an upscale pizzeria with a few locations in Brisbane. It was a classy spot with great pizza and selection of alcoholic drinks. This was a fun stop!
What to do:
I spent my time wandering around the city, doing some shopping and eating ice cream 🙂 I highly recommend walking through the South Bank where the lagoon is.
While I didn’t get to the Australia Zoo, this is a great day trip from Brisbane if you have time!
Overall Thoughts:
I liked Brisbane way more than I thought I would. Many people had told me that Brisbane wasn’t worth a stop, but I actually wish I’d had one more day so I could have gone to the zoo!
CITY: Noosa
HOW LONG: 2 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
I stayed at the Flashbackers hostel and it was great! My ten person room had plenty of room and had two en-suite bathrooms and showers. Also, AC worked great. It’s a smaller hostel so it’s fairly easy to meet people. The staff at the front desk were very helpful in planning my time in Noosa. The kitchen was well stocked and easy to cook in. WiFi was good, but not great. It’s a bit of a walk into town but there is a shuttle run by the hostel and a public bus that’s easy to use to get around. Would definitely stay here again.
Where to Eat:
10 Hastings was a great spot for breakfast. Yummy drinks and brunchy food!
There’s a Betty’s Burger here so you know I stopped there for dinner 🙂
Concrete from Betty’s
What to do:
I spent my time in Noosa hiking all over to different beaches. The other highlight is the Fairy Pools. Enjoy the ocean, sand, and sun of Noosa.
Overall Thoughts:
Noosa is pretty laid back and an enjoyable stop along the East Coast. Spend at least 2 days here and you can easily spend longer.
CITY: Rainbow Beach
HOW LONG: 3 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
Pippies was a cute little hostel that was perfect for before and after your Fraser Island trip. They also store your bags while you are away. No lockers in the room, but no one is going to steal your stuff. Kitchen was pretty tough to use so don’t plan to really cook here. Free, small breakfast available in the morning. WiFi was not bad but only really available in the main area. Small pool, but I never saw anyone in it. Cute hammocks and location can’t be beat in this small town. I would stay here again.
Where to Eat:
Arcobaleno on the Beach– This is a nicer Italian restaurant (not a typical backpacker spot). Delicious food and the service was great!
Rainbow Beach Hotel has a great bar/restaurant that seems to be hopping most nights. We had our “afterparty” from Fraser here and it was a great spot for it.
Café Jilarty at Rainbow– This place had a backpacker menu with some great deals so we obviously ate here about 3 times. Delicious chicken parma. It’s a laid-back spot with some reasonably priced meals so no complaints here.
There is not much to do in Rainbow Beach other than it’s a launching spot for a Fraser Island trip. The only place people tend to check out is the Rainbow Steps.
Overall Thoughts:
Rainbow Beach is a sweet, sleepy town that is cute for a night or two before and after your Fraser Island trip, but not much else.
Fraser Island Trip with Pippies
HOW LONG: 2 NIGHTS
Fraser Island is one of the best adventures to have along the classic Australia East Coast trip. It combines new friends, the largest sand island in the world, crystal clear lakes, champagne pools, driving 4×4’s, camping, and drinking. It is a BLAST. I ended up doing it over Christmas because if you can’t be home for it, might as well be on a island with no service and bunch of new friends. Fortunately for me, one of my best friends from home met me for this part of the trip so I had one familiar face. Also, I had met some people at other parts of the trip who luckily were also doing the same Fraser trip so I had some other friends going into the 3day/2night adventure. From start to finish, this was one of my favorite parts of my time in Australia.
CITY: Airlie Beach
HOW LONG: 6 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
I stayed at Base/Nomads. It’s a huge property with room to house over 600 people!! There’s a bar located within the property, 2 pools and 2 receptions. The rooms had a bathroom and shower, which was a treat. The AC worked great. The WiFi was horrendous. The kitchen had the necessities. There weren’t any lockers in the rooms to store valuables so make sure you can lock your bag itself. It was hard to sleep some nights due to the bar playing music so loud. I might look at staying elsewhere if I can back to Airlie Beach.
