After a family wedding in Australia, Ellie (my sister) & I were trying to figure out where we should go to tack onto the trip since we already were so far from home (California). We looked up where in the South Pacific Sydney flies direct to and we discovered Vanuatu. Admittedly I don’t either of us had heard of it, but it’s always fun to go to very unknown, off the beaten path places. Also we love checking off new countries together!
Get some cash from an ATM at the airport or in town. Most places charge a fee for using a credit card so it’s best to have cash.
We got our visas on arrival.
Decide if you want to go to multiple islands or just the main one of Efate. We had hoped to visit Santo and/or Tanna (hence why we booked 10 days), but the internal airlines had imploded the year prior and their website didn’t allow for booking. As such we decided to just stay on the main island for some R&R. When we arrived we were told we could book flights right at the airport, but we didn’t know this ahead of time and were stressed about booking accommodation without knowing the reliability of the flights.
After the earthquake in Dec ’24, a lot of the downtown of the capital city of Port Villa was still closed off. Many of the buildings collapsed and will take months if not years to rebuild it. It didn’t really affect our stay in Vanuatu as we mostly spent our time at our hotels.
Before booking your stay, I would recommend poking around on Reddit for an up to date status of the island as things continue to be evolving and if we had understood all the dynamics, we likely would’ve booked a shorter stay.
If you aren’t going to multiple islands, I would say that 5-6 days is plenty for Efate. We didn’t find there to be too much to do so this would be sufficient time for relaxing as well as doing some snorkeling or visiting the Blue Lagoon.
ISLAND: EFATE
HOW LONG: 3 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
My sister, Ellie, & I split our time between two hotels. One was more budget friendly and one was our splurge.
Hotel #1 was Banana Bay Beach Club. This was our budget friendly option as it was a small hotel in a remote part of the island (only $65 per night). It was a trek to get out there and there wasn’t much to do outside of visiting the blue lagoon, but we didn’t mind. The hotel is built around this lovely private lagoon that acts as a swimming hole. We loved it! We basically spent all day going in and out of the ocean for dips to cool off. There was also a spot you could jump into the lagoon from above. There were very few other guests so it felt like we had the place to ourselves. The Aussie couple who run it were very quirky but also laid back. There is a small restaurant onsite where we ate each dinner as there are no other restaurants in the area. The room was nice, but basic. There was a mosquito net which helped with the bugs. No AC, but the fan worked decently well. We felt very safe and the staff were kind.
Hotel #2 was Mangoes Resort. This was our “splurge” at $150 per night. Our room had a private pool & full kitchen/living room. There was also a gym + 5 pools around the property, including a stunning infinity pool at the sister property next door, which you have access to. It was also closer to town & the airport.
WHERE TO EAT:
We actually made most of our meals for ourselves! Between oatmeal at the first hotel for breakfast & buying groceries for our meals at the second (yay for the kitchen in our unit) we only ate 2 meals outside of our hotels.
We had dinner at the Beach Bay before the famous Fire Show on Fridays. The pizza is fantastic!
Our last evening we walked to the Port Vila Burger and had a delicious burger.
Homemade pasta!Port Villa Burger
WHAT TO DO:
We chose the workout, eat, read, swim, repeat vacation, but there are some things to do on the island.
The two activities we did:
Visit the beautiful blue lagoon. Pro tip: go to the second entrance as it’s cheaper & it was the best of the three options. Bring sunscreen, swimsuit, & water with you. There aren’t any food options so feel free to bring snacks with you. We stayed for 3 hours and since we went early, we had it to ourselves for about half of that.
See the Fire Show at Beach Bay on a Friday night. It’s a fantastic performance with fire, acrobatics, & music. The show is free but have your accommodation make you a reservation for a table for dinner beforehand. Bring cash for a tip for the performers!
We also had some fabulous $30 massages! We ended up getting them 3 days in a row haha.
