Book Description
The sun shows up here first for a reason. Come for bracing light or caverns underground, glacial valleys or black volcanic sand. Tour every landscape on earth, all rolled into one country. Dig for pipis on the beach, or sample oysters on a platter. Savour solitude with a view, or city culture. Things are never just black and white in New Zealand. STICK OUT YOUR TONGUE - taste the freshest seafood, world-class wines, or the best lamb roast there is ROLL YOUR EYES - yet another magnificent view of mystical mountains, braided river plains or calming coastlines SLAP YOUR THIGHS - a good time's easy to find, from happening Auckland to waterfront Wellington STAND UP PROUD - and experience Maori culture firsthand: take part in a powhiri, or fill your puku at a hangi RUN AT IT SHOUTING - bungy jump, sea kayak, surf, trek and hit the white water with the best of them
Customer Reviews:
Good travel guide.......2007-05-18
So far what I've read the book has a wealth of travel info.
NZ Tour Guide.......2007-05-13
NZ definition of luxury is different from USA definition. Stayed in Victorian Hotel in Rotorua that got rave review in this book, the room we had was very ordinary and the bathroom was very old and run down. Very disappointing. Even though the hotel is about 100 yrs old, it does not have to look rundown.
Stayed in Boutique hotel in Hamilton, very nice but not up to US Boutique standards. Best hotel on the trip was in Auckland by the sailing harbor, room modern but parking situation is pathetic. Only have room for 10 cars or so, for a large hotel. Except for the first night, had to park several blocks away in a municipal parking garage (car park), at the same price as at the hotel. Very inconvenient, we were there in summer, would be a miserable walk in the winter.
Great information about things to do in each city.
More than complete!.......2007-02-12
Great book, the information is accurate, complete and extremely useful at the time of choosing NZ as a travelling destination. plus, its ad free. just excellent.
Perfect for the budget traveller.......2007-01-10
This is the must have book for anyone doing NZ on the cheap, although NZ aint that cheap.
If you're doing a driving tour with your 78 year old Mum, you might want to look at something a little more middle of the road, but it worked for Mum & me.
Lot's of detail, but activities seems a bit more geared to the adrenaline junkie, then again, with 2 weeks to TRY and see both islands, I didn't have a lot of time to read the book.
Plan at least a month if you want to see both islands and not wipe yourself out.
Lonely Planet guides are my first choice. South America on a shoestring got me around the whole place, no worries...
Big and heavy. If you're backpacking with a friend, rip it in half and share the load. Just make sure you rip between chapters, not half way through!
Essential travel book.......2007-01-09
This latest edition of New Zealand is a very good read. Typically LP, it is really essential when travelling as a backpacker. Because besides all the recommended highlights it has plenty of city maps and the very usefull section getting there and around. But what is absolutely perfect about this guide book is the sense of humour in the texts. It let's you read and travel always with a smile on :-)
Book Description
Recognized the world over by frequent flyers and armchair travelers alike, Eyewitness Travel Guides are the most colorful and comprehensive guides on the market. With beautifully commissioned photographs and spectacular 3-D aerial views revealing the charm of each destination, these amazing travel guides show what others only tell.
Customer Reviews:
New Zealand Eyewithess Travel Guide is great for planning.......2007-09-30
Eyewithess Travel Guides give the best overall overview of any travel book or other travel product - good organization; great pictures, maps and other graphics; interesting & concise text and descriptions about history, national foods and beverages, etc.; good suggestions for lodging and eating. They are excellet resource and reference books, but they are concise enough to give a relatively complete overview but short enough to quickly convey information, especially if you do not have a lot of free time.
I believe that carefully reading about a desination is important for planning any trip. The Eyewithess Travel Guides are the best way to obtain that overview and prioritize where you want to go. The New Zealand guide is enormous help to us with our planning.
Use this DK travel guide like a shopping catalogue.......2007-08-11
This DK travel guide to New Zealand is quite good at describing that island nation in a general sense, and offering lots of beautiful color illustrations and photographs of neat places to go. But it's not so great as an actual travel guide. First of all, it's a bit heavy to carry around. Second, it is broad, rather than jam-packed with helpful details. Third, it offers up mostly white-bread, been-there-done-that activities and sites.