The hostel
Where to Eat:
Village Cafe Restaurant and Bar– Went to breakfast here and it was a nice airy spot. Breakfast was pretty tasty and wifi worked well (sometimes hard to find).
Little Vegas– Delicious burgers and starters. If you are craving a large, tasty burger, look no further.
The Pub– I spent New Years Eve here getting some drinks with a friend. It had a great atmosphere and is a beautiful spot to hang.
The Deck– This is my favorite restaurant in Airlie Beach. I came for breakfast twice and it was great! Also, came for dinner on NYE and had the best sweet potato fries! Don’t miss this restaurant while in Airlie Beach.
What to do:
Airlie Beach, like Rainbow Beach, is a launching off spot for a Whitsunday trip. However, Airlie Beach is much bigger so there are far more restaurants and bars to check out. Also, there is a big lagoon that’s free to use (there isn’t actually a nice beach in town). There are a few hikes nearby, but I didn’t have a car so I couldn’t get to them.
Overall Thoughts:
I liked Airlie Beach, but the Whitsundays is the real star of this area of the East Coast.
Whitsunday Trip on Apollo
HOW LONG: 2 NIGHTS
Overall Thoughts:
I really enjoyed the sailing trip on the Apollo boat. The food was delicious and while sleeping on a sail boat with 20 other strangers is never going to be the best night sleep you have, it was a good as it could’ve been. The highlights for me were scuba diving for the first time, seeing the sunset from the middle of ocean, and seeing the sandy beaches with the clear water. It was also a blast to meet so many new, fun people and hang for 3 days. Highly recommend taking a sailing trip around the Whitsundays while traveling along the East Coast.
CITY: Magnetic Island
HOW LONG: 3 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
There are two main options for hostels on Magnetic Island: Base and YHA. I stayed at Base because they had a package deal that included the ferry ticket, one breakfast and one dinner. It’s definitely more of a party hostel but if you want to sneak away to bed early, the noise is far enough away to be able to sleep soundly. The pool has chaise lounges, there’s a kitchen and the huts are pretty cute. However, the WiFi was not great and the hostel is a bus ride away from everything. Luckily the bus gets you where you need to go and it’s common to rent a 4×4 at least one day while you’re here. I would probably stay at YHA next time I was here as it houses the koala sanctuary and it’s closer to a town with cute restaurants and beaches.
Where to Eat:
Early Bird– Breakfast is so good here I came twice in two days! Located in Horseshoe Bay, this is a can’t miss on Magnetic.
So much deliciousness!
Mamma Roma– This is a cute Italian restaurant on the other side of the island in Picnic Bay. The pasta was deliocoso!
Dessert with my cute Danish dates 🙂
Scallywags– Great spot for a great breakfast with a great atmosphere.
What to do:
Renting a Barbie Car- Don’t miss out on renting the cute 4 seater pink Barbie cars. This is a great way to independently get around the island. Otherwise you can use the bus, but it doesn’t come as often as you would like.
Forts Walk- This is best place to see Koalas in the wild. We expected to see one or two, but we say about 8 koalas while walking through the 90 min long loop. SO fun!
Wallabies- You can see wallabies in the wild at the rocks at Geoffrey Bay. We saw a few while stopped here at dusk.
Bungalow Bay Koala Village- Located at the YHA, there is a sanctuary where you can see some animals ranging from crocodiles, koalas, and lizards, to snakes and echidnas. Also, as 4:15pm they do a feeding for wild rainbow lorikeets.
Overall Thoughts:
Magnetic Island ended up being a highlight for me. It was so fun driving for the first time in months and having some independence over my schedule for the day. My favorite part was seeing the cute koalas in the wild. I loved my 3 days on this small island.