We liked Vanuatu but I wouldn’t say we fell in love with it if I am being honest. Unless you are someone living in Australia (where Vanuatu is a fairly easy holiday destination), I wouldn’t say you need to go out of your way to get here for a visit. You are better off heading to Indonesia, The Philippines, Fiji or French Polynesia. The infrastructure is sorely lacking & the interactions we had with the hotel staff were quite odd & sometimes difficult. Ellie & I always have a blast together so we still enjoyed our time here, but it had less to do with Vanuatu itself. I am very glad I came here with Ellie as this would not have been a fun place to be solo. We barely met anyone while here. It was a bit of a ghost town. I can confidently say (for many reasons) that I don’t think I’ll ever be back here in my lifetime.
BUDGET FOR 10 DAYS IN VANUATU:
Honestly I was expecting to spend more money here as it’s a tiny island that has to import most goods. I thought it would be closer to Fiji prices than Bali prices. All in all, it was fairly economical. Although it certainly helped that we didn’t do much while here. Reading your book & swimming is free!
Accommodation: $570 ($57 per night) – My half of the hotel rooms
After our incredible family trip in Fiji, the Nichols headed to New Zealand for a big adventure on the South Island. We flew to Christchurch before picking up a car to roadtrip our way to Queenstown. Ultimately we would embark on a bucket list adventure: the guided Milford Track! Will the Nichols survive another 2.5 weeks together in a car? Stay tuned!
CITY: Christchurch
HOW LONG: 2 NIGHTs
ACCOMMODATION:
We stayed at this Airbnb. It was a great location (about a 5-10 min walk to the CBD) and the beds were super comfy. Unfortunately I had gotten sick at the end of our time in Fiji and was still recovering here, but this was a lovely place to be stuck in bed.
WHERE TO EAT:
Given I was still quite sick, I barely had energy to eat or leave the airbnb, but I did manage to get out for a meal at Riverside Market, a very cool food hall. It’s right on the Avon River, and it’s a great place for a drink, a treat, lunch, or dinner! Highly recommend a stop here.
Sweet treat at the Riverside Market
WHAT TO DO:
Unfortunately being sick here meant I had no energy to do much here. The one thing I managed to drag myself out of bed for was some punting on the Avon! It’s a lovely way to pass some time in the afternoon. Enjoy a relaxing meander down the river. We had a beautiful sunny day & I was glad I got to do it. It’s also nice to just walk along the Avon River, which has beautiful green grass & trees to shade you.
The other thing I would recommend doing is checking out the Margaret Mahy playground. If it sounds weird to recommend a playground, hear me out. It’s a very cool all-ages, all-abilities playground that is truly worth seeing.
I headed back to the airbnb, but my parents & sister rode the cable car around the perimeter of town + also strolled through the Christchurch Botanical Gardens.
There’s also a gondola you can take to get some breathtaking panoramic views.
Walking along the Avon RiverPunting!
OVERALL THOUGHTS:
While I wish I hadn’t been sick here and got to explore more, I still got very good vibes from Christchurch. Seemed like a very livable, approachable city.
CITY: Lake Tekapo
HOW LONG: 3 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
This was probably my favorite airbnb of the trip! We honestly just absolutely loved spending our evenings watching the sunset + playing cards with the huge sliding glass doors completely open to the outdoors. Magical! Also the sunsets being at 9:30pm is something I could get used to.
This view!!!
WHERE TO EAT:
We ate at the airbnb mostly while here. Lake Tekapo is fairly small, but there are a few restaurants right next to the lake as well as some coffee shops.
WHAT TO DO:
We did three main activities while here:
Hiking to Mt. Cook – Hooker Valley Trail. This was incredible! No permit required, we just parked and started the ~7 mile out & back trail. We got very lucky and got views of Mt. Cook the entire time. Often clouds can obscure its visibility.
View from afarThe final view at the end of the hike, before turning around
Tekapo Springs – We thought this would be more serene, natural, and relaxing. In reality, it’s more like a kids waterpark. We wouldn’t recommend it.
More like a kids pool vibe
Hiking Mount John Summit- We hiked this loop right before going to the Tekapo Springs as you can park in the same place. Gorgeous views of the lake from the top- highly recommend!