I suggest that you consult this DK guide **before** you head to New Zealand, in order to get familiar with the country and to pick the mainstream places and monuments you want to see. Then leave it at home, and bring a more dense, helpful guide along with you (such as "The Rough Guide to New Zealand").
The DK guide to New Zealand will make a handsome souvenir reference once you return home.
Useful, but needs a supplement.......2007-01-04
I love the Eyewitness Travel Guide series but they generally suffer from certain limitations and the New Zealand guide is no exception. It starts off with the standard historical chapter before getting to an area-by-area description and summary of both islands that form the country. This is where the book shines because it offers color photos on every page that are invaluable in helping you decide which sights are must-see and which ones you can skip if you are short on time. As you would expect, every region is covered, from Auckland in the north down to Stewart Island in the far south. All of the major attractions are covered although perhaps not as comprehensively as you might like.
Next, come the sections on hotels, shopping, restaurants, and other practical needs. These sections are not as comprehensive as you'll see in some other guides such as Frommer's New Zealand (Frommer's Complete). And this really is what it comes down to. The Eyewitness guides are not as detailed as most of the other guide books. They are, however, the only series to offer hundreds of color photos to help you visualise your trip and this is an invaluable planning tool. I highly recommend that you buy this guide as well as one of the more detailed books and use them both to plan your trip. That's the only way to get everything you need to plan a great vacation.
These books can't be beat and are top choices for destination-oriented travelers.......2006-10-15
NEW ZEALAND achieves the same for that country, packing all into a pocket-sized tote which is just easy enough to take along, yet compromises nothing in the amount of detail offered. From driving and walking tours to cultural insights, these books can't be beat and are top choices for destination-oriented travelers wanting visual excitement paired with practical facts.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
Book Description
The Rough Guide to New Zealand is the essential guidebook to this spectacular adventure destination. A fully comprehensive account, the guide incorporates a country full of magnificent scenery, craggy coastlines, sweeping beaches, primeval forests, snow-capped alpine mountains, bubbling volcanic pools, fast-flowing rivers and glacier-fed lakes. This jam-packed guide contains expert coverage, catering for every traveller, from the country rambler to the adventure-seeking, Lord of the Rings enthusiasts. The guide also includes significant historical and cultural information, provides detailed town maps and information about the countryÂ's exciting nightlife, even managing to find time to teach the reader how to do the world-famous haka!
Customer Reviews:
size of print.......2007-07-30
I had Rough Guides recommended to me but I am disappointed in the size of the print, I would have rather the book been larger that having to strain my eyesight to read. I'm sure the book is very informative & we will ready ourselves hopefully for a trip to NZ in late 2008.
Invaluable Accurate Information.......2007-03-05
I planned our entire trip using a good road map and the 4th addition of the Rough Guide. Everything regarding the locations we visited was amazingly accurate. There are good maps of all the cities as well as the areas of interest. I did not find particularly useful the recommendations for accommodations, which featured either places for backpackers or those at the higher end, with not much in between. I also did not agree with some of the restaurant recommendations. Nevertheless if you are looking for a great guide book for everything else, this one is a winner.
An excellent resource.......2007-01-13
After trying another guidebook, we purchased The Rough Guide shortly before we left for New Zealand. It was an invaluable companion during our travels. The reviews were spot-on, leading us to a number of excellent restaurants and good campgrounds. We even appreciated knowing that a restaurant was "somewhat overpriced but adequate" before we went in--and that description was completely accurate.
The Rough Guide covers a range of restaurants and accommodations, which is useful. Even budget travelers sometimes like to splurge (and know that the splurge is worth the money). Their evaluation of activities was also accurate.
This guide is well worth the price--and worth it's weight when traveling.
