JOTARO'S TRAVEL TIPS
NEW ZEALAND 2014 : CHRISTCHURCH, QUEENSTOWN, DUNEDIN & OTAGO CENTRAL RAIL TRAIL
These are tips we picked up while on a biking trip in South Island, New Zealand (... see Cycling New Zealand 2014). This page provides : useful net sites, hand-phone apps, maps, etc.
Hope this will be helpful.
The very first thing one should do is to get a local New Zealand mobile phone SIM card. The pre-paid ones from Vodafone charges only NZD49-00 for 2GB of data, 120 mins of talk time (including to certain home countries), and 200 text messages. The deal is for 60 days.
I did find it odd though when making calls back home to Malaysia, I had only used something like 12 minutes of talk time and was barred from making any further calls home???
Useful Net Sites:
- New Zealand Travel Guide
- Christchurch Travel Guide - Wikitravel
- Queenstown New Zealand Travel Guide
- Dunedin Travel Guide
- Otago Central Rail Trail (For Cycling)
- The Rough Guide to New Zealand (eBook)
For Transportation & Accommodations:
- Easy Taxi (Booking taxies for Android, free)
SHOPPING & EATING TIPS
-Cheap souvenirs can be obtained in Queenstown from a shop at Shotover Street operated by a Chinese.
- Cheap souvenirs, skin care cream, etc. can be obtained in Te Anau from a shop at the Town Centre junction operated by a Chinese Lady.
- Good Manuka Honey, Thyme Honey, Clover Honey can be obtained from the Hunny Shop at Garston. Link : Garston Stable Hunny Shop; Telephone +6403-248 8990. E-mail : legendsdownunder@yahoo.com.
- Fergburger in Queenstown sell good, big and well-priced burgers from NZD11-00.
- Eating out in New Zealand can be expensive, a better way is to cook whenever the accommodations have cooking facilities.
> For buying Asian food try Kosco.
> For others try PAK'nSAVE.
- For further savings and to simplify cooking, bring along cooking pastes from your home country.
Useful Maps
(click on maps for enlarged view)
Christchurch Airport has an Air Lounge for passengers who has an early morning flight to catch. It is opened from 8:30pm to 5:00am and the charges are NZD5-00 pax or NZD20-00 per family. This saves passengers a fair bit of money and time by avoiding having to stay overnight at a city hotel.
Passenger can relax/sleep on the limited bean bags provided. Blankets are also provided and one can sleep on the chairs or floors. For those wanting to do some serious work, counters with bar stools are provide. Ample power points are provided too!
The Air Lounge has a limited capacity of 48 persons, so do go there fast.
A TV provides some entertainment while another screen provides the departure flight schedule.
For those intending to fly via Sydney, above is the Terminal Layout Plan for Kingsford Smith Airport.
Christchurch City Cathedral Square North Street Map.
Christchurch Hagley Park & Botanical Gardens Map.
Queenstown City Centre Map
Queenstown Cycling/Waliking
Trails Map
Queenstown Cycling Trails Map
Lake Wakatipu Area Map (Note: the dotted line shows the route of the steamship Earnslaw.
Ski Map of Queenstown Coronet Peak Skiing Resort.
Map of Wanaka.
A SPECIAL TIP FOR CYCLISTS:
Buses normally charge extra for bicycles. But our Bromptons folded so compactly and when in it's cover bag it look just like luggage, so we did not have to pay the extra as they were treated as normal luggage.
You are at - Jotaro's Blog / Footsteps /Travel Tips-AhPek Biker / South Island New Zealand
If you like this, view my other blogs at Jotaro's Blog
(comments most welcomed below. if you like this pls share via facebook or twitter)
