6 days get away in Queenstown
First trip of 2018 has been amazing and here I am sharing to you everything about our awesome experience in the beautiful South Island of New Zealand! And if New Zealand is in your bucket list then hopefully this post would help you make that big tick 😉
PS. This post mostly applies to people travelling from Australia. The currency using in this post is also AUD so please change it to your original currency to have a better view about our expenditure. Please also be aware of the regulation from your own country to applying visa before entering NZ as different country has different laws. Thanks ^^
Preparation: (this part is quite long if you want to scroll down to see the trip details 👇👇👇)
1. Visa:
You would like to apply for Visa at least 1 month before your trip and at that time your trip should be scheduled or drafted. The easiest way to apply from Australia is online (for me).
👉https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/apply-for-a-visa is where you want to start!
Just follow the instruction (to apply for visitor visa) and it should lead you to RealMe website to create a login (or if you already have an account, congrats 👌) and you can start filling out your application online. There're about 10 steps and please fill them correctly as it contributes to your speed and success of getting the visa.
The last part is to upload your supporting documents (all in PDF file format):
Compulsory:
- Scanned passport
- A face image
- Evidence of funds (it's your bank statement - usually saving accounts where most of your money is, for Commonwealth user you can get it out straight away from your app)
- Funds for travel - again your bank statement
- Pre-purchased travel (it's your flight tickets - both way! Yes, you need to purchase your flight before applying visa)
- Other evidence of identity (can be your driver license, student ID,....)
Other documents - optional: (but can help your process go faster)
- Employment contract (to show that you have a job, if not that's ok)
- Invitation letter from a New Zealander if you have
- Letter of work leave confirmation
- Letter from school (COE or a proof that you are studying in Australia)
- Australia visa
After uploading all documents, you need to pay application fee of 165 NZD ~ 150 AUD. The process takes up to 14 business days (around 2 weeks) but I was quite lucky to get it within a week. They will send you an email "Your immigration online account" and a link that direct you to the RealMe account again, just click to your Visa application at the bottom there will be an extra document from the Immigration New Zealand. Yay! That's your visa 👏
2. Flights:
There're so many options for airlines, I booked through Expedia with the price of 550AUD without any check-in luggage (only 7kg carry-on). Other options can be Skyscanner if you want budget one or you can book directly through Air New Zealand.
3. Accommodation:
This one depends on your schedule and flights. Our first day arriving in NZ at night time so we just booked at the Black Sheep backpacker (118AUD/private room 1 double bed) for a place to lay down before an early bus to Wanaka the next day.
In Wanaka we booked at the Wanaka Hotel for 1 night (134AUD) quite disappointed as no view to the lake 😔 But otherwise, best option for accomodation in New Zealand would be Airbnb - it's cheap and comfy. Be aware to book early as it can run out very fast. You can find a place near town, with beautiful view and reasonable price!
We booked this Airbnb quite last minute but the place was very nice, safe and clean; just quite strict house rule for not using shower/kitchen between 10PM to 8AM 😓 Price total for 4 nights - 2 people is 425AUD.
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| Enjoying the view in living room lounge |
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| Need some more acting skill |
4. Transportation:
You are very lucky if you know how to drive! The best way to travel in New Zealand is by driving and you can easily rent a car right at the airport - Europcar, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Jucy - there are soooo many! 👉 http://www.queenstownairport.co.nz/travelling/parking-transport/rental-cars
However, if you don't know how to drive like us - there are still many ways to travel around and enjoy Queenstown. From the airport to town, lots of options ranging from taxi, shuttles or public transport. We used SuperShuttle with only 13NZD/pp directly to our backpacker. You can check out the price and pre-book it here: http://www.queenstownairport.co.nz/travelling/parking-transport/transport-options
During our holiday, we mostly used public transport (buses) to travel from our Airbnb to town and back - using this Go card - 5NZD for 1 card and you can use it for more than 1 person!! Each time you travel, you have to tap your card and buy a ticket from the bus driver and usually it's 2NZD for 1 way. Each top-up is minimum 10NZD and as long as you have enough money in your card to buy tickets for your whole family - you are fineee 👌 and you can top up with the bus driver! For the whole 4 days we spent total of 35NZD for your transportation by buses.