Great Reference, With websites and prices!.......2007-01-09
We are yet to take our trip to New Zealand, however, I'm sure we'll feel more comfortable with our decisions on where to go, what to see, where to stay, and what to do from using this Book. The book gives general price ranges for hotels, activites, and in some cases restaurants. I think the greatest resource has been the website listings within each section. The websites cover everything from airlines, to tour groups, to just general information about the country. Needless to say, We're very excited to take our trip and I know this book will be coming along with us!
Absolutely the Best Guidebook for New Zealand.......2006-12-31
I fancy myself somewhat of an expert in New Zealand travel, with numerous lengthy trips there, including two group trips that I organized and led. I have used DK, Lonely Planet, Let's Go, and Rough Guide, and there is absolutely no question which is best. Rough Guide. It is more thorough and more intelligently written than any of the others, and its graphics have gradually improved as well. Though not as glossy as DK or as famous as Lonely Planet, Rough Guide provides the traveler/reader with the best understanding of New Zealand. If in doubt, go to a bookstore and read the descriptions of a given place in Lonely Planet, and then in Rough Guide. It will be obvious which is better. I recently purchased the recent editions of both Rough Guide and Lonely Planet (both published Sept 2006) but have decided that it won't be necessary to bring both on my next trip to New Zealand. Rough Guide has everything found in Lonely Planet and much, much more. Highly recommend.
Book Description
Swim with the seals off eastern coasts, sip sauvignon blanc in Marlborough, bushwalk through the country's diverse and beautiful terrain, celebrate Matariki (the Maori New Year), or sail in the City of Sails (Auckland)–Fodor's New Zealand 2007 offers all these experiences and more! Our local writers have traveled throughout the country to find the best hotels, restaurants, attractions and activities to prepare you for a journey of stunning variety. Before you leave for your trip be sure to pack your Fodor's guide to ensure you don't miss a thing.
The San Francisco Chronicle sums it up best –"Fodor's guides are saturated with information."
- We frequently update our New Zealand guide, and we make every effort to bring you the most accurate and thorough book. Plus we provide timely updates about the area at Fodors.com.
- Unlike other travel books, Fodor's guides rely heavily on local experts who know the territory best–so you know you're seeing the real New Zealand.
- Includes unique, color photos that illustrate the country's history and local activities and a full-color, pullout map of New Zealand.
- We give you the planning tools you need to tailor your trip. We give options for all budgets. You make the choices.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent information on New Zealand.......2007-05-10
This has been an excellent source of information for my friends and me. We are going to New Zealand next year and know nothing of the country. Since we are planning on visiting wineries, we were happy to find enough on the subject to start planning which ones are "musts" to see.
Nice Tips and Info's.........2007-02-02
I have just got back from New Zealand, and got the 2006 guide with me...
And I must say that the good thing about these books are the tips they give on each city, and yes, it also gives an idea of the itinerary you can chose by the ammount of days you will be going to...
Even though NZ is a place fully prepared to be receiving tourists and Visitors Information centers just about everywhere in the country (for Real !!) and with plenty of information (that sometimes can cause confusion), the book was something that me and my wife always liked to read and get some of the tips.
The only drawback is that it does not point out at a Budget or even shoestring travel.. It is more on the medium to high profile by some of the guidance the book gives to you (about 80% of the time), but is a real good thing to take along.
We definitely liked it, and I could say that a lot of the tips we actually (restaurants, places to go..) followed and we satisfied with it.
You will like and for the price, it's worth to take at the trip.
And you will just love New Zealand... I bet you will !
:-)
Eh, it's ok........2007-01-27
If you're looking for something that you can take along with you for reference, then this book is not it -- it's way too clunky. If you're COMPLETELY unfamiliar with the country, then this book is for you. If you're going to visit EVERY part of the country, then this book is for you. But if you're only going to do a city stay, or see one or part of one of the islands, then this book is NOT for you. If you already have your itenarary planned out, then this book is NOT for you. About the only thing that I liked about this book is that it gave me some ideas for side trips, and a map. Both of which I could have gotten when I arrived in New Zealand.
