New Zealand is the most beautiful country I have every visited. It may be small, but as you travel through it, you’ll discover it just keeps getting better and better: epic mountains, wild volcanoes, huge glaciers, beautiful beaches and incredibly kind locals.

Quick Summary

• Top Tip: Some highlights, including Hobbiton, The Great Walks and Inter-Islander Ferry need to be booked well in advance.
• Currency: New Zealand Dollars
• Visa: Most people can apply for a NZeTA – Electronic Travel Authorization 72 hours travel. You just need to make sure to show your outbound flight. The NZeTA Fee: Costs NZ$17 if you apply using the official NZeTA Mobile App or NZ$23 if you apply online through the Immigration New Zealand Website. A mandatory International Visitor Levy (IVL): NZ$100 tourism and conservation tax applied to nearly all international visitors. With a NZeTA, visitors can stay for 3-6 months (depending on where they are from).
• Safety: Super safe- people even leave their bikes unlocked out in the street.
• When to go: New Zealand can be visited all year round, but Peak Season is December- February. March is my favourite month as there are fewer crowds and the weather is still great!

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Things I learnt whilst in New Zealand:

• Distances are often further than they look due to winding roads.
• Fuel up before long drives.
• Parking is almost always free: the only places we had to pay was in Downtown Queenstown and at Milford Sound.
• Most tours need to be booked 2-3 months in advance.
• Drones are forbidden in all the National Parks.
• The cheapest supermarket is Pak’NSave then Woolworths then New World.
• Café kitchens often close between 3-4PM.