Romantic Trip to New Zealand

[ravenvii]

So I'm in the very early stages of planning a tentative trip to New Zealand over the holidays the week between Christmas and New Year's). I need it to be romantic, because I'm planning to propose to my girlfriend down there.

With that context, what are your recommendations/suggestions? I like the looks of Christchurch over Auckland, and would like to go to Dunedin as well (I'm a sucker for European-style cities and towns). However, I'm looking for sites to go in nature -- my girlfriend loves nature and wanted to go to NZ ever since she saw The Lord of the Rings 15 years ago.

So I want to find a spot with a beautiful view, to do the whole proposition thing. Mountains, a river or lake, and all that stuff, you know?

My only catch: I don't really like that kind of stuff, so many of the spots I see on the 'net requires "a challenging tramp,' whatever that is. That doesn't sound appealing at all to me. So I'm looking for a place that requires, at the most, a day-long mildly challenging (the less, the better) hike. No camping or any of that stuff, thank you very much.

Oh, and I hate beaches, so please leave those out.

So I turn to you, MacRumors community -- of which I know several actually live in NZ -- for help. Any suggestions or recommendations will be greatly appreciated!

 

[ActionableMango]

Good luck!

 

[JamesMike]

This is a nice place to stay and get in a little fishing. http://stoneflylodge.co.nz/?gclid=C...lHm2n3T0yQ8akNLl9IN9xQi1vfb2CMVOsuhoCYgrw_wcB

 

[mobilehaathi]

Good luck, indeed! Wish I could be more helpful, but I've never made it down there...

 

[Micky Do]

So I want to find a spot with a beautiful view, to do the whole proposition thing. Mountains, a river or lake, and all that stuff, you know?

Any suggestions or recommendations will be greatly appreciated!

I wouldn't go planning things too much….. Let the moment be your guide, do it when the time and place seems right. Rest assured, there will be plenty of opportunity, without having to take a hike. To even suggest one place over others would seem wrong!

The South is less populated, and more generally scenic. Check out the whole Central Otago area; don't hurry it!

The North has interesting countryside, but the most scenic spots are more scattered. The Central Plateau includes Lake Taupo, which was formed from a series of eruptions over the the past 27,000 years, and several active volcanos mountains that rumble into action every couple of decades or so.

A couple of caveats:

Don't expect to do it all in a week; allow a bit more time. If you have only a week, make it Central Otago, but be aware…….

……….Xmas / New Year and early January is the main holiday time for New Zealanders; expect a bit of congestion in some places of that period. February / March is probably a better time for tourists; probably reliably better weather then too.

I'll be returning to live in Godzone (though few who live there few are particularly godly), where I was born, before too long.