Well, Firstly let me tell you that you have picked up the most gorgeous place on this earth for your vacation. These tips will help you with some basic yet very important information for your travel to NZ.
Also Read : Two Weeks Road-trip itinerary in New Zealand
1. Mobile Connectivity – There are 2 major service providers Voda and Spark. However, the coverage of Voda is better than Spark. Both have an outlet at the airport arrival wing.
The connectivity of Voda is good except Milford sound where there is no reception for any of the providers. Also some parts of Fox Glacier and Gillespie have poor connectivity. Data is costly and not all cafes/restaurants offer free WiFi. Also, there are some spark wifi Pods in the towns and if you own a Spark SIM card you can connect to free internet when you are close to these Pods.
GPS is very important – If you are planing to hire a self driven car/campervan than GPS is necessary as you can’t reply on your mobile connection in the areas that don’t have a good reception. Further, there are certain inside roads where your GPS might not be of any good so do consult a local / information desk in advance for the same.
2. Getting Around – NZ is well connected by roads hence there is a good bus network too. There are Intercity buses, Hop-on Hop-off buses, National/Day trip coaches and local buses.
Self-driven Cars and Campervans are the best means to explore the country as they help you reach the off beat roads and tracks. Maui, Britz and Juicy are the topmost rental companies that provide good range of campervans. Campervans are of various types. Hiring a self-contained campervan (one that has a toilet built-in) lets you to camp at any campsite across the country.
3. Campermate – If you are planning to rent a campervan than Campermate App will come in very handy. Download the application in advance and browse through it. It has all the information you would need on the road; campgrounds, public toilets, ATM, restaurants, petrol stations, parks, things to do etc. It also includes alerts. Since the weather is pretty unpredictable in NZ, it keeps you posted in real-time about any road closures.
4. Road Safety – New Zealand follows certain standard road safety and traffic rules like any other country and has some unique rules of its own. Hence do remember to check the road safety rules online before you take your start driving on the NZ roads. The obvious one is to drive on left, but there are many other rules for the intersections and some one way bridges. NZ allows foreign tourists from certain countries to drive as long as they have valid Driving Licence from their home-country. For others, an International Driving Licence needs to be applied for and procured in advance.
5. What to pack – There is very famous saying about NZ, “You can see upto four seasons in a single day”. So make sure you pack some extra layers.
I hope these tips make your vacation more comfortable..!
Also Read : Two Weeks Road-trip itinerary in New Zealand
Happy Traveling !!
Thanks for Reading
The Seeking Soul..
The Seeking Soul 