If you want to travel to Wanaka like we did. It's better to book buses before hand as they have limited trips per day. We booked InterCity buses with 40NZD/pp for both way from Queenstown to Wanaka (1,5 hour). For more info: https://www.intercity.co.nz/
During our holiday, we mostly used public transport (buses) to travel from our Airbnb to town and back - using this Go card - 5NZD for 1 card and you can use it for more than 1 person!! Each time you travel, you have to tap your card and buy a ticket from the bus driver and usually it's 2NZD for 1 way. Each top-up is minimum 10NZD and as long as you have enough money in your card to buy tickets for your whole family - you are fineee 👌 and you can top up with the bus driver! For the whole 4 days we spent total of 35NZD for your transportation by buses.
If you want to travel to Wanaka like we did. It's better to book buses before hand as they have limited trips per day. We booked InterCity buses with 40NZD/pp for both way from Queenstown to Wanaka (1,5 hour). For more info: https://www.intercity.co.nz/
5. Money exchange:
I would recommend you exchanging money in your own country as it might be cheaper. And also bring some more cash with you (your own currency) as you might need to exchange some more. Service there closes quite early around 8PM. If you are using Commonwealth or ANZ - congratulations! - you can withdraw money from ATM (the rate is not as cheap) with only 2AUD fee per withdraw. We only realized it on your last days 😭 Cause if you pay anything with your credit card, it will automatically charge you a separate amount for international transaction fee 😓
6. Things to do:
Queenstown is a destination for adventurous and nature-lover people. Most of the activities here are out-door based and require energy. If you are fond of these things - this is a place for you!
Here are some of the suggestions for you:
"The memories also lie on the journey not just only the destination" - On our way back from the Roys Peak top.
And when you reach the Milford Sound, hop on to your cruise, take as many photos as you can as you might not experience this scene again!
There, now you are ready to leaving this beautiful place and head home 😢
Queenstown is a destination for adventurous and nature-lover people. Most of the activities here are out-door based and require energy. If you are fond of these things - this is a place for you!
Here are some of the suggestions for you:
- Lake Wanaka
- Milford Sound day trip
- Canyon Swing
- AJ Hackett Bungy Jumping
- Water Rafting
- Shotover Jet
- Kayaking
- Arrowtown
- Skyline Luge
- Glenorchy
- Queenstown Gardens
- Onsen Hot Pools
- Lake Tekapo (need to drive 3hr)
- Hydro Attack
- Ice Bar
Queenstown has many Information store, so don't worry if you don't know to do for the day. Once everything is planned out, pack your bag and let's go!
Day 1: Hello to New Zealand
It's a 3-hour flight from Sydney to Queenstown. We took a late one that we could only have a walk around the town. But surely Queenstown is a beautiful, lovely place.
Day 2: Wanaka
It's a 3-hour flight from Sydney to Queenstown. We took a late one that we could only have a walk around the town. But surely Queenstown is a beautiful, lovely place.
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| On our way to the airport |
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| Amazing view of Lake Wakatipu |
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| Queenstown by night |
We took an early bus at 8AM (InterCity bus) and arrived in Wanaka within 1 and a half hour. In this country, everywhere you go, things look like they had been painted and crafted precisely.
It was quite disappointed as the day was too windy that we could not go kayaking in the lake. But the scene was magnificent as we expected. We got to see the Wanaka tree - a significant tree which grows under water but during summer the water of the lake goes down so these are the pictures we got.
The stores here close a bit earlier than ones in Queenstown. The bike store closed at 5pm as we could not do a cycle tour as we planned. Then a spontaneous thought came through my mind as I saw one of the picture I saved in my Instagram for the places to go in New Zealand - Roys Peak. Since we didn't have a car we had to take taxi to come to the Roys Peak track. Taxi here opened from 9AM till 3AM, while the track usually takes at least 5 hours to finish (3 hours going up and 2 hours coming down) and we are heading back to Queenstown at 2PM the next day. Therefore, we took the last taxi service and did a 3AM HIKE 🙈🙈
It was the craziest and coolest idea we ever made. Hahaha, the road was totally dark (bring a torch guys, bring a TORCH please!) for 3 hours of hiking to the top. We had stopped to breath (and complain) and drink water for at least 10 times! Seriously guys, if you are going to do this crazy 3AM hike, remember to bring water and food - and a good jacket, it's freezing up there at 5AM 😂
But eventually the view was totally worth it...
It was quite disappointed as the day was too windy that we could not go kayaking in the lake. But the scene was magnificent as we expected. We got to see the Wanaka tree - a significant tree which grows under water but during summer the water of the lake goes down so these are the pictures we got.
Still lovely isn't it?