Book Description
Make tracks across the spectacular range of New Zealand landscapes. The deep valleys of Fiordland and Mt Aspiring beckon, the Marlborough Sounds call, the volcanoes of Tongariro are steaming ... explore on foot the natural wonders of this country from coast to Cook. foreword by New Zealand adventurer Peter Hillary 53 detailed trail descriptions for trampers of all levels colour section on the Great Walks of New Zealand two-colour contour maps for all featured tramps essential accommodation and transport information expert advice on equipment, health and environ- mentally responsible walking
Customer Reviews:
Great book with all the basic info you need.......2007-05-12
The book had all the basic info. you need for hiking in New Zealand. It's easy to read with a couple of nice pictures. Enjoy!
Great reference guide.......2007-01-10
By far the best guide available about tramping opportunities in NZ. The track guides are pretty accurate and provide a good overview of what to expect.
A book for the planning Tramper.......2000-04-09
This edition is far better than the previous editions. It's new organization and additional information sections are a marked improvement. A new section on Flora and Fauna gives a highlight of any New Zealand tramp. This book acts as an excellent reference book while tramping. Of course, if the book contained every piece of required information, (i.e. highly detailed maps and every step of the way instructions) it would require 1000's of pages. The authors surmount that difficulty by including instructions on how to obtain additional necessary information. The book is perfect for those that are looking into or planning a backpacking trek to New Zealand.
Easy tramping in New Zealand.......2000-04-04
This is a great book for planning a tramping trip to New Zealand, although it's a bit too much to carry while actually hiking. The book contains good references and maps to the most popular tracks, and some of the lesser known tracks. If your tight on cash, I recommend going to the visitor centers in New Zealand and picking up the DOC pamphlets they supply. D.O.C. has detailed pamphlets on pretty much every track in New Zealand and they only charge about 50 cents (US) for each one. But if you want to plan a trip from home, this is the book to get, it's far easier to understand than the other New Zealand tramping books, and gives good information on what you need to bring. It also gives good info on the New Zealand back country hut system. Buy a hut pass, they're only 35 bucks (US) for a year. It even supplies some decent fly fishing tips for the rivers that border some of the tracks. But be warned that almost every other tourist hiker in New Zealand also has this book, so if you really want to get away from people, you'll have to do some bushwacking.
Book Description
At last - the two hottest stars on the travel circuit combined in one sizzling guidebook! Grab your pack and head south to Australia's awesome beaches and New Zealand's spectacular landscapes. Written for backpackers by backpackers, this guide to the wonders down under helps you travel further and pay less.
• TWO IN ONE - No other guide covers both Australia and New Zealand, let alone from a backpacker's perspective
• GET THE LOWDOWN on where to go for nonstop parties, and where to find a little space all to yourself
• EAT CHEAP AND SLEEP EASY with our fully updated coverage of the best local eateries and great-value accommodation
• TAKE YOUR LIFE IN YOUR HANDS - get your thrills from the best scuba diving, bungy jumping, skiing and jet-boating that Oz and NZ has to offer!
Customer Reviews:
Not Very Dependable.......2007-10-06
I bought this book to help plan a month and a half long trip to New Zealand and Australia staying mostly in hostels. I cannot recommend this book for a reliable source of information for hostels or restaurants. Most restaurants I have tried to find no longer exist. The hostel and attraction prices are wrong (of course these are subject to change), however, the recommended hostels have been hit or miss. There have been some good ones as recommended by the book (Sydney Central YHA, Old Countryhouse in Christchurch, NZ) but there have been some disgustingly unclean (Bondi Beach YHA) and unlivable (Global Palace) recommended highly by this book. I think that a better source of information would be customer reviews on the internet.
A great choice.......2007-01-03
It's a great book. It is very complete and very accurate, most of the times.
I didn't gave it 5 stars because sometimes it isn't very easy to find the information.
I recommend it.
Usefull stuff in, out with the rest..........2006-05-12
I bought this book 2 months ago while planing a trip to OZ & NZ later on this year.
It is well orgenized (the TOC is region based) and drills down in each area to its unique and famous places.
The book has just the right quantity of information regarding each item with a veriety of maps and side trip activities.
It contains a lot of usefull data about both countries and you can defenetly see the it was written by backpackers.
