New Zealand vacation tips?

[CanadaRAM]

My wife and I are planning a vacation for early 2006 and we're thinking New Zealand - for some summer weather, spectacular sights, and friendly people.

We're also rose growers, so we'd like to coincide with a good flush of roses in NZ for photos & for visiting with other rose people.

Keeping in mind that warm (to us Canucks) is 70 - 80 degrees F and anything much over 80 (27C) is getting too danged hot. We're not jackrabbit travellers, we'd settle down for a few days in each of several spots, rather than see 21 locations in 21 days. Big city nightlife or extreme sports are not on the agenda.

So: Any advice on the best dates and where?

TIA
Trevor

 

[Blue Velvet]

Christchurch: good for roses (the garden city)
Wellington: Botanical Garden's rose garden
Palmerston North: has rose gardens but little else of general interest to a visitor.

Summer: Dec-Feb -- gets hot up north but can also in Christchurch too with wind coming from the Canterbury Plains.

21 days? If you like scenery then the South Island is better for this. Watch Lord of the Rings to get the idea...

There's some beautiful forests in both islands. Coromandel and Bay of Islands are beautiful. Rotorua for the geysers, boiling mud and Maori culture.

Wellington for Te Papa, the national museum.

I'll post more random thoughts as they come to me.

Maybe this site will have further rose leads...
http://www.nzroses.org.nz/

 

[Grey Beard]

A NZ sojourn

My wife and I are planning a vacation for early 2006 and we're thinking New Zealand - for some summer weather, spectacular sights, and friendly people.

We're also rose growers, so we'd like to coincide with a good flush of roses in NZ for photos & for visiting with other rose people.

So: Any advice on the best dates and where?

TIA
Trevor

Trevor,
Purely for your rosarian considerations, I'd pick late November - December and the weather is more temperate then. That is when the major rose shows are held. But, if you're thinking of early 2006, then any time in the first part of the year. Keep in mind that our hotest part of summer is mid January - February, but the roses are still in bloom, just not that first bloom. All this is according to my Mam and Da, as they're into growing roses et al.
Cheers,
Grey Beard

Agree with what Blue Velvet said, she's our London correspondnt and a relocated Kiwi.

 

[Peterkro]

Second BV's suggestions generally,Christchurch probably the best for roses(and not much else{sorry I don't want to offend anyone but its my hometown}).I'd also recommend the West Coast and Northland though the latter can be hottish.You won't regret a visit.

 

[kiwi-in-uk]

Yep - all those.

Bay of Plenty: Whakatane - Otarawairere Beach; Ohiwa Oyster Farm; Briar Rose Cottage (B&B).

Off the beaten track (not literally - the roads are sealed!) the East Cape area (from Whakatane via Gisborne to Napier) is good. Not much 4-star accommodation but quite spectacular.

Dawn at Hicks Bay Motel (on a cliff overlooking the Pacific) or on any beach - to be among the first in the world to see the new day.

Tolaga Bay, Waioeka Gorge, Mahia

Waikaremoana (almost untouched - absolutely beautiful - book early)

Hawkes Bay. Nice wine - especially in Havelock North (Te Mata Vineyards). Look at a Kennedy Park "villa" in Napier for clean low cost accomm - it also has a small Rose Garden (stayed there in July). Napier is a pretty "Art Deco" town and usually has some stuff going on in Jan/Feb.

The road from Napier to Taupo (2hrs easy drive). Taupo is nice but will be crowded in summer.

All of these places are relaxing and it is easy to spend two or three days in each relaxing, looking at the scenery (there are usually half a dozen very nice locations within a half hour drive of each).

The drive from Auckland to Whakatane is about four hours (taking it easy). Then the main towns & villages I have mentioned are about one or two hours apart.

PM if you want some photos of Whakatane, Napier, & Taupo - taken in June/July.

Cheers

 

[Abstract]

Here's some advice: Go to the South Island, and don't bother going north. There's enough to do in the south island if you're just interested in scenery and looking around. The North island isn't nearly as good.

This is from the perspective of a 23-24 year old Canucker, although I went in their winter.