I mean the color of the lake!!Cute Mama
Unfortunately we missed doing the Dark Sky Project – guided star gazing. We honestly thought it might hokey, but in all honestly I think we regret skipping it. Although, just “normal” star gazing from the airbnb was spectacular!
Also, just walking along the lake is beautiful. There were nice pathways along the lakefront with some art installations.
Meg, the travelerEllie, the modelLake Tekapo
OVERALL THOUGHTS:
While the actual town is quite small, we just loved sitting at our airbnb in the evenings (with the late, late sunsets) and watching the world go by. The views are stunning and the pace is so lovely & slow. The color of the lake is such a cool shade of blue. The mountains are gorgeous, and it’s nice that Mt. Cook is only an hour away. I would’ve happily stayed here a week, honestly. I really, really enjoyed our time here.
CITY: Wanaka
HOW LONG: 3 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
This was our Airbnb. While the airbnb itself was nice, it was too far to be able to walk into town, which was a bummer. Highly recommend prioritizing access to downtown Wanaka in whatever accommodation you book while visiting here. The highlight of the airbnb was the big tub outside on the patio. We all loved this for an evening soak, especially my mom & sister after they went horseback riding!
WHERE TO EAT:
Our favorite restaurant was Francesca’s. Very yummy Italian food. This place books up so make a reservation or plan to get it to go and eat by the water!
Brunch at Federal Diner is a must in Wanaka! My dad raved about the Comfort Kedgeree. Ellie & I loved “The Fix”: House made banana bread with Fix & Fogg chocolate & peanut butter 🙂
We also loved eating at the Brownston Street Food Truck market. They had probably over 10 different food trucks, all with yummy food! Something for everyone 🙂
Food truck milkshakeFederal Diner
WHAT TO DO:
My mom & sister went horseback riding and absolutely loved about it (it’s just not my thing so I skipped it).
I loved reading my book on the beach by the lake. I also took myself to a movie at the classic old Paradiso Theater. There are only three screens and some of the seating is cool, funky couches.
The highlight of our time in Wanaka was the 40km electric bike ride we did along the Dunstan Trail. From the website: The Lake Dunstan Trail is the 23rd and newest trail in the Ngā Haerenga Great Rides of New Zealand network and links the townships of Clyde and Cromwell. It was so much fun, but we were all very sore the next day! The trail ended near a winery so we took a much needed break for a lovely snack & drink in a beautiful setting, before returning to Wanaka.
Water front in WanakaStart of the rideLunch mid way through the ride – made on a boat!SquadHorseback riding
OVERALL THOUGHTS:
I just love Wanaka. I would live here in a heartbeat. My parents thought the same. I think they are ready to spend a few months here sometime in the future! This is a must do stop on any NZ South Island itinerary!
CITY: Queenstown
HOW LONG: 4 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
We stayed in Queenstown one night before we left for the Milford Track and three nights upon our return. Honestly neither of the accommodations were note-worthy. Queenstown can be expensive and it can be hilly so I recommend booking early and looking for a place very close to the center of town so you are not huffing & puffing up the hill to your stay.
WHERE TO EAT:
Fergburger! Need I say more? The most famous burger joint in the world 🙂
We had a more fancy dinner at The Grille, which had excellent service and very yummy food.
I returned to my favorite brunch spot I ate at on my 2019 trip: Vudu Cafe
I loved going to CookieTime for a cookie dough milkshake! Although at this point I have mastered my own recipe for cookie dough, which I think is way better…. haha
Our favorite meal was at Bella Cucina our last night together. It’s very popular so get a reservation 🙂 The food was mouthwateringly delicious. It made our last evening together quite lovely. We loved reminiscing over this incredible trip over yummy food & great drinks.
FergburgerFergburgerCookieTime for some milkshakesCookieTimeThe GrilleBella CucinaBella CucinaFinal dinner together
WHAT TO DO:
I don’t even know where to start! There is literally so much to do in Queenstown, but make sure to bring your wallet hehe.