Reading the book has contributed me a lot in the planing fase of the trip, hopefully i'll be able to compliment it more after i'll return.
Amazon.com
From Antarctica to Zimbabwe, if you're going there chances are Lonely Planet has been there first. With a pithy and matter-of-fact writing style, these guides are guaranteed to calm the nerves of first-time world travelers, while still listing off-the-beaten-path finds sure to thrill even the most jaded globetrotters. Lonely Planet has been perfecting its guidebooks for nearly 30 years, and as a result has experience and know-how similar to an older sibling's "been there" advice. The original backpacker's bible, the LP series has recently widened its reach. While still giving insights for the low-budget traveler, the books now list a wide range of accommodations and itineraries for those with less time than money.
Discover how to make the most of a visit to this outdoor adventure mecca (whether you're hiking, kayaking, rock climbing, skiing, snowboarding, sailing, caving, biking, or simply strolling). This guide provides a 20-page, full-color flora and fauna section, as well as listings on where to stay (from farms to resorts), background on the Maori people's history and culture, and 113 maps including national parks and ski areas. --Kathryn True
Book Description
Experience the infinite variety of New Zealand: Sample the cafés and bars of Auckland, take a gravity-defying bungy jump pr tramp through some of the world's most spectacular wilderness areas with this bestselling guidebook.
- over 120 detailed maps
- colourful guide to New Zealand's unique wildlife
- special section on Maori culture and art
- fully extreme Activities chapter - don't zorb without it
- insider tips for an aspiring hobbit spotters
- exhaustively researched accommodation listings
Customer Reviews:
Don't travel without this guide!.......2004-06-10
If you're going to New Zealand - and want to enjoy the country to the fullest - DO NOT LEAVE WITHOUT THIS GUIDE! I embarked on a 6-week long trip last June with this edition of 'Lonely Planet New Zealand' and fate as my only guides. I was impressed to the max! The only other guide I needed was a road atlas I picked up at the airport in Auckland (and since I was touring some of the Lord of the Rings film locations, Ian Brodie's lovely 'Lord of the Rings: Location Guidebook'). I do recommend renting a vehicle - as someone under 25 years old, Budget was a good bet for rental. Just remember, "Left, left left." It's a cinch! With the US dollar exchange rate favorable, we cheaply rented a top notch 4WD SUV for the entire time based on the recommendation of this book. I love the Lonely Planet series for the sheer fact that it gives you pointers on fantastic locations that may be slightly off the beaten path while at the same time informing you of the best of the best in those tourist meccas. It's a lovely balance. My only regret is that 6-weeks is far too short a time to see everything there is to see in New Zealand!
The top 5 places you shouldn't miss on the North and South Islands:
North Island
1) Take the short ferry ride from Auckland to Rangitoto Island and hike to the summit - otherwordly!
2) Do a touristy bus tour to Cape Reinga out of Paihia - on the bus to Cape Reinga you'll get to: learn a lot about the Maori culture, hug a Kauri tree, stop and surf down sand dunes, wonder in awe at the northern most point of the North Island where untouched white beaches are visible as the Tasman and Pacific Ocean meet and clash (an amazing scene), and to top it all off you'll cruise down 90-mile beach as waves lap the wheels of the bus (yeah, the beach is actually a registered roadway).
3) Drive around the gorgeous Coromandel Peninsula - leave the Thames area just before sunrise and the landscape will just take your breath away! You will come to understand the meaning of Aotearoa/New Zealand: land of the long white cloud.
4) Wander the volcantic parks of Rotorua - Wai-ti-pau was a highlight! Don't forget to sign-up for a traditional Maori concert and haka at the Tamaki Maori Village for a cool cultural experience!
5) Cruise Cuba Street in Wellington for food and shops, and don't forget to visit Te Papa - the national museum of Wellington.
South Island
1) Plan a kayaking trip out of Motueka: the Tonga Island wildlife option is cool - we saw wild Orca and New Zealand Fur Seals up close and personal and then lunched on a secluded beach reached only by kayak!
