Northand and Bay of Islands Trip via Campervan
At Find A Camper we are passionate about exploring New Zealand by campervan or motorhome. Towards the end of January 2009, my partner, Helen and I went on our first North Island campervan adventure. Now we have been on several campervan trips before of course, but this was the first time we ventured into the North Island with a home away from home.
For those of you who don’t know, New Zealand is located across a number of islands in the South Pacific. The North and South Islands are where most visitors travel. This is because they are the largest two islands and have the main towns and cities located on them. Find A Camper is based in Christchurch, the largest city in the South Island.
At Find A Camper we are passionate about exploring New Zealand by campervan or motorhome. Towards the end of January 2009, my partner, Helen and I went on our first North Island campervan adventure. Now we have been on several campervan trips before of course, but this was the first time we ventured into the North Island with a home away from home.
For those of you who don’t know, New Zealand is located across a number of islands in the South Pacific. The North and South Islands are where most visitors travel. This is because they are the largest two islands and have the main towns and cities located on them. Find A Camper is based in Christchurch, the largest city in the South Island.
You can travel by campervan in both the North Island and South Island, and can catch a ferry that takes you across Cook Strait between each Island. We only had limited time for our trip so we decided to fly from Christchurch to Auckland, the largest city in New Zealand located in the North Island. There we picked up our campervan and then headed north of Auckland to Northland. We chose to take a 2 Berth with shower and toilet. As there was only two of us this van was ideal. If we were going for a longer period of time, we may have considered taking a slightly larger van like a 4 Berth with shower and toilet just so we had the extra space.
Our first stop was the historic township of Russell. This is one of New Zealand’s oldest European settlements dating back to the early nineteenth century. Once described as the “hell hole of the Pacific", due to the drunken behavior of the early whalers. Today’s Russell is anything but. Now it is a small seaside town in the Bay of Islands. There are two beaches, a number of great cafes, and of course many historic buildings. We spent our first night staying at Russell’s beautiful Top 10 Holiday Park.
The next day we took the vehicle ferry back from Russell to Paihia. The ferry is a great way to get to and from Russell saving a lot of driving time. From Paihia we traveled to Waitangi. Waitangi is extremely significant to New Zealand as it was the place where The Treaty of Waitangi was signed by local Maori and the British Crown in 1840. This document is often considered the foundation document for New Zealand.
We then took a Bay of Islands cruise with Fullers. This was a great way to get out in the Bay and experience all the history and beauty of the region first hand.
Our final leg of our journey took us down the west coast of the North Island back towards Auckland. The west coast is quite a contrast to the east coast. Instead of beautiful golden beaches there is dense bush full of majestic Kauri trees, native to New Zealand. During our drive we stumbled on “Tane Mahuta”, New Zealand’s oldest known tree. It is believed to be around 2000 years old.
It was a great trip, however it was too short. Campervans are a great way to explore New Zealand. We loved the versatility and freedom it gave us. When we found somewhere nice we would simply pull over, open up the doors and windows and have a bite to eat while enjoying the scenery.
Our first stop was the historic township of Russell. This is one of New Zealand’s oldest European settlements dating back to the early nineteenth century. Once described as the “hell hole of the Pacific", due to the drunken behavior of the early whalers. Today’s Russell is anything but. Now it is a small seaside town in the Bay of Islands. There are two beaches, a number of great cafes, and of course many historic buildings. We spent our first night staying at Russell’s beautiful Top 10 Holiday Park.
The next day we took the vehicle ferry back from Russell to Paihia. The ferry is a great way to get to and from Russell saving a lot of driving time. From Paihia we traveled to Waitangi. Waitangi is extremely significant to New Zealand as it was the place where The Treaty of Waitangi was signed by local Maori and the British Crown in 1840. This document is often considered the foundation document for New Zealand.
We then took a Bay of Islands cruise with Fullers. This was a great way to get out in the Bay and experience all the history and beauty of the region first hand.