Here’s a (non-exhaustive) list of things to do (bold are the ones we did):
Paragliding – wish I had done this – would’ve been amazing views on a sunny day
Swimming in the lake
Bike around the lake
Mountain biking
Skydiving
CanyoningPre- bungy jumpPost bungy jumpSquad takes on the Nevis Swing
Luging
Got a bit competitive while lugingOr should I say, Dad took it competitively Full Wipeout!
OVERALL THOUGHTS:
Obviously I love Queenstown! It’s one of my favorite places in the world and I was very happy to spend another 3 days here. It’s very easy to fill your time in Queenstown and I love that there’s such a variety of activities between just enjoying the vibe of the town, shopping, eating yummy food, getting your adrenaline up, soaking up the lake views, & experiencing the nature. Can’t go wrong here! Would happily return here for a third visit anytime.
Lake frontLovely sunset walk at 9:05pm
CITY: Milford Track
HOW LONG: 5 day/4 NIGHT adventure
You can either do the Milford Track on your own (thru hikers) which means you carry your tent, sleeping bag, & food, or you can pay a pretty penny to do a guided tour with Ultimate Hikes. They are the only company that you can do the guided hike with and it sells out as this is very popular so book ahead. This is a bucket list item for a lot of people, including my Dad!
The Milford Track is one of the “Great Walks” of New Zealand & you walk 54km (33.5 miles) through the heart Fiordland National Park and you end in the gorgeous Milford Sound.
ACCOMMODATION:
You stay in private lodges all four nights and they were all lovely. Each had everything you needed (even if it was fairly basic), but the views were always incredible. Also they all had fabulous common areas to hang with the other hikers in your group, play cards, stretch, & rest after the hard day’s hiking. I have nothing bad to say about the lodges. It’s pretty incredible how pleasant they are when they are literally located in the middle of nowhere and are only accessible by helicopter or by foot.
Loved the viewBasic, but clean!We could see 20 waterfalls from our window at this lodgeOur favorite lodge was the one at the end at Milford Sound!
WHERE TO EAT:
LOL not much choice along this track 😉 But I cannot emphasize how incredible the food is along the trip. I am amazed at the freshness & quality of each meal (although lunch is build your own wrap or sandwich, but I am not complaining). Dinner each night had a few courses and you go to choose from a few options for your main course. I am not exaggerating when I say it was some of the best food we had on our trip,, which again is incredible when all the food has to be helicoptered in.
Sample menu!!
WHAT TO DO:
Hike 🙂 Here’s the official itinerary. The first day is pretty easy (1 mile). The second and fourth day are medium (10 & 13 miles, but fairly low elevation change). The third day is by far the hardest (9 miles, but you go up and over the pass). It’s the longest day and it’s hard on your knees. But it was also my favorite day as we had gotten rain the night before, so we were treated to hundreds of small & large waterfalls coming down the mountains and into the valley’s. It was so, so magical.
At the trailhead – we had no idea what we were in for 🙂Cutest mama in the worldRain gave us some gorgeous waterfallsI mean!!!A little peak of Sutherland FallsMy favorite waterfallMade it to Milford Sound!Hiking buddiesThe final mile markerMilford Sound in all it’s beauty!
OVERALL THOUGHTS:
This was truly a top 3 moment of my trip so far, and that’s saying something given I’ve been traveling for 7 months and NZ was my 21st country of the trip. I’ve done tons of cool stuff, but the combination of being in the mountains (my favorite), the hundreds of waterfalls, being with my family, and meeting tons of new people, just made this such a special experience! While it’s not cheap (thanks Mom & Dad!!), I can highly recommend this trip if you like hiking in gorgeous nature. You won’t regret it.