2) Take a helicopter ride up to Fox Glacier and do an afternoon hike - see where semi-tropical rainforest meets glacier meets the Tasman Sea.
3) Go white water rafting on the Shotover River in Queenstown (be sure you get an option with the Oxenbridge Tunnel)! Then go jet boating, then bungy jumping, you name, it they do it there! Don't miss Deer Park Heights either - say hello to the free roaming buffalo for me!
4) Head to the beautiful city of Kaikoura for whale watching and a dolphin swim.
5) If you love wildlife - head to Dunedin and take a tour out to the Otago Peninsula (you'll see albatross, fur seals, sea lions, yellow-eyed penguins and a variety of bird life up close and personal - by up close I mean walking on the beach less than 10 feet away from a Hooker Seal Lion twice your size). While in Dunedin, visit Baldwin Street, the steepest street in the world, and don't miss the Cadbury Factory! It's well worth the admission price!
There is so much more to see and do that I haven't listed - and this guide helped me find it all and point me in the right direction every step of the way. The only thing the guide failed to mention was the abundance of rainbows in this enchanted country - I don't know about you, but where I come from rainbows are a special once in a great while occurance. In New Zealand you see them on a daily basis. I guarantee that with the help of this guide you will leave New Zealand with enough fantastic memories to last a lifetime. Kia ora.
new zealand is a beautiful place.......2004-03-19
new zealand is a beautiful place
The only decent Lonely Planet book.......2003-05-13
This book is a lot better than the other Lonely Planet books in that it is the same size as the others but as it is only about one small country, it can fit most (not all there's still work to be done) of the towns and attractions backpackers want to see in New Zealand.
The main difference between this and Let's Go is that this is written for a North American audience whereas Let's Go is more for your British, European, Australian, South African and the like markets. This means those not from North America may find a lot of the information as common knowledge, especially historic things and would prefer to have more further detailed information which is contained in the competitor Let's Go. Since the American education system doesn't teach this stuff American audiences will find it fascinating and will have a need for it maybe.
A fair amount of the hostels in New Zealand actually do appear in this book which is very surprising for a Lonely Planet as they usually miss about 75 per cent of them. Be aware that there are other hostels out there though, so don't completely rely on the book and use the best method word of mouth from other backpackers as well. Of course the price information is out of date as usual.
If only Lonely Planet could achieve as good a book for their other country/continent versions then they might be a worthwhile purchase. I'd say buy this if you're a North American but get Let's Go if you're not. Well actually I'd say don't bother with either as you're just reliving someone else's experiences and it's better to explore for yourself but for hostel listings and background info if you don't know much about New Zealand then this is useful.
New Zealand--or bust!.......2002-10-24
I looked at and compared this to all the other guides from Frommer's, Eyewitness, Footprint, Rough, Insight, Moon, and Fodor's, and I thought this one was the best.
I used this guide on an intensive, 3-week trip to New Zealand several years ago in which I drove over 6000 kilometers and got to just about every part of the country except Ninety-Mile Beach on the tip of the north island. I visited spots ranging from Stewart Island, Doubtful and Milford Sound, and Queenstown in the south, to the Coromandel Peninsula in the east, to the Franz-Josef glacier and the small western town of Greymouth in the west, to Lake Taupo and the capital city Auckland in the north. I crossed the southern Alps several times, and got to just about every major city and town, and I found the book very useful and accurate and a very valuable resource on my trip.
New Zealand is one of the most beautiful and delightful places you can visit, and there is something here for everybody. There is still quite a lot of wildlife, and in the south I saw lots of Tui birds, who are like myna birds in that they can immitate just about any noise, and shellducks, which are larger than any American ducks I've seen. One of them even raced me in my car on a road crossing the Alps for a while, until he surprised me by flying under my car and losing all his feathers. Oh well, I hope he grew back those feathers.
If you're into wildlife, another fun activity is to see the little blue penguins and the yellow-eyed penguins in the southeast coastal town of Oamaru. But watch out for those big shellducks. The big Kea parrots in the southern mountains are surprisingly bold. They come right up to you and you can get great pictures. A famous kea was the one that lived in a park in Sydney, Australia. This might be the only world-famous bird I've ever heard of. He would let the air out of automobile tires while people watched and laughed, which he seemed to do for the fun of it. As the New Zealanders say, they're cheeky little buggers.