CITY: Cairns
HOW LONG: 5 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
Global Backpackers is a great place to base yourself while in Cairns. The location is right on the esplanade where the lagoon and water front is. The wifi the best I’ve had anywhere in New Zealand and Australia!!! The hostel is on the newer side and is kept very clean. The air-conditioning works like a charm and the 4th floor has a great kitchen, walk-in freezer with plenty of space for your groceries, and a large tv (set up with Netflix!) with comfy couches. I would highly recommend staying here.
Where to Eat:
Jimmy’s– Delicious burgers and milkshakes! Need I say more….
The Cotton Club– This was a good cheap meal and I had a delicious salad! Always fun finding a good salad while traveling.
The two main activities to do here are exploring the Daintree Rainforest and exploring the Great Barrier Reef.
I chose to do a Cape Tribulation day trip with Uncle Brian’s and it was great! We swam in a local watering hole, walked through the Daintree Rainforest (oldest rainforest in the world), saw spiders, crocodiles, and snakes, and walked around Port Douglas. It was a blast and the tour guides were great!
To explore the Great Barrier Reef, obviously I had to go underwater. I chose to do an introductory scuba dive because I didn’t want to miss out on seeing the Great Barrier Reef before it dies and because I wanted to see if I liked scuba diving enough to get my open water certification. Turns out I’m hooked. Can’t wait to get my license while in Bali 🙂
My other favorite thing to do was go for morning runs along the beach front path. Such a beautiful view while jogging along.
Overall Thoughts:
Cairns is a nice spot to chill as it’s fairly cheap compared to other parts of the East Coast. I loved all the different animals I saw both on land and sea. I also happened to stay in one of my favorite hostels of the trip so far so Cairns definitely has a place in my heart.
Given I am traveling New Zealand solo, I decided that buying or renting a car would not work that well for me for a couple of reasons:
They drive on the left side of the road (and I did not want to navigate that while on my own.
It’s expensive if you can’t split the costs
If I was driving alone and sleeping in the car it would be more difficult to meet people.
This left me with two options: I could buy a pass on one of those hop off/ hop on busses that have a set path or I could try to use the public bus system and buy one ways around the country. After talking to the people at my hostel in Auckland I decided to try my hand at the organized bus trip through Kiwi Experience. I also looked at Stray, but Kiwi Experience had a route that was perfect for me and I was able to get it on sale so it was cheaper! I will write up my thoughts of the Kiwi Experience once I complete my trip in NZ and link it here. The following outlines the route that my pass on Kiwi Experience took me on. If you are driving by car, you wouldn’t necessarily stop at the same stops, but I had no control over my route 🙂
CITY: Auckland
HOW LONG: 5 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
I stayed at the Oaklands Lodge in the Mt. Eden area of Auckland. When I left California, the only two things I had planned was my flight to Auckland and 3 nights at this hostel. I figured I would land at the hostel, deal with jet lag, and then figure out how best to explore NZ by talking with people. I loved this hostel the minute I walked through the doors. It was homey, warm and inviting. While it is not in downtown Auckland (it’s about a 20 minute bus ride or 50 min walk), the Mt. Eden area is so cute and quaint. I really enjoyed walking around the area, hiking up to Mt Eden for the incredible views and exploring the cute restaurants. The hostel itself has personal lockers in the room, a great industrial sized kitchen, a great common area and nice backyard with hammocks. The folks at the front desk were also very helpful and knowledgable about the area. Would absolutely stay here again!
WHERE TO EAT:
My favorite restaurant that I ate at in Mt Eden was Circus Circus, a fun, circus themed cafe around the corner from the hostel. I had a delicious burger while my friend had a yummy looking plate of pasta.
On a day trip to Waiheke Island with some friends from the hostel, we ate at Too Fat Buns. This was a great (cheapish) option that had great burgers and milkshakes!