Trip Summary
I can’t even truly put into words how much fun this trip was! How often do you get to go on a family vacation with your core family, but everyone is an adult? I loved all our deep conversations, learning more about one another, and even the tears 🙂 I mean would it be a Nichols family trip without some tears shed by me & Ellie haha. But, to be fair, we made a bet at the beginning of the trip on how many tears there would be, and it ended up being less than we expected – so not too shabby!! I can’t believe I got so lucky with my family ❤
How did I get the best, kindest, cutest parents in the world:) So grateful for them & making this dream trip happen ❤
Let me preface this post by saying this trip (Fiji + New Zealand) was a once in a lifetime trip that my parents gave me & my sister as our 2022 AND 2023 Christmas gift. It’s incredibly generous and Ellie & I are so grateful for the unbelievable memories we got to make as a family. However, as such, this is not a normal backpacker trip or a normal backpacker budget. I still thought I’d share all the details though 🙂
To get here you fly to Nadi (we spent a night on Nadi before & after our time at Matangi, but nothing worth reporting on). Then you must take a tiny hopper flight to Taveuni Island. From there, the resort picks you up in a jeep that takes you to a dock. Finally you get on a speed boat that takes to the beautiful oasis that is Matangi Resort!
ACCOMMODATION:
OH BOY OH BOY OH BOY. Matangi Private Island Resort is a literal dream. This place isn’t cheap, but is worth every penny (although technically can I say that when I didn’t have to pay??). Regardless, if you ever find yourself planning a trip to Fiji (that isn’t budget constrained), I can’t recommend this place enough. My sister & I shared a bure, while my parents had one next door. The level of service was unreal. Everyone was so kind & helpful. Even when my dad got caught on a chaise lounge next to the pool under a big shade/umbrella in a rain storm, the staff walked over and brought him an umbrella so he could come back to the main lounge area. There are only 12 bures so it really feels like you have the island to yourself. The most amount of people that were there while we were at the resort were 4 others. By the end of our stay, there was only one other guest. We all wished we’d stayed two more nights to really soak up all that we could from the island.
Where to eat:
As you are on a private island, there aren’t a lot of dining options 😉 However, you won’t be disappointed in a single meal you have on the island. The resort is all inclusive so eat up & drink up. For every meal, you are offered 3-4 options for your starter & main course (both for lunch & dinner) and a few options for dessert. I swear, each meal was better than the last. Truly spectacular, interesting, crowd-pleasing recipe options that had each of us excited. Ellie and I would often strategize to pick different options so we could try a few of the offerings. Win-Win.
What to Do:
Matangi offers so many fun things to do (and the following is all included!):
Snorkeling
Hiking
Sailing
Stand up paddleboarding
Reading by the pool
Reading in a hammock
Reading on a swinging bed next the ocean waves
Local village tour (on another island)
Local Fijian dance performance
For an extra charge, you have a few other options but that standouts are:
Scuba diving– This is what got me the most excited! Within a 20-mile radius of Matangi Island are countless dive sites including the world famous Great White Wall and Noel’s Wall. I got to do one day of diving (3 dives) and they were all fantastic. My favorite was the Cabbage Patch dive (see here for some photos of the spot)
Horseshoe Bay Picnic – this is more for a honeymoon, but Horseshoe Bay was listed as one of the “1000 places to see before you die”
Spa– I had a great 90 min Matangi Bush Herb massage + a coconut hair & scalp treatment.
Reading by the ocean 🙂Scuba!Pool time
Overall Thoughts:
I have only overwhelmingly positive things to say about Matangi & Fiji. It’s as beautiful as they say. The waters were so blue & clear. The days were hot. Even the powerful afternoon 5 min rain was lovely & mesmerizing to watch. Everyone in my family hopes to return to Matangi in the future!
BUDGET FOR 5 DAYS IN Fiji:
Flight to Fiji – $900 (one way)
Accommodation: $1944 ($486 per night) – This represents what my share would’ve been. I want to reiterate this was an insanely abnormal trip for our family, but it truly was the most special trip 🙂
Food: $0 (all included)
Groceries: $0
Activities: $600 (scuba + massage)
Local Transportation: $450 (flights, van, boat to Matangi)
Total: $3894 (Daily average: $973)
Transportation to next destination: $390 (flight to Christchurch, New Zealand)
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.