Another thing not to miss is the New Zealand Wildlife Refuge on the main road north of Wellington on the way to Auckland. Several of the other things that I enjoyed that I learned about first from the book were (on the south island) the Te Anau glow- worm caves, the big boat tour of Doubtful Sound, the boat tour of Milford Sound (the wettest place on earth at sea level, with 25 feet of rain per year), and (on the north island) the Maori cultural town of Rotorua, which smells like rotten eggs everywhere because of all the volcanic steam vents containing sulfur dioxide. In fact, the steam comes out of the ground just about all over the city.
If you're the adventurous type, don't miss Queenstown in the south, the self-styled (and rightly so) adventure capital of the world. There you can do things like bungee-jump from a helicopter, and fly this interesting plane around which is tethered to a central pole. I don't know how many people do those things, but a popular attraction here is a jet-boat tour up one of the rivers. The aerial tramway in Queenstown up to the top of a local mountain gives you a spectacular view of the entire area. There is a decent restaurant at the top, which makes for a popular dining spot with a great view in the evening.
On the north island, another interesting and fun thing I did in Auckland was to take the Rangitoto Island tour in Auckland Bay on my last day there, which takes you around this small, volcanic island in the middle of the bay. Also Waiheke Island made for an interesting overnight stay in Auckland bay before flying out the next day. Kelly Tarkington's Arctic Experience is worth seeing. And last but not least, Auckland has some surprisingly good restaurants and dining.
Overall, an excellent and well-written guide and worth the price. New Zealand is one of the best and most enjoyable countries I've ever visited, and this guide was an important part of that experience on my trip.
Don't Buy This Edition.......2002-10-20
The Guide is very informative, but there is a new edition that has come out in October, so wait to buy the new one!!
Book Description
Written by a New Zealand resident, and full of personal insights and opinions, this guide takes you to one of the world’s most exciting ecotourism destinations! It’s much more complete and in-depth than its major competition.
Whether you’re dreaming of hiking along the Marlborough Sound, trout fishing in Lake Rotorua, driving the Milford Road, or feasting on sumptuous green-lipped mussels or succulent lamb, this detailed guide will help you plan the trip of a lifetime. You’ll also find the latest on nightlife in Auckland and Wellington and the best places to lay your head after an adventure-filled day.
Download Description
Written by a New Zealand resident, and full of personal insights and opinions, this guide takes you to one of the world's most exciting ecotourism destinations! It's much more complete and in-depth than its major competition. Whether you're dreaming of hiking along the Marlborough Sound, trout fishing in Lake Rotorua, driving the Milford Road, or feasting on sumptuous green-lipped mussels or succulent lamb, this detailed guide will help you plan the trip of a lifetime. You'll also find the latest on nightlife in Auckland and Wellington and the best places to lay your head after an adventure-filled day.
Customer Reviews:
Frommer's New Zealand.......2007-03-26
An excellent planning guide, especially the tips about school holidays and how to avoid the crowds.
Good insights from a native.......2007-02-18
I thought this book had good coverage of the major locations most Americans would visit in New Zealand. More importantly, the author is a native of NZ and as such, she seemed to have some good insights into the local viewpoint. I had no difficulty finding the information I needed about every location we wanted to visit and every major hotel or restaurant that interested us. This book is probably not well suited to those who want to backpack through NZ on the cheap. It's aimed at the middle-class traveler who wants to stay in an actual hotel and eat in restaurants.
OK.......2006-12-19
This guide is OK if you're rich and want to only hit the big touristy areas. If you don't like sitting on a tour bus and don't mind sleeping at a hostel and want to see the little towns then avoid this one and get the Lonely Planet guide instead. I just got back from New Zealand and basically didn't use this book at all. Not a great investment. Couldn't find most of the small towns in this book at all.