Our final leg of our journey took us down the west coast of the North Island back towards Auckland. The west coast is quite a contrast to the east coast. Instead of beautiful golden beaches there is dense bush full of majestic Kauri trees, native to New Zealand. During our drive we stumbled on “Tane Mahuta”, New Zealand’s oldest known tree. It is believed to be around 2000 years old.
It was a great trip, however it was too short. Campervans are a great way to explore New Zealand. We loved the versatility and freedom it gave us. When we found somewhere nice we would simply pull over, open up the doors and windows and have a bite to eat while enjoying the scenery.
New Zealand Information
New Zealand, also known in the native Maori language as Aotearoa, is a temperate to sub-tropical island nation in the South Pacific Ocean. A former British colony, it has a population mainly of European descent, with a sizeable indigenous Maori minority and smaller minorities of various Polynesian and other groups.
A modern but sparsely populated country, it boasts natural beauty and a wide range of outdoor and adventure activities.
New Zealand has been called God's own country and the "Paradise of the Pacific" since the early 1800s. Travellers generally agree New Zealand deserves this description.
A common mistake is not allowing sufficient time to travel New Zealand. Many travellers spend nearly all of their holiday time in Australia, then wish that they had spent an equal or longer time in this variegated archipelago.
Relax and allow at least three or four weeks for each island!
Lonely Planet named New Zealand the world's top travel destination for the second year running (2003/2004), and it was voted best long-haul travel destination in the 2004 Guardian and Observer’s People’s Choice award. It has won the award in three out of the past four years. At the 2005 Condé Nast Traveller Awards, readers voted New Zealand as the best holiday destination in the world. New Zealand is also known by the Maori name of Aotearoa, which is usually translated as "(Land of the) long white cloud".
Geography
New Zealand consists of two main islands and many smaller ones in the South Pacific Ocean approximately 2000 km southeast of Australia. With a population of four million in a country about the size of the United Kingdom, many areas are sparsely settled.
Auckland, with a population of around 1.25 million people is the largest city in Polynesia.
Settlement and History
New Zealand was the last significant land mass to be inhabited by humans, both in terms of indigenous settlement and European domination. This, combined with geological youth and geographical isolation, has led to the development of a young, vigorous nation with a well-travelled, well-educated expatriate population of 1,000,000. 1 in 4 born New Zealanders and 1 in 3 between ages 22 and 48 have left their place of Birth for more favorable locations. It also has some spectacular scenery, flora and fauna.
The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about 800 AD. Dutch explorer Abel Tasman, in 1642, was the first European to see New Zealand, and his mapped coastline appeared on Dutch maps as "Nieuw Zeeland" from as early as 1645. British naval Captain James Cook rediscovered, circumnavigated and mapped the islands in 1769. A few people, mostly sealers, whalers, traders and missionaries, settled during the next 80 years and the islands were administered by the British colony in New South Wales.
In 1840, with the assistance of missionaries, the Maori agreed to accept British sovereignty over the islands through the Treaty of Waitangi. More intensive settlement began that same year. A series of land wars between 1843 and 1872, coupled with political maneuvering and the spread of European diseases, broke Maori resistance to land settlement, but left lasting grievances. In recent years the government has sought to address longstanding Maori grievances, and this is a complicated process. In 2005, the Maori Party was formed, in part in response to the Government's law on the Foreshore and Seabed but also to promote an independent Maori perspective at a political level.
The British colony of New Zealand became a dominion in 1907. It was offered complete independence under the 1931 Statute of Westminster, although it did not adopt this until 1947. However the Constitution of Australia permits New Zealand to join as another Australian state. New Zealand supported the United Kingdom militarily in the Boer War of 1899–1902, as well as both World Wars. It also participated in wars in Malaya, Korea and Viet Nam under various military alliances, most notably the ANZUS treaty with Australia and the United States.
New Zealand's elite has strongly opposed the testing and use of nuclear weapons. Nuclear armed warship visits meant that the Parliament enacted anti-nuclear legislation in the mid-1980s. This led to the abandonment of New Zealand's commitment to the ANZUS defense alliance. The New Zealand military continues be limited in capacity to take roles in UN- peacekeeping operations worldwide as often as its budget can bear.
