NEW ZEALAND, NORTH ISLAND

AUCKLAND & ROTORUA

NEW ZEALAND, NORTH ISLAND

AUCKLAND & ROTORUA

Are you planning a trip to New Zealand, North Island? It’s been a number of years since I took a trip here with friends, mainly visiting Auckland & Rotorua. New Zealand itself offers natural wonders and urban experiences. From Sydney, Auckland is only about a five hour flight.

AUCKLAND SKY TOWER

Auckland’s Sky Tower stands at 328 metres and has been an iconic Auckland structure for at least 20yrs. Here, you can view Auckland’s skyline from 220 metres above, along with 360 degree panoramic views, extending out to roughly 80kms in every direction. In addition, the Sky Tower also offers fine dining in their cafes and revolving restaurant. Therefore, you can dine with a view and have an elegant experience all at the same time. You’re spoilt for choice and the Sky Tower is known to be Auckland’s premier dining precint. Ensure you make the time to visit and/or dine here.

HIKING IN AUCKLAND

With a lush and diverse landscape, Auckland offers ample opportunites to explore nature and it’s great outdoors. Whether it’s hiking to a dormant volcano, lava caves or a gentle stroll on the rugged beaches, there’s something to suit everyone. Discover the diversity around New Zealand’s parks and reserves, perhaps even in some of its most untouched areas.

ROTORUA

Roughly a 3 hour drive from Auckland, Rotorua is known to be a geothermal wonderland, consisting of natural hot springs and bubbling mud pools. Why not relax and enjoy a simple soak in one of Rotorua’s magnificent thermals as you marvel it’s volcanic wonderland and extraordinary landscapes.

GO ZORBING IN ROTORUA

There are a number of theme and leisure parks in Rotorua. One of my all time favourite activities I did while here, was zorbing. You simply run and jump into an inflated ball, with approximately 40 litres of water, then enjoy the experience as it rolls and bounces you around down the hill. Reaching a speed of up to 50km, it’s an activity of slip and slide, while inside the ball. This is the perfect opportunity to let your playful, child like personality come out. The water is adapted to suit the season, so keep this in mind. With water adding a slippery element, it makes it feel like a water slide. While the ride down may only take seconds, it really is a lot of fun.

GETTING AROUND

We found that the best way to get around while visiting New Zealand’s North Island was by hiring a car. Essentially, this gives you the freedom to plan your journey as you please, stop when you want and take control of your own adventure.

Coming from Australia, there was no difference in terms of driving, so no new road rules had to be learnt.