The highlight of my meals in Auckland was an ice cream experience like no other. Giapo thinks of ice cream as art and as such, when you walk in the door you are taken to a ice cream tasting where a sommelier of sorts takes you through each flavor. You then choose your ice cream (+ corresponding toppings) and the type of cone (often wearable). Next you must instagram the concoction 🙂
WHAT TO DO:
I was recovering from the 20 hours of traveling so I used my time in Auckland to lay lie and get oriented. However the highlights of my time in Auckland were:
A day trip to Waiheke Island (and easy ferry ride away)
German friends testing the water temperatureDreamy!Enjoying the beach!
Running to the Domain, a park containing museums and memorials
Walking and reading in Cornwall Park
Cornwall Park!
Climbing Mt Eden at Sunset for the incredible views
OVERALL THOUGHTS:
I really liked Auckland, but was glad to stay in the Mt Eden Village rather than downtown. Mt Eden was quaint and reminded me of a mix of the US and the UK. It felt very safe. Auckland sometimes get the reputation of just being a bland city and that you should get out into other parts of NZ as soon as you can, but I actually really enjoyed being here for 5 days. My number one recommendation is to take a day trip to Waiheke Island as that was the highlight for me!
CITY: Hot Water Beach
HOW LONG: 1 NIGHT
ACCOMMODATION:
There are not many options for accommodation here so I recommend staying at Hot Water Beach Top 10 Holiday Park, where we stayed on the Kiwi Experience. The bunk rooms were basic but did the job. They have all sorts of different types of accommodation- camping spots, RV Hookups, private rooms, bunk rooms, etc. The kitchen is fairly basic and didn’t seem to have cutlery, pans etc. so I am not sure how one is supposed to use it. Luckily there is a food stall with breakfast and dinner options so plan to eat that while you are there.
WHERE TO EAT:
As mentioned above, there is not much going on in this “town” and we were only here for a night so the only place ate was at the Holiday Park.
WHAT TO DO:
They are two main reasons to make a stop here: the Hot Water Beach and the walk to Cathedral Cove. Both were fun activities!
At low tide, visitors can dig down in the sand and hot water from underground springs filters to the surface, creating hot pools of water. The water can be as hot as 147 °F (64 °C) AKA HOT. When we were there, there were a lot of pools that had already been dug up so we sat in those instead of digging our own. While the water was certainly WARM, it was definitely not hot. I’m sure if we had dug a little deeper we might have gotten the pool hotter, but we couldn’t be bothered.
After sitting in the pools we changed into walking gear and we bussed over to the start of the Cathedral Cove trail. The walk is not too far (60 min return; roughly 3 miles). This is a must do! Beautiful walk and you end at the famed Cathedral Cove (Macklemore shot a music video here and the Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe shot here as well).
Overall Thoughts:
This was a fun stop on the Kiwi Experience. I enjoyed the walk to Cathedral Cove more than the Hot Water Beach, but maybe if you had more time to enjoy the beach (we only had about 45 min) then it would be better. If you are tight on time while in NZ, I am not sure this is worth going out of your way for, but if you are doing the Kiwi Experience, this is a fun first stop!
CITY: Waitomo
HOW LONG: 1 NIGHT
ACCOMMODATION:
We stayed at the Waitomo Top 10 Holiday Park. Once again there are not too many options around here as the main thing to do here is caving and there is not major town. That being said, this Holiday Park was set in a beautiful little valley and it was so peaceful. Kitchen was not great so don’t rely on it.
Where to Eat:
There are a few small restaurants within walking distance of this spot. Check them out on trip advisor and see what appeals and works for your budget!
What to do:
The only reason really to stop here is to go caving, but what a great reason! I went on a 5 hr adventure in the caves with The Legendary Black Water Company. We abseiled into the caves, zip lined, tubed, and free climbed two water falls. Talk about an heart racing day. Definitely one of my favorite activities of the trip!