Time Zones
New Zealand Standard Time is 12 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). New Zealand utilises daylight saving in summer. From 30 September 2007, daylight saving hours will be changed to extend the period to 27 weeks. It commences at 2am on the last Sunday in September when clocks go forward an hour, and ends at 2am on the first Sunday in April when clocks go back an hour of the following year. During daylight savings time New Zealand is 13 hours ahead of GMT. The Chatham Islands have their own time zone, 45 minutes ahead of the rest of New Zealand.
Climate
New Zealand has a temperate climate in the south island and sub-tropical climate in the North Island and the nature of the terrain, the prevailing winds and the length of the country lead to sharp regional contrasts. Temperatures sometimes exceed 30°C and fall below 0°C only in the elevated inland regions. Generally speaking, rainfall and humidity is higher in the west than the east of the country due to the north-south orientation of the mountain ranges and the prevailing westerly/north westerly winds.
Part situated in the Roaring Forties, unsheltered areas of the country can get a bit breezy, especially in the centre, through Cook Strait and around Wellington. The winds seem to be stronger around the equinoxes. In the winter, southerly gales can be severe but they also bring snow to the ski-fields and are usually followed by calm clear days.
New Zealand is one of the most difficult countries in the world in which to forecast the weather. Although the weather is changeable, there is certainly more sunshine and warm temperate temperatures to enjoy in summer. It is not uncommon, especially on the South Island, to experience four seasons in one day.
New Zealand is a small country surrounded by ocean. A complicating, but often beneficial factor on the day to day weather, is the steep mountain range running down the spine of New Zealand orientated in a southwest-northeast direction. These mountains often shelter eastern parts of the country from an onslaught of westerly winds and rain.
The weather is mostly influenced by fast moving weather systems in the strong westerly winds, which are often referred to as the Roaring forties, that predominate over southern parts of the country and seas to the south. There tends to be a seven day cycle associated with these westerlies as a cold front sweeps over the country associated with a couple of days rain, somewhere over the country. Often though these westerlies are disrupted by large high pressure systems or by storm systems.
During the summer and early autumn months from about December to April, the westerlies tend to move south giving more settled weather. Always be prepared for a change though. Also, during this time, random weather systems from the tropics can make their presence felt, mainly over the North Island, with a period of warm wet windy weather.
In the Winter, May to August, the weather tends to be more changeable. Cold fronts often bring a period of rain to western areas followed by a cold wind from the south bringing snow to the mountains and sometimes to near sea level over eastern parts of the South Island. When the weather turns cold and wet in the east, to the west of the mountains it will be fantastic. At this time of the year it is not uncommon for high pressure systems and clear skies to park over the whole country for long periods bringing crisp frosty nights and mornings followed by cool sunny days.
In spring, from August to November, the westerly winds are typically at their strongest – these are called the equinoctial westerlies. It tends to rain more in western areas, and especially on the South Island, at this time, while in the east, warm dry winds can give great cycling weather. Once again though, a cold front and its accompanying south winds can give you a taste of winter at any stage.
Cities
It's the country that's magnificent in New Zealand and we only list nine of the most prominent settlements. Here they are from north to south:
North Island:
Auckland - "The City of Sails" - largest and most populated conurbation, with over a million in the metropolitan area, making it the largest in Polynesia by far.
Hamilton - 128km south of Auckland, capital of the Waikato, home to the Chiefs (super 14 rugby) and the Magic ( ANZ cup netball). On the banks of the mighty Waikato River. Leafy.
Tauranga - known for its great weather, sun and beach Tauranga is a great holiday spot.