I stayed at the Piwaka Lodge and Backpackers. At first, I was a little underwhelmed by the facilities, but I ended up loving this little spot because of the hospitality by it’s owner, Nicci. When I was cold at night, she provided extra blankets and a hot water bottle (this my favorite invention btw- not sure why we don’t have these in California). She also provided breakfast and dinner each night (FOR FREE). It was also one of the more deluxe free hostel breakfasts I have had, complete with toast, cereal, and a delicious homemade porridge with fruit in it. Delicious! Nicci was also very helpful in planning my time in Picton. At her recommendation I did a day trip to an island sanctuary and did a hike through part of the Queen Charlotte track. Overall, I would highly recommend staying her.
Where to Eat:
Given Nicci provided breakfast and dinner, and I packed a lunch for my hike, no recommendations for where to eat here.
What to Do:
Like a lot of New Zealand, the best things to do here involve hiking or boats. The afternoon I arrived I did a 2 hour hike to the Snout. It was a great way to stretch my legs after the 4 hour ferry from Wellington.
The best thing to do here is the Queen Charlotte Trail through the Marlborough Sounds. Given I did not have my backpacking gear or 5 days to spare, I obviously couldn’t complete the whole track. However, Nicci recommended a day trip that allowed me to do about 15km of the trek, which was perfect! This was definitely one of the highlights of my time in New Zealand. The views were unbelievable and there weren’t too many people around. It was peaceful to meander through the Marlborough Sounds and I met three Irish women who I became friends with (and met up with twice more in the South Island).
New Irish friends!
Overall Thoughts:
Picton was such a fun stop for me! I ran into a girl I met at the hostel I stayed at in Auckland and we grabbed a drink. I met the three Irish ladies who I couldn’t wait to hang out with again. The day hike was magical. I loved my hostel and the cute town of Picton. Also, because the Kiwi Experience doesn’t stop here for a night it provided a break from the experience which was nice. Definitely recommend a stop here to spend time in the Marlborough Sounds!
CITY: Kaiteriteri (Abel Tasman)
HOW LONG: 3 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
We stayed at the Kaiteri Lodge and it was not the worst, but not the best. You have to pay for wifi and you have to put a deposit down for silverware (which you get back when you check out). It just didn’t give the place warm, fuzzy vibes. However, there was a restaurant/bar and a smoothie food truck in the same lot so access to food was great. Kaiteriteri is small so there aren’t too many options for accommodation. As such, this isn’t a bad choice.
Where to Eat:
My favorite meal here was my smoothie bowl from The Mermaid’s Beach House (next to the hostel). So yummy and nice to have something healthy!
I also got a burger from Gone Burgers, which was pretty delicious and fairly reasonably priced.
What to do:
The two great things to do here is hike through Abel Tasman National Park and kayak around the outskirt of the national park.
The kayaking brought us to two different islands where we saw waterfalls, sea lions, black sand beaches, and had a picnic lunch (which you need to bring, unless you pre-pay for a lunch with them). It was beautiful to get a taste of the national park.
Abel Tasman National Park
Overall Thoughts:
This was a cool, low-key stop along the Kiwi Experience route. Very small town with a few restaurants, but I enjoyed this lazy spot. The kayaking was stunning and definitely a highlight. This is also where I met a whole new group of people on my bus, which I would become good friends with and travel the rest of New Zealand with 🙂
CITY: Westport
HOW LONG: 1 NIGHT
ACCOMMODATION:
We stayed at Bazil’s hostel, which was a quirky, homey hostel. We only stayed one night so we didn’t get too acquainted with the hostel, but the kitchen was well equipped and they had a nice common room with a large tv that some people used for a movie night. If for some reason you end up in Westport, don’t hesitate to book here.
Where to eat:
We were literally here for less than 18 hours so we only cooked in the hostel and did not eat out.
What to do:
Westport seemed like a bit of a random stop along the west coast so there is not necessarily a reason to stop here, other than potentially to break up the drive along the west coast (?). The one activity offered to us on the Kiwi Experience was a surf lesson. I opted out as I wanted to save surf lessons for an area with warm water (Australia, Bali, etc).
