Advice on possible Aussie/New Zealand vacation?

[Exterous]

My wife and I are considering a vacation to Australia and New Zealand in year and a half or so. We are just in the initial planning phase and are looking for some good ideas on where to go and what to visit. We are hoping to go for 1.5-2 weeks and want to visit both countries

Also - does anyone have any comparisons for what the costs are like for food, transportation, etc compared to here? It will have an impact how long we can stay but I haven't been able to find much about daily costs yet

 

[KMFJD]

My wife and I are considering a vacation to Australia and New Zealand in year and a half or so. We are just in the initial planning phase and are looking for some good ideas on where to go and what to visit. We are hoping to go for 1.5-2 weeks and want to visit both countries

Also - does anyone have any comparisons for what the costs are like for food, transportation, etc compared to here? It will have an impact how long we can stay but I haven't been able to find much about daily costs yet

Stick to one country, 2 weeks is not enough time....that being said, New Zealand would be cheaper of the two options, still expensive though. What kind of things did you want to do?

 

[Saint Nick]

You should go for a couple months, if you can

 

[Krazy4Real]

watch out for penis cancer.

 

[Riverhound777]

I did as you plan and agree it isn't enough time. I went to Melbourne, Gold Coast, and Auckland. Loved Melbourne, did the Great Ocean Road, really enjoyed the city. I'd pass on Gold Coast if I were to go back. Auckland was ok, but I wish I had gone to the southern island. I went Canyoning outside of Auckland, highly recommended.

Total cost of the trip was $3500, $1500 of which was flights. I stayed in pretty decent hotels, $100 a night split with a friend.

 

[Sixguns]

I went to both about 10 years ago. Spend a little over 20 days between the two. I like Australia more than NZ. Only bad thing is that it was a planned trip since I went with this group called People to People. So I really didnt get to see the cities we were in.

As for the money, when I went the our 1 dollar would get you a little of 2 of theirs but everything was twice the price here. So really it cost the same in American dollars but again this was 10 years ago.

 

[Exterous]

Stick to one country, 2 weeks is not enough time....that being said, New Zealand would be cheaper of the two options, still expensive though. What kind of things did you want to do?

Well, we are thinking it might be awhile before we are back in the area so it would be nice to go to both even if we do the majority in one country and just a couple of days in the other.

We like to sight see - pretty scenery, quintessential landmarks/buildings etc. Not as into the adventurous and hiking is probably out. (I'll still go for a bungie jump if the opportunity presents itself but the wife wont)

We did a self drive tour of Ireland this spring and had a blast.

You should go for a couple months, if you can

Heh - would if we could

watch out for penis cancer.

Roger that

 

[Exterous]

I did as you plan and agree it isn't enough time. I went to Melbourne, Gold Coast, and Auckland. Loved Melbourne, did the Great Ocean Road, really enjoyed the city. I'd pass on Gold Coast if I were to go back. Auckland was ok, but I wish I had gone to the southern island. I went Canyoning outside of Auckland, highly recommended.

Total cost of the trip was $3500, $1500 of which was flights. I stayed in pretty decent hotels, $100 a night split with a friend.

Thanks! I agree - there is never enough time but 1.5-2 weeks is what we have to work with. How long was your trip? And was the $1500 spent there total between the two of you or just for you?

I went to both about 10 years ago. Spend a little over 20 days between the two. I like Australia more than NZ. Only bad thing is that it was a planned trip since I went with this group called People to People. So I really didnt get to see the cities we were in.

As for the money, when I went the our 1 dollar would get you a little of 2 of theirs but everything was twice the price here. So really it cost the same in American dollars but again this was 10 years ago.

Heh - I went to a number of countries in Europe with People to People.

 

[KMFJD]

Well, we are thinking it might be awhile before we are back in the area so it would be nice to go to both even if we do the majority in one country and just a couple of days in the other.

We like to sight see - pretty scenery, quintessential landmarks/buildings etc. Not as into the adventurous and hiking is probably out. (I'll still go for a bungie jump if the opportunity presents itself but the wife wont)

We did a self drive tour of Ireland this spring and had a blast.



Heh - would if we could



Roger that

I did 1 month in NZ and 3 months in Australia in the summer...14 days (really 11 after you consider the travel) Do the South Island of NZ, fly into Queenstown, must see's are Milford/Doubtfull Sound, Mount Cook, the drive along the west coast to Franz Joesph/Fox Glaciers, Abel Tasman NP , that will take a week if you rush things, driving is a breeze.

Right now 1$ US is 1.31 NZD , gas was around 1.7$/L , hostel room was around 60-70 $ for twin/double room max, a good meal at a resteraunt usually set me back 50-60$nzd for 2 people, beer around 5-7 a pint, coffee was around 4$

Or you could do Sydney/Melbourne and spend some time in Tasmania (if going in their summer)

 

[BoomerD]

Choose your sheep wisely.

 

[Newbian]

If you visit down under watch out for drop bears otherwise the last thing you will hear is the leaves above you rustling a bit.