Rotorua - famous for Maori culture, geysers and beautiful hot pools
Wellington - the national capital, also known as "The Windy City" - Parliament and the Beehive and the wonderful, free Te Papa museum
South Island:
Nelson - safe and friendly, with New Zealand's highest sunshine hours. Nelson is the geographic centre of the country and surrounded by three stunning national parks, vineyards and orchards
Christchurch - The Garden City and the Air Gateway to Antarctica
Queenstown - adrenalin and adventure capital of the world, where
you can skydive, bungy jump, jet-boat, thrill yourself to your hearts content
Dunedin - the Edinburgh of the South, proud of its Scots heritage, chocolate factory, Southern Albatross colony and its wonderful tramping tracks within a short drive from the CBD
Invercargill - the southernmost city and one of the very few places to see a living Tuatara
Other Destinations
New Zealand has a wealth of national parks, rural areas and other out-of-the-way places that are worth a visit. Nine of the best are listed below from north to south, but there are many more in the various regions of the country.
Bay of Islands - Pretty spot in the North Island with historical significance.
Coromandel Peninsula - Rugged coastline with plenty of beaches and hiking opportunities just two hours from Auckland.
Taupo - Trout fishing and adventure activities in the central North Island.
Tongariro National Park - Three volcanoes, two skifields and one of the most popular hikes in the country.
Hawkes Bay - Wineries in the hills and art deco architecture in
Napier.
Abel Tasman National Park - Golden sand beaches, kayaking and the Abel Tasman Coastal Track.
Westland National Park - Home of the Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers.
Aoraki Mount Cook National Park - Lots of hiking opportunities and New Zealand's highest mountain.
Milford Sound - Beautiful fiord in Fiordland National Park.
Passports, Visas and Documentation
All visitors who are not citizens of New Zealand need a passport to enter. Australian passport holders may enter New Zealand without a visa and stay as long as they wish without restrictions including on employment. British passport holders can be granted a visa-free Visitor's Permit for up to six months on arrival. Citizens of a large number of other countries can be granted a visa-free visitor's entry for up to three months on arrival, check the list of Visa Free Countries [1]. All these waivers, including the one for Australians, can be refused. In particular, potential visitors with criminal records or who have been refused entry to or deported from any country should check with New Zealand immigration about whether they need to apply for a visa.
Visitors from countries not in the visa-free list or those wishing to stay longer than the maximum visa-free period for their nationality, will need to apply for an appropriate visa. Check the Immigration New Zealand [2] web page for details.
New Zealand, also known in the native Maori language as Aotearoa, is a temperate to sub-tropical island nation in the South Pacific Ocean. A former British colony, it has a population mainly of European descent, with a sizeable indigenous Maori minority and smaller minorities of various Polynesian and other groups.
A modern but sparsely populated country, it boasts natural beauty and a wide range of outdoor and adventure activities.
New Zealand has been called God's own country and the "Paradise of the Pacific" since the early 1800s. Travellers generally agree New Zealand deserves this description.
A common mistake is not allowing sufficient time to travel New Zealand. Many travellers spend nearly all of their holiday time in Australia, then wish that they had spent an equal or longer time in this variegated archipelago.
Relax and allow at least three or four weeks for each island!
Lonely Planet named New Zealand the world's top travel destination for the second year running (2003/2004), and it was voted best long-haul travel destination in the 2004 Guardian and Observer’s People’s Choice award. It has won the award in three out of the past four years. At the 2005 Condé Nast Traveller Awards, readers voted New Zealand as the best holiday destination in the world. New Zealand is also known by the Maori name of Aotearoa, which is usually translated as "(Land of the) long white cloud".
Geography
New Zealand consists of two main islands and many smaller ones in the South Pacific Ocean approximately 2000 km southeast of Australia. With a population of four million in a country about the size of the United Kingdom, many areas are sparsely settled.
Auckland, with a population of around 1.25 million people is the largest city in Polynesia.
Settlement and History
New Zealand was the last significant land mass to be inhabited by humans, both in terms of indigenous settlement and European domination. This, combined with geological youth and geographical isolation, has led to the development of a young, vigorous nation with a well-travelled, well-educated expatriate population of 1,000,000. 1 in 4 born New Zealanders and 1 in 3 between ages 22 and 48 have left their place of Birth for more favorable locations. It also has some spectacular scenery, flora and fauna.