Good, but not complete.......2006-11-07
I planned a trip to New Zealand in the fall of 2006 using this book and a few other New Zealand travel guides. In the past, I found Frommer's guides to be complete and packed with great recommendations for places to go, where to stay, etc. This book lacked in all of those respects.
The accomodation sections seemed to be a list of the most expensive accomodation for any given area, with no regard for the value of the stay for your money. That the author learned a lot about high-end hotels in researching this book isn't surprising since Frommer's allows their authors to accept complimentary accomodation. But as a reader I expect to get a lot more good recommendations for places in the 'moderate' and 'inexpensive' price ranges.
Aside from leaving out budget accomodation recommendations, some parts of the country aren't covered at all. At first this made planning my trip quite difficult, but fortunately other more complete guidebooks included extensive information about those areas.
If you're only going to get one book to plan your trip to New Zealand, don't get this one. If you're looking to augment your research this could be a great pick, particularly if you're interested in a comparison of well-appointed hotels. Don't expect a book comparable to the "Europe on $XX / day".
I Don't Need Hotel Recommndations at $1,000+ Per Night.......2006-06-30
I picked up the 2006 edition and since I always plan parts of my trips abroad by selecting nice accomodations in an area of interest, I turned to the pages at the beginning on "Best Boutique Hotels and Small Lodges," "Best B&Bs" and "Best Luxury Accomodations) on pp. 12-15. "Luxury" apparently is Bill Gates or Warren Buffet luxury to Frommer, with rates around US $1,500 per night and some up to $7,000. I had to check to find whether these might be weekly rates, but they are PER NIGHT. Many of the B&Bs were US $300-$500/night, and none under around $150. Most of the boutique hotles were US $500-$700/night.
We are fairly affluent travelers, but these prices were so discouraging we wondered whether we even ought to be considering a trip to New Zealand. We don't pay such prices in the USA. Fortunately, prices elsewhere are not nearly so high, I just wish Frommer's could define "best" in a way that is more like "best value"
Customer Reviews:
Best Map of New Zealand W/O a Doubt!.......2007-08-24
This is a great map of New Zealand. Its unfortunate that it is becoming hard to find.
The map was printed a few years ago, so some things have changed, but for 95% of the areas you would be traveling to it is very accurate. Most of the changes are not the addition or changing of streets but rather the condition of the roads. Many roads that are said to be unsealed are now sealed, especially in the North Island.
The map is also made out of a plastic type material that is waterproof. You could dump a bucket of water on the map and it would still be fine, maybe just cleaner! Wish they made all maps out of this material.
Great map if you can find it, and its worth the hunt!
Book Description
This book dares readers to test their limits with adrenaline-pumping activities and plenty of outdoors coverage, including the Great Walks.
Books:
- Lonely Planet Tramping in New Zealand
- Lonely Planet West Africa
- Making Democracy Work: Civic Traditions in Modern Italy
- Meeting the Fox: The Allied Invasion of Africa, from Operation Torch to Kasserine Pass to Victory in Tunisia
- MiMo: Miami Modern Revealed
- Moon Handbooks Panama (Moon Handbooks)
- Moon Handbooks Yosemite (Moon Handbooks)
- Naples at Table : Cooking in Campania
- Out of America: A Black Man Confronts Africa (A New Republic Book)
- Out With the Stars: Hollywood Nightlife in the Golden Era
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Virtual Teams That Work: Creating Conditions for Virtual Team Effectiveness
- Simple Path
- Princples of Accounting/Principles of Accounting: Study Guide
- Principles of Political Economy 2 volume set
- Pokemon Diamond & Pearl: Prima Official Game Guide
- The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography
- The Earliest English: An Introduction to Old English Language
- Behavioral Accounting: A Reader
- Saving the Mail: How to Solve the Problems of the U.S. Postal Service
- The Blindfold: A Novel
New Zealand
| Australia & South Pacific
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
Lonely Planet Australia
Lonely Planet Tramping in New Zealand
The Rough Guide To New Zealand 4 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)
New Zealand (Eyewitness Travel Guides)
The Rough Guide to New Zealand 5 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)