CITY: Lake Mahinapua
HOW LONG: 1 NIGHT
ACCOMMODATION:
As legend has it, the Kiwi Experience bus broke down and got stranded about 20 years ago near the Lake Mahinapua Hotel. The hotel was nice enough to take them in and now the bus stops here on every route. Once again, I think this is just another spot to break up the time down the west coast to Franz Josef glacier, but it’s a nice spot. The beach is about a 5 min walk and there is a pretty lake about a 10 min walk away. There is no wifi, but there are hot tubs! It’s a flat $55, but that included dinner, breakfast, and your room as there is no kitchen.
Where to eat:
You are treated to a yummy dinner and a lovely breakfast buffet in the morning at the hotel.
What to do:
The main activity is a fancy dress/costume party the night we stay here. The theme when I went was dressing up as something that started with the first letter of your name. As such, I went as a marathon runner (aka wore what I wear everyday while traveling haha). It was a fun night, but I would have loved for there to be more drinking games so it was more social and you got to know everyone. Instead it was just very loud music so all you could do was dance.
The morning after I did go for a lovely run near the lake through some trails so that was great!
Also, I did not participate in this, but you could carve your own piece of jade jewelry here.
Overall thoughts:
There is no reason to stop here unless you are on Kiwi Experience, and this definitely wasn’t my favorite stop, but I did enjoy the hot tub and walking to the lake.
CITY: Franz Josef
HOW LONG: 2 NIGHTs
Accommodation:
Rainforest Retreat was one of my favorite places we stayed in New Zealand. The whole place felt like a rustic lodge. There’s a hot tub and sauna. The restaurant had fireplaces and it felt like the perfect place to cozy up for some hot chocolate or ciders. The kitchen was very functional and the wifi worked fairly well (for NZ standards). While we stayed in dorm-style rooms, they also have private rooms and bungalows as well as camping spots. If you plan on stopping in Franz Josef to see the glacier, then definitely stay here.
The restaurant where we had all you can eat pizzas
Where to eat:
We ate at the restaurant at the retreat as they offered an all you can eat pizza night and who can turn that down? There were some cool looking restaurants around town so have a wander and see what tickles your fancy!
What to do:
Almost everything around this town centers on the glacier. You can walk on it, take a helicopter over it, ride snowmobiles, climb it. In the interest of budgeting my money, I chose to just do a hike to the foot of the glacier for a small peek of it. I wish I had the money to do the heli tour, but alas we can’t get everything we want 🙂 Side note: It’s pretty devastating to see how much the glacier has melted in the past 100 years #climatechangeisreal
Overall thoughts:
I could have stayed here one more day. I enjoyed the hike and the lodge and the pretty valley it was located in.
CITY: Wanaka
HOW LONG: 2 NIGHTs
Accommodation:
We stayed at Base and unless you are on Kiwi Experience, I would recommend staying elsewhere. The wifi was bad, the kitchen was gross, and there are definitely better places to stay. It’s also a dry hostel. The location was close to the water though so that’s a plus.
Where to eat:
My favorite place to eat was the crepe shack, Charlie Brown Crepes, right next to the Base hostel. I went twice I liked it so much. I also had a delicious hot chocolate from them.
Ice cream!
I had a decadent ice cream from Patagonia chocolate after hiking all morning.
What to do:
One of the most famous spots in Wanaka is the Wanaka Tree, which is a tree that is growing out of the lake. It’s about a 15 min walk from town around the lake. The lake was a bit flooded while we were there so my friends and I agreed it didn’t look particularly cool, but normally it’s beautiful.
The Wanaka Tree
The highlight in Wanaka for me was the hike to Roy’s Peak. While some of my friends did it for sunrise, I am not a morning person, but they said it was amazing. I left with some other friends at around 8am to beat the afternoon sun. It took us about 2.75 hours to get to the top and about 2.25 hours to get down, including some breaks for water, rest and food. There aren’t restrooms once you leave the bottom so keep that in mind. Don’t forget snacks, water and sunscreen! This was definitely a hard hike as it’s mostly straight up to the peak and the obviously straight down to the bottom.
Made it to the top!