The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about 800 AD. Dutch explorer Abel Tasman, in 1642, was the first European to see New Zealand, and his mapped coastline appeared on Dutch maps as "Nieuw Zeeland" from as early as 1645. British naval Captain James Cook rediscovered, circumnavigated and mapped the islands in 1769. A few people, mostly sealers, whalers, traders and missionaries, settled during the next 80 years and the islands were administered by the British colony in New South Wales.
In 1840, with the assistance of missionaries, the Maori agreed to accept British sovereignty over the islands through the Treaty of Waitangi. More intensive settlement began that same year. A series of land wars between 1843 and 1872, coupled with political maneuvering and the spread of European diseases, broke Maori resistance to land settlement, but left lasting grievances. In recent years the government has sought to address longstanding Maori grievances, and this is a complicated process. In 2005, the Maori Party was formed, in part in response to the Government's law on the Foreshore and Seabed but also to promote an independent Maori perspective at a political level.
The British colony of New Zealand became a dominion in 1907. It was offered complete independence under the 1931 Statute of Westminster, although it did not adopt this until 1947. However the Constitution of Australia permits New Zealand to join as another Australian state. New Zealand supported the United Kingdom militarily in the Boer War of 1899–1902, as well as both World Wars. It also participated in wars in Malaya, Korea and Viet Nam under various military alliances, most notably the ANZUS treaty with Australia and the United States.
New Zealand's elite has strongly opposed the testing and use of nuclear weapons. Nuclear armed warship visits meant that the Parliament enacted anti-nuclear legislation in the mid-1980s. This led to the abandonment of New Zealand's commitment to the ANZUS defense alliance. The New Zealand military continues be limited in capacity to take roles in UN- peacekeeping operations worldwide as often as its budget can bear.
Time Zones
New Zealand Standard Time is 12 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). New Zealand utilises daylight saving in summer. From 30 September 2007, daylight saving hours will be changed to extend the period to 27 weeks. It commences at 2am on the last Sunday in September when clocks go forward an hour, and ends at 2am on the first Sunday in April when clocks go back an hour of the following year. During daylight savings time New Zealand is 13 hours ahead of GMT. The Chatham Islands have their own time zone, 45 minutes ahead of the rest of New Zealand.
Climate
New Zealand has a temperate climate in the south island and sub-tropical climate in the North Island and the nature of the terrain, the prevailing winds and the length of the country lead to sharp regional contrasts. Temperatures sometimes exceed 30°C and fall below 0°C only in the elevated inland regions. Generally speaking, rainfall and humidity is higher in the west than the east of the country due to the north-south orientation of the mountain ranges and the prevailing westerly/north westerly winds.
Part situated in the Roaring Forties, unsheltered areas of the country can get a bit breezy, especially in the centre, through Cook Strait and around Wellington. The winds seem to be stronger around the equinoxes. In the winter, southerly gales can be severe but they also bring snow to the ski-fields and are usually followed by calm clear days.
New Zealand is one of the most difficult countries in the world in which to forecast the weather. Although the weather is changeable, there is certainly more sunshine and warm temperate temperatures to enjoy in summer. It is not uncommon, especially on the South Island, to experience four seasons in one day.
New Zealand is a small country surrounded by ocean. A complicating, but often beneficial factor on the day to day weather, is the steep mountain range running down the spine of New Zealand orientated in a southwest-northeast direction. These mountains often shelter eastern parts of the country from an onslaught of westerly winds and rain.
The weather is mostly influenced by fast moving weather systems in the strong westerly winds, which are often referred to as the Roaring forties, that predominate over southern parts of the country and seas to the south. There tends to be a seven day cycle associated with these westerlies as a cold front sweeps over the country associated with a couple of days rain, somewhere over the country. Often though these westerlies are disrupted by large high pressure systems or by storm systems.