Gerjan + Me getting all geared upHanging in the Glow Worm cavesMade it out the other side!
Overall Thoughts:
This is a can’t miss while in New Zealand. I absolutely loved my time in both Waitomo and the caves!
CITY: Rotorua
HOW LONG: 3 NIGHTs
ACCOMMODATION:
The Kiwi Experience bus stays at Base Hostel, but someone had told me about another hostel (Funky Green Voyager Backpackers) to stay at so I booked there. If you are on Kiwi Experience I recommend staying at the hostel they stay at because I regret not staying with my friends while here. Inevitably you just end up hanging with your friends the whole time in their room and it was annoying to have to walk back to the other hostel late at night. I literally spent no time at the hostel other than to sleep. That being said the Funky Green Voyager seemed like a great hostel. Great kitchen facilities and very homey feeling. I would recommend staying here if you aren’t with Kiwi Experience.
Where to Eat:
Social club was my favorite spot to eat in Rotorua. I had the most delicious pancakes and it was decorated beautifully.
DELICIOUS PANKCAKES
I love a good ice cream and Lady Jane’s delivered. It’s located at the end of Eat Street, which is a fun walking street with a bunch of fun restaurants and bars.
What to do:
There are a lot of things you can do in Rotorua! I did not get to try everything due to time constraints as well as budget. However, my highlight was zip lining in the native forest nearby. We chose to do the Ultimate Canopy Tour, which included a total of 1200m of zip lines, swing bridges and a snack while sitting on a cliff above the tree canopy. We learned about the conservation efforts in New Zealand, heard the chirps of rare birds coming off the brink of extinction and raced down a 400 meter long zipline. An afternoon well spent!
Ready to rollThe unbelievable tree canopy
Hobbiton is a must while in the North Island. I have never been a huge fan of the Lord of the Rings movies, but this was a blast. So fun to learn more about the behind the scenes of this crazy series.
Welcome to my abodeSuch a pretty day!My new friend SamEnjoying a cider from The Green Dragon
The North Island of New Zealand is where most of the native Maori lived historically and in current times, which is why there is a large cultural presence today. We were incredibly lucky to learn more about this important culture while attending a traditional hangi, which means “all you can eat” at the Tamakaki Maori Village. I highly recommend stopping here for either an overnight or just the dinner.
Welcome performanceLearning about Maori lifeThe boys learning the Haka
Rotorua is known for the geothermal activity (hence the noticeable smell of sulfur floating around the town). While the smell is a downside, the hot springs available around town is the silver lining. I enjoyed a relaxing morning at the Polynesian Spa, which was walking distance from my hostel. $32 nzd got me access to 8 pools of varying temperatures (all above 38C).
The Hot Pools
We also spent an afternoon luging in Rotorua. You take a gondola up the mountain and then race down in a luge cart!
About to head up in the gondola
Lastly, on our way out of Rotorua, we stopped at Te Puia, the center for New Zealand’s Maori culture and geothermal wonders.
Pōhutu Geiser
Overall Thoughts:
There is a lot to do in the surrounding areas of Rotorua so definitely make a stop here. There’s a cute park and nice downtown area. I liked Rotorua and could have stayed a day or two longer.
CITY: Taupo
HOW LONG: 2 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
We stayed at Base Taupo. This is not where I would stay if I was traveling on my own, but because all my friends from Kiwi Experience were staying here, so was I. There was a basic kitchen, but there is definitely room for improvement
Where to eat:
I mostly cooked in the kitchen here, but a friend and I had a lovely lunch at Piccolo. Also, don’t skip a stop at Luna’s Gelateria!
What to do:
Through Kiwi Experience, we hopped onto a sailing trip the day we arrived at Taupo. It was fairly cheap and included some pizza for dinner! We set off on the sunny afternoon and headed around the lake. We stopped at some carvings on the rocks (famous in Taupo) and a quick dip in the water (mostly Dutch people who weren’t afraid of the freezing water), before heading back at sunset.