The stores here close a bit earlier than ones in Queenstown. The bike store closed at 5pm as we could not do a cycle tour as we planned. Then a spontaneous thought came through my mind as I saw one of the picture I saved in my Instagram for the places to go in New Zealand - Roys Peak. Since we didn't have a car we had to take taxi to come to the Roys Peak track. Taxi here opened from 9AM till 3AM, while the track usually takes at least 5 hours to finish (3 hours going up and 2 hours coming down) and we are heading back to Queenstown at 2PM the next day. Therefore, we took the last taxi service and did a 3AM HIKE 🙈🙈
It was the craziest and coolest idea we ever made. Hahaha, the road was totally dark (bring a torch guys, bring a TORCH please!) for 3 hours of hiking to the top. We had stopped to breath (and complain) and drink water for at least 10 times! Seriously guys, if you are going to do this crazy 3AM hike, remember to bring water and food - and a good jacket, it's freezing up there at 5AM 😂
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| Still don't know what we gonna get into |
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| Me trying to boost up some energy |
"The memories also lie on the journey not just only the destination" - On our way back from the Roys Peak top.
Day 3: Adventure day!
We booked a deal for water rafting and Shotover Jet at Go Orange Rafting for only 350NZD/pp. Rafting is a quite dangerous outdoor activity where you and your team use an inflatable raft to navigate throughout a river. For this activity, you need to know how to swim as you can fall out of the raft and might have to swim along the river 😥 But it was such a fun and exciting experience for us. We was quite nervous as we chose the harder river - Shotover River to do the rafting. There's another safer (but less fun) choice is the Kawarau River.
You need to bring your own swim wear as you wear them inside their wet-suits. There're buses which took you to the Cavells Rafting Base. You will leave all your stuffs there (yes, everything!) and head off in another bus through one of the most dangerous road in New Zealand - Skippers Canyon Road - to the upper reach of Shotover River. There were no barricades, the road only fits 1 car at a time and you can literally see the cliff outside your window...
We were lucky enough to get the most experienced coach there as our rafting guide. He guided us from level 1 to 5. Hit some rocks, caught someone's boots, paddle though a 3-meter rapid, saw other rafts flipped over, went through a 170m tunnel... How cool is that?
We paddles till the Rafting Base for 2 hours and took hot shower (towels available) before heading to the Shotover Jet right next door. It's a jetboat ride for 20mins at the speed of 90km/h or even faster... We did so thrilling 360 degree turnover in the lower stream of Shotover River.
We finished the trip at 2PM (6hours) and head back to town before my shocking Canyon Swing..
A 109m cliff jump, 70m free fall, 60m swing right on the edge of the spectacular canyon onto the Shotover River. I nearly cried. But it was definitely one of the most memorable experience of a life time. Here's the picture before my panic moment...
You need to bring your own swim wear as you wear them inside their wet-suits. There're buses which took you to the Cavells Rafting Base. You will leave all your stuffs there (yes, everything!) and head off in another bus through one of the most dangerous road in New Zealand - Skippers Canyon Road - to the upper reach of Shotover River. There were no barricades, the road only fits 1 car at a time and you can literally see the cliff outside your window...
We were lucky enough to get the most experienced coach there as our rafting guide. He guided us from level 1 to 5. Hit some rocks, caught someone's boots, paddle though a 3-meter rapid, saw other rafts flipped over, went through a 170m tunnel... How cool is that?
Here are some photos from the website as it's too expensive to purchase (please don't judge 🙊)
We paddles till the Rafting Base for 2 hours and took hot shower (towels available) before heading to the Shotover Jet right next door. It's a jetboat ride for 20mins at the speed of 90km/h or even faster... We did so thrilling 360 degree turnover in the lower stream of Shotover River.
Arthurs Point - Edith Cavell Bridge
We finished the trip at 2PM (6hours) and head back to town before my shocking Canyon Swing..
A 109m cliff jump, 70m free fall, 60m swing right on the edge of the spectacular canyon onto the Shotover River. I nearly cried. But it was definitely one of the most memorable experience of a life time. Here's the picture before my panic moment...
Day 4: Milford Sound day tour
The next day we booked a day trip to Milford Sound from InterCity Group at https://www.intercity.co.nz/tours/intercity-milford-sound-tour. It's 189NZD~178AUD/pp with a glass roof bus trip with free wifi, 1 hour and 45mins cruise and nice buffet lunch. One the way to Milford Sound we got to stop and see a lot of stunning scenic sights, some short walks into Fiordland National Park's treasures.