Another fun thing to do here is go for a ride on a boat on Lake Wanaka. I chose not to go for budget reasons, but my friends who went really enjoyed it!
Hanging at Lake Wanaka
Overall thoughts:
This is a beautiful, sleepy, relaxing spot in New Zealand. I love a cute town on a lake! I easily could have stayed here longer.
CITY: Queenstown
HOW LONG: 12 NIGHTs
Accommodation:
We stayed at Nomads in Queenstown. It is in a great location, right in the middle of town so close to all the bars and next to the lake. You can’t beat the location. The kitchen was most everything you needed, but it could get crowded at peak cooking times. The “free breakfast” consisted of toast and jam so I wouldn’t rely on that. The wifi is quite unreliable and kicks you off constantly. Plenty of showers and bathrooms, which is good as it’s a decently sized hostel, but it wasn’t always super clean. Rooms didn’t have lockers so make sure to have a lock for your bag itself. I would recommend staying at one of the other cool hostels in town (and there are many), however, if you are on a tight budget, this hostel will do the trick.
Where to eat:
Queenstown has so many fun spots to try. A few highlights were:
Fergberger– If you are traveling in New Zealand and haven’t heard of Fergberger then you must not have spoken to one other traveler. There is always a line out the door and once you have a burger, you understand why. My advice: don’t be afraid to go a couple of times, whether you take it to go and sit by the water at sunset or if you go late at night after a night out and try a few different burgers (they are all good). I didn’t love the fries, but that might just be personal preference as I like shoestring fries.
Ferbakery– This is right next to the famed Fergburger and has delicious sandwiches and ice cream!
Cookietime– What a dream for me: mixing cookie dough and ice cream! I went a few times to try different menu items and ultimately tried the cookie dough milkshake, chocolate chip cookies and the double chocolate vanilla milkshake. My favorite was definitely the cookie dough milkshake but they were all delicious!
Cannot have too many cookie dough milkshakes 🙂
World Bar– This is a great bar for bar hopping in the evening, but I also really, really liked the burger and fries I got here!
The Boat Shed– While biking around the lake we stopped here for a quick snack. It’s a really quaint spot and cutely decorated.
Vudu Cafe & Larder– This is the cutest spot for some delicious, healthy, inventive meals. I went twice!
Devil Burger– Another great burger stop and as a bonus the line is shorter than at Fergburger.
The Bathhouse– This is a cute little spot for some pastries and a coffee in the morning. Grab a spot outside and just enjoy the view of the lake. I had a great banana bread and hot chocolate here.
Little Blackwood– This is a slightly nicer bar right on the water. A bit on the smaller size, but it had delicious drinks.
What to do:
MM OH MY there is a lot to do in Queenstown so it really comes down to the time you have, the $$$ you can blow, and what you enjoy doing.
For the hikers, there is Queenstown hill and Ben Lomond. There are plenty of other hikes if you have a car and get yourself out of Queenstown itself.
You can take a day trip to Milford Sound.
Milford Sound
For the adrenalie junkies, there are no shortage of options for bungy jumping, catapolts, swings, and skydiving. You can also canyon down a river and speed along a river in a speedboat. You can mountain bike and race around the lake in a tiny shark-like contraption.
Caitlyn, Ed and I survived
So much fun, so little time launching ourselves off ledges
Jet boating!
You can enjoy a leaisurely walk through the gardens or the path around the lake. You can take a cruise through the lake or enjoy a glass of wine at one the many bars right on the water.
For the partiers, you better believe every night feels like a Saturday night here and the bars are happening. Every 20 feet there is a cool bar to check out that probably has a happy hour going on, including an ice bar.
If you are here during the winter, then ski at one of the 5 ski resorts nearby.
It is very easy to fill your time with activities and empty your pcokets while in Queenstown. ENJOY!
Overall thoughts:
Queenstown was by far my favorite place in New Zealand. I could spend a month here; in fact, I could spend a year here working on a working holiday visa.
Please allot appropriate time here in Queenstown on your trip to the South Island. It is such a fun spot to hang for a few days.
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