Great Kiwi Trips

02/09/2026

Head south. Keep going. Stay curious.

The Catlins is one of those places where the road itself becomes part of the adventure.

Wild coastline. Ancient forest. Hidden waterfalls. Wildlife. Quiet beaches. And plenty of little detours that are worth taking.

It's not really a place to rush through, ticking off the sights. Slow down, take the scenic route and see what you find.

We've put together a guide to some of the places and experiences worth discovering in this wild corner of the South Island.

01/09/2026

The tūi know. Spring is here.

And if you're planning a trip to New Zealand over the next few months, it's a pretty lonely time to be here.

Longer days, blossom everywhere, crisp mornings, and plenty of opportunity to get out and explore.

When it comes to packing, our best advice is simple:

Pack for your itinerary, not just the season.

A few good layers will take you from sunny afternoons by the coast to cooler days exploring the mountains.

We've put together a practical guide to packing for spring in New Zealand – including what to bring, what you can leave at home, and how to pack smart for your journey.

The guide is in the first comment.

27/08/2026

A strong flat white in a well-worn ceramic mug. Gumboots parked outside the store. Fresh air. A quiet country road. A windswept coast. That’s the Wairarapa & Hutt Valley in a nutshell.

More of what makes this corner of New Zealand worth slowing down for in the first comment.

24/08/2026

You might drive straight past some of the best food in New Zealand.

It probably won't have a Michelin star. It might be sitting behind a bakery counter, wrapped in paper at the beach, or waiting in the cabinet of a little country café.

A meat pie. A cheese roll. Fish and chips. A flat white. Hokey pokey ice cream. Even an L&P.

Some of these are everyday Kiwi favourites – but they're also part of experiencing New Zealand through Kiwi eyes.

I've put together 18 New Zealand foods and drinks worth looking out for on your travels, including a few you might not have heard of before.

21/08/2026

Don’t rush New Zealand.

It’s one of the easiest mistakes to make when planning a trip here.

New Zealand looks deceptively small on a map. Then you get on the road and discover that those kilometres come with winding roads, mountain passes, scenic stops, coffee stops – and the occasional sheep-induced pause.

Trying to squeeze too much into your itinerary can leave you spending more time getting from A to B than actually enjoying the places you’ve come to see.

We’ve put together 7 common New Zealand itinerary mistakes – and how to avoid them.

Because the best trip isn’t necessarily the one where you see the most.

It’s the one where you actually have time to enjoy it.

Read the guide:

Every year, travellers arrive in New Zealand with itineraries that looked perfect at home. Discover the planning mistakes we see most often and download our complimentary Planning Guide.

18/08/2026

The cheapest flight to New Zealand could actually cost you more.

Not necessarily in dollars.

It could cost you half a day of your holiday. An extra domestic connection. A long drive in the wrong direction. Or a 4am alarm because your return flight leaves at 6am.

And that's why I don't think you should choose your Australia–New Zealand flight based on price alone.

Where you fly into matters.

When you arrive matters.

And how easily that flight fits into the journey you actually want to take matters.

We've put together a guide to the direct flights from Australia – including the different New Zealand gateways and what I'd think about before booking.

Because the cheapest flight isn't always the cheapest trip.

14/08/2026

Forget the big attractions for a moment.

Have you found the little Kiwis?

Whakatāne has a collection of quirky little Kiwi sculptures dotted around town – turning a simple wander into a bit of a treasure hunt.

It's exactly the sort of thing you might miss if you're focused on ticking off the big-name sights. But these are often the little discoveries that make a place memorable.

And that's part of what I like about Whakatāne. it's not somewhere that appears on every New Zealand itinerary, but spend a little time here and you'll find plenty to enjoy – beautiful beaches, coastal walks, Māori history and a wonderfully relaxed pace.

I've put together a guide to Whakatāne and Ōhope if you'd like to discover a little more of this often-overlooked corner of the Bay of Plenty.

Link in the first comment.

11/08/2026

Two weeks in New Zealand. Is that enough?

Yes.

But probably not if you're trying to see everything.

New Zealand has a habit of looking deceptively small on a map. Then you start adding Auckland, Rotorua, Wellington, Queenstown, Milford Sound, Mount Cook, Abel Tasman… and suddenly your “relaxed” two-week holiday involves a lot of driving and a lot of checking out of hotels.

The better approach?

Choose what matters most to you.

Build a route that makes sense.

And leave enough time to actually enjoy the places you've travelled all this way to see.

Because the goal of a two-week New Zealand trip shouldn't be to collect destinations.

It should be to come home feeling like you've experienced New Zealand.

We've put together a guide to planning a two-week New Zealand trip – including the big question of whether you should try to fit in both islands.

The link is in the first comment.

What would you choose – one island done well, or both islands in two weeks?

06/08/2026

"Is Hobbiton actually worth visiting?"

It's one of the questions we're asked most often.

Some people assume it's only for die-hard The Lord of the Rings fans.

The reality might surprise you.

Whether you're planning your first trip to New Zealand or deciding which experiences deserve a place on your itinerary, we've shared our honest thoughts on what makes Hobbiton so special – and who might want to skip it.

03/08/2026

Planning a trip to New Zealand should be exciting.

But somewhere between comparing 47 different itineraries, wondering if that "quick drive" is actually five hours, and trying to work out whether you need 10 days or three weeks... it can start to feel like work.

If you've ever found yourself with dozens of browser tabs open and no clearer idea where to begin, this one's for you.

Our latest article looks at why planning a New Zealand trip feels so overwhelming – and a few simple ways to make the whole process easier.