During the summer and early autumn months from about December to April, the westerlies tend to move south giving more settled weather. Always be prepared for a change though. Also, during this time, random weather systems from the tropics can make their presence felt, mainly over the North Island, with a period of warm wet windy weather.
In the Winter, May to August, the weather tends to be more changeable. Cold fronts often bring a period of rain to western areas followed by a cold wind from the south bringing snow to the mountains and sometimes to near sea level over eastern parts of the South Island. When the weather turns cold and wet in the east, to the west of the mountains it will be fantastic. At this time of the year it is not uncommon for high pressure systems and clear skies to park over the whole country for long periods bringing crisp frosty nights and mornings followed by cool sunny days.
In spring, from August to November, the westerly winds are typically at their strongest – these are called the equinoctial westerlies. It tends to rain more in western areas, and especially on the South Island, at this time, while in the east, warm dry winds can give great cycling weather. Once again though, a cold front and its accompanying south winds can give you a taste of winter at any stage.
Cities
It's the country that's magnificent in New Zealand and we only list nine of the most prominent settlements. Here they are from north to south:
North Island:
Auckland - "The City of Sails" - largest and most populated conurbation, with over a million in the metropolitan area, making it the largest in Polynesia by far.
Hamilton - 128km south of Auckland, capital of the Waikato, home to the Chiefs (super 14 rugby) and the Magic ( ANZ cup netball). On the banks of the mighty Waikato River. Leafy.
Tauranga - known for its great weather, sun and beach Tauranga is a great holiday spot.
Rotorua - famous for Maori culture, geysers and beautiful hot pools
Wellington - the national capital, also known as "The Windy City" - Parliament and the Beehive and the wonderful, free Te Papa museum
South Island:
Nelson - safe and friendly, with New Zealand's highest sunshine hours. Nelson is the geographic centre of the country and surrounded by three stunning national parks, vineyards and orchards
Christchurch - The Garden City and the Air Gateway to Antarctica
Queenstown - adrenalin and adventure capital of the world, where
you can skydive, bungy jump, jet-boat, thrill yourself to your hearts content
Dunedin - the Edinburgh of the South, proud of its Scots heritage, chocolate factory, Southern Albatross colony and its wonderful tramping tracks within a short drive from the CBD
Invercargill - the southernmost city and one of the very few places to see a living Tuatara
Other Destinations
New Zealand has a wealth of national parks, rural areas and other out-of-the-way places that are worth a visit. Nine of the best are listed below from north to south, but there are many more in the various regions of the country.
Bay of Islands - Pretty spot in the North Island with historical significance.
Coromandel Peninsula - Rugged coastline with plenty of beaches and hiking opportunities just two hours from Auckland.
Taupo - Trout fishing and adventure activities in the central North Island.
Tongariro National Park - Three volcanoes, two skifields and one of the most popular hikes in the country.
Hawkes Bay - Wineries in the hills and art deco architecture in
Napier.
Abel Tasman National Park - Golden sand beaches, kayaking and the Abel Tasman Coastal Track.
Westland National Park - Home of the Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers.
Aoraki Mount Cook National Park - Lots of hiking opportunities and New Zealand's highest mountain.
Milford Sound - Beautiful fiord in Fiordland National Park.
Passports, Visas and Documentation
All visitors who are not citizens of New Zealand need a passport to enter. Australian passport holders may enter New Zealand without a visa and stay as long as they wish without restrictions including on employment. British passport holders can be granted a visa-free Visitor's Permit for up to six months on arrival. Citizens of a large number of other countries can be granted a visa-free visitor's entry for up to three months on arrival, check the list of Visa Free Countries [1]. All these waivers, including the one for Australians, can be refused. In particular, potential visitors with criminal records or who have been refused entry to or deported from any country should check with New Zealand immigration about whether they need to apply for a visa.
Visitors from countries not in the visa-free list or those wishing to stay longer than the maximum visa-free period for their nationality, will need to apply for an appropriate visa. Check the Immigration New Zealand [2] web page for details.