The carvingsThe brave souls
The main thing to do in Taupo is the Tongariro Crossing. This was one of my highlights of the North Island. It’s a 19.4km trek that is rated one of the best day hikes in New Zealand. It can be fairly dangerous due to weather conditions certain parts of the year so be sure to check online before you head out. Also, make sure to bring plenty of water, snacks, lunch, some layers, and a rain jacket. We were lucky that the weather held up fairly well for us. Blue skies and no rain. All we had to deal with was some heavy wind at the top of the passing. Highly recommend completely this trek while in Taupo.
The start!
Views!!
Overall Thoughts:
I enjoyed Taupo, but it wasn’t my favorite. It’s worth a stop here to enjoy the lake and take a day for the Tongariro Crossing, but other than that, move on to other spots.
CITY: River Valley
HOW LONG: 1 NIGHT
ACCOMMODATION:
River Valley Lodge is a magical, magical place. This was one of my favorite stops on the Kiwi Experience because there’s no wifi so everyone just sits downstairs in the lodge common room and plays cards and drinks cider. It was so comfy and homey. The room is a 32 person bunk room, which was unique and cozy (good thing you are already friends with everyone on the bus by this point). This was such a picturesque spot, located right on a river.
The valleyAshley, Laura & GerjanDinner time
Where to Eat:
This lodge is in the middle of nowhere so you should partake in their roast dinner offering and just plan to buy breakfast from them in the morning. Both were delicious.
What to do:
I would say there are three main activities: white water rafting, horseback riding, and sitting by the river and reading a book.
I chose to splurge on white water rafting and it was a blast! The guides were great and it was fun splashing around as we went down the river. The best part? You end right in front of the lodge with just enough time to take a quick shower and then hop on the bus.
Overall Thoughts:
I really liked staying at The River Valley Lodge. What a magical place. While there isn’t a ton to do outside horseback riding or white water rafting, it’s a beautiful place to relax and read a book for a day. I wish I had spent a second night here.
CITY: Wellington
HOW LONG: 4 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
I stayed at Base the first two nights because that’s where the bus stays and my friends were going to be here their two nights. However, once they were gone and I couldn’t run faster to The Marion! I literally cannot say enough good things about The Marion! The best way I could describe it is it’s as if they asked a group of backpackers what they each would want in their dream hostel and The Marion incorporated EVERY SINGLE SUGGESTION. Free towel? Check. Beautiful kitchen with every cooking apparatus you would want? Check. Beds with an individual shelf, plug, light, and curtain? Check. Fun activities each day/night? Check. Movie room with comfy couches and Netflix already hooked up? Check. Anyway, it’s a no brainer that you should stay here while in Wellington. Like don’t even spend time researching anything else.
Where to Eat:
Because most of my friends left before me in Wellington, I took advantage of cooking at the hostel to save money, rather than eating out.
The two spots I enjoyed were Fidels for a reasonably priced lunch and Zelati for a delicious ice cream. Both are easy to find on/near Cuba St.
What to do:
It rained most of the time I was in Wellington, unfortunately, so I did not do many activities. The Te Papa museum was really fun (and easy to do on a rainy day). They had a great animal exhibit where we learned all about the native and extinct wildlife in New Zealand, but my favorite was their earthquake simulator. None of my friends had been in an earthquake before and it was fun to hear their thoughts. Being from California, I am fairly familiar with earthquakes 🙂
Whenever there was a quick break in the rain, I would quickly throw my shoes on and go for a walk around Cuba St. It’s one of the main streets in Wellington and there are tons of fun shops and restaurants to meander through.
Overall Thoughts:
Wellington was a pretty cool city. It definitely has a more hipster, cool vibe when compared to Auckland. Even though it was raining, I liked walking around and window shopping. If I ever did a working holiday in the North Island, this is where I would want to be!
The Pursuit Of Travel