Eglinton Valley
Mirror Lake
Te Anau Lake
Falls Creek Waterfall
Monkey Creek - where you can drink the pure cool water right out of the source
Gertrude Valley Lookout
The Chasm Walk
And when you reach the Milford Sound, hop on to your cruise, take as many photos as you can as you might not experience this scene again!
We saw some dolphins along the side of our ship!
Those are sea seals my friends.
The glorious Bowen Falls
In between of the splendid Mt. Pembroke and the Llawrenny ranges.
Day 5: Relaxation day
After 3 days of out-door activities and using all of our energy, it was such a good idea that we slow down, relax and enjoy those few moments left in Queenstown. We slept in a bit, woke up at 10AM and cooked lunch. We booked the Onsen hot pools deal (1-hour pool and 1-hour massage). You need to book this wayyy in advance as it might be sold out. The normal 1-hour pool package was not available (I booked 1 week ahead) that's why I booked this package. It turned out to be quite amazing 😊 Remember to book transportation with the Onsen and confirming pick-up time with them. This package was 216NZD/pp ~ 199AUD/pp. You will spend 1 hour in their amazing private hot pools with 1 option of drink and 1 option of food.
We chose champagne and chocolates 😜
Lie back and enjoy the view!
Then you get to do 1-hour massage with aromatic oil. They would ask you very carefully about your preference - excellent service. And afterwards, you will get to have some refreshments such as tea or juices with their vegan sweets (WOW!).
We arrive back to town and head off to Arrowtown by bus. The view was just amazing.
Arrowtown, New Zealand's treasure, is a peaceful, historic gold mining town embraced by the sparkling Arrow River. It would be sooo beautiful to visit this place in autumn 😍
Just mindful that buses only available once every hour here.
Day 6: Shopping day
It was a good idea spending sometimes shopping for your friends at your last day in New Zealand :))
Some suggestion would be: Whittakers chocolate (get those flavors that are not available in Australia 😉), some wool clothes, Manuka honey, or even some cookies! These treats are available in the Remarkables Market or New World Supermarket 15mins walk from Queenstown airport.
There, now you are ready to leaving this beautiful place and head home 😢
Food in Queenstown:
Note these places down cause it worth to try!
1. Fergburger: the best burger in New Zealand for sure but in the world (hmm, not quite). It's famous for reasonable price and very big portion! (We could not finish everything 😂) Each burger is around 13-15NZD. But be aware that you need to wait for at least 20mins or even 1 hour if during peak hour... There are so many options - even vegetarian, and seafood 😍 We chose The Ferg Deluxe (extra avocado) and a Tropical Swine. The chips were a bit disappointed to what we expected from other reviews. Also, you can just take 2 steps to Mrs. Ferg next door for ice creams, coffee or freshly baked pastries.
2. Ice Bar: O.M.G!!! Seriously you need to check this place out as it is so cool! Everything is made out of ice, even from your seat to the glass you drink from! The temperature is always below -5oC 😲 You have to purchase the entry fee and cocktails before coming in. I would suggest to make a booking as it can be very busy. Each session is only 30mins as you can't stay too long in there 😰 We bought adult entry + 2 cocktails - 36NZD/pp. Most of the cocktails made from Vodka as it's not frozen at that temperature ahaha!
(Yes, I was wearing a dress that day...)
3 Cookies Time: their cookies are amazing and a lot of flavors to choose! Variety of options ranging from mini cookies, ice cream sandwiches, hot/cold milk with cookies (yes pleaseee), milkshakes, ice cream! And you can do takeaway, gift packs 😋 And the waitresses are just lovely in a cutest cookies bar you ever been 💗
4. Winnie Pizza: one of the best pizza we have ever tried. Tips: do the large size and half half - enough for two. We ordered half "Tri-factor" (bacon, ham, steak cuts) and half "Pescara" (seafood) 👍👍👍
Extra tips for you:
- Supermarket: Kosco (Asian), 4 Square Alpine, New World.
- Check your bus time, there are not a lot of buses in Queenstown!
- Sit down in the Village Green next to KFC, like a different world with free wifi :))
- Bring an umbrella or raincoats or you might get wet.
- You need a nice warm jacket as the weather in NZ can be very cold at night time.
Thank you again for reading until here 💗
Hope you enjoy my blog, sorry for any grammar error... I know it's veryy long but leave me any comments for improvements either good or bad as this is my first travel post! 💋💋💋
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