New Zealand

[huit]

Yes, as mentioned previously, nag-rent kami ng car. Kasama na siya sa total expenses namin.

Ooops! Oo nga pala. hehe. So winter kayo nagpunta?  For you ano yung mga must sees? =)

[Kim]

Ooops! Oo nga pala. hehe. So winter kayo nagpunta?  For you ano yung mga must sees? =)

Hi, sis. Sorry for the late reply. I forgot to check on this thread.

For me and my husband, must go-to place talaga ang Queenstown. Wala siya sa original itinerary namin kasi my husband was planning to go to Rotorua lang talaga to mountain bike and do some filming of the area. I wasn't planning to go with him, until a couple of months before the trip. That was when I did some research on other places in NZ to visit.

Anyway, since we were there during winter time, sobrang maulan so na-limit ang mga activities namin. For us, it was worthwhile to visit or do the following based on our limited experience or what we heard there:

QUEENSTOWN
-- the view when you land at the airport palang panalo na
-- walk around and check out the stores, and try the different restos and cafes (don't miss out on the Ferg burger)
-- visit Skyline (gondola, luge, mountain biking for my husband)
-- AJ Hackett bungy (my husband did this; I didn't have the guts)
-- ski / snow board (we wanted to do this, kaso panay na ang ulan)

MILFORD SOUND
-- Although many folks who have been to Palawan would disagree, for us it was still worthy visiting Milford Sound, if only for the journey going there, Ang ganda-ganda ng mga stops, lalo na 'yung mga glacier streams, lakes, and ang saya mag-wander along the foot of the southern alps. By the way, we booked with Jucy. Value for money sila and good service.
-- glacier trek / walk (we originally booked this with Jucy, pero it was cancelled kasi hindi maganda ang weather)

HOBBITON
-- We enjoyed this immensely kahit marami akong reviews na nabasa na na-bore sila. Siguro dahil we are big LOTR fans. By the way, we availed of the lunch buffet that went with the tour by Bush & Beach.

ROTORUA
-- hike in the woods
-- mountain biking again for my husband (may Skyline din dito, like in Queenstown)
-- spa
-- visit to geothermal parks (The stink was bad but we didn't mind much.)

Andami pa namin gustong gawin, kaso bitin sa time and problem din ang weather dahil madalas umuulan pag winter. We really hope to go back next year and visit other places and do the activities we missed out on.

[huit]

^

Thanks much for this! =)

[kachich]

Got back from NZ -- and I must say, South Island is one of my top destinations na!
Will definitely be back -- but will no longer fly with PAL (didnt like the idea of airbus). NZ-- it's not cheap, but manageable (yung mag ha hike up lang ng expense will probably be the activities in Queenstown)

Stayed mostly in South Island:
1 night in Tekapo: Lake Tekapo and Mt John Observatory -- napagod ako paakyat ng Mt John but super sulit!! No clouds and super sunny so the lake was super blue. Too bad in the evening cloudy na so hindi masyado naka pag stargaze.

2 nights in Mt Cook: 1st day -- snowing hard so I had to stay indoors. 2nd day, better weather so I was able to hike Hooker Valley. Ang ganda! There's a bar and grill around the area for dinner.

3 nights in Queenstown: Bungy jumped, took the Gondola, rode the Luge a few times, had buffet, Fergburger, tacos, and apple ciders!

2 nights in Wanaka: Roy's Peak, Lake Wanaka

1 night in Franz Josef (supposed to be 2, but changed plans because I want to stay longer in Wanaka-- hindi na din kasi kasya sa budget if I get heli ride pa), took the scenic train from Greymouth to Christchurch.

Christchurch are my in/out from South Island- was able to visit Hagley Park and enjoy the Cherry Blossoms.

Auckland -- stayed only a night -- didnt really liked the city, buildings/structures not as pretty as other capitals I've been to. Food wise -- sulit naman for what you're paying for.

Chocolates: Whittaker / Cadbury(but I think this is Australian?) -- sobrang sarap Ang layo ng lasa ng Cadbury na nabibili dito sa MNL.

Drinks: Ang sarap ng apple ciders <3 Dito ko inubos lahat ng remaining coins for sa airport =))

[WondererWoman24]

Hi Guys!

Newbie here.

Just wanna ask. Has anyone of you tried looking for work in NZ with a visitor visa only?
I will be visiting there by January next year. Scared I won't find a job before my 2-month visa expires.


TIA

[Noylabmay]

hello mga sister,

ilang months ng bank statement  ang need i present for visitor visa?

[ilovejdy]

I want to go here
I wish I could get a job there if i went on a visit visa. Is it possible ba like in UAE?

[design21]

Subscribing here  my friends and I will go to NZ via PAL on July two weeks kami. still no itenerary as of now pero pangarap sana namin makita ang Aurora Australis kaos parang ang mahal naman niya makita punta kapa Stewart Island. meron na po ba nakapunta sa isla na yun? Thanks in advance

[huit]

Hello, me and my friends will be in NZ on January 3-12. Summer na siya, pero usually ba malamig pa rin? Also, mahal ba talaga public transpo nila? Like bus? May subway ba sa Auckland?

And yung Lindis Pass sa Queenstown, is that a road leading to Mt. Cook or ibang way yun? Thanks! =)

[Kim]

hello mga sister,

ilang months ng bank statement  ang need i present for visitor visa?

I only submitted the most basic bank certificate issued by BPI. No bank statements submitted.

[ninglovesturquoise]

Hi mga sis,

Nababaliw ako sa pag-ayos ng trip namin from Sydney to NZ. Dilemma kasi kung sasama kami ng packaged tour departing from Sydney or DIY.

If we are going to be on our own. I was thinking of entering Christchurch and then exiting from Queenstown para di na bumalik ng Christchurch. We only have about 6 or 7 days and South Island lang ang focus.

May mga questions kasi ako:

1) Which sights are must-sees. I know it depends on your preference.
May nabasa kasi ako na either two routes, yun sa glacier o yun sa Mt Cook. Gusto ko rin makita ang glacier pero we won't do any hiking. Kasama ko kasi yun senior parents ko. Ito yun gusto naming makita -
Arthur's Pass
Franz Josef
Mt. Cook
Lake Tekapo
Wanaka
Milford Sound
Te Anau

Nabasa ko rin ang Oamaru, Haast, at Dunedin... okay ba ito ng mga lugar?

Which places would you recommend us to stay overnight, aside from Christchurch and Queenstown?

Nagpapanic na ako kasi first time akong magplan ng ganoon ka late wahhh.

2) Which airlines do you recommend from Sydney to Christchurch then Queenstown to Sydney?

3) Any tour agency in NZ that you can recommend? I read from mrs sweet kiwiway and also jucy?

Super sorry sa dami ng questions..thank you!!!

[kachich]

^Hi,
Are you going to drive around?

Posted my itinerary on the previous page but I went there during winter.

Arthur's Pass - nag stop lang for a while yung scenic train na sinakyan ko from Greymouth to Christchurch (we were able to go down the train to take photos, maybe around 10mins or less).

Franz Josef - unless you'll do heli ride and glacier walk, not much to do around

Mt Cook - mostly hike if you consider going to K.E.A. point OR Hooker Valley (not advisable for seniors, unless fit)

Lake Tekapo - Nice view of blue water against mountain backdrops (but I prefer Lake Pukaki)

Wanaka - Almost the same as Tekapo but more serene (at least for me). It's the less touristy, less crowded town compared to Christchurch and Queenstown.

Suggestion:
Day 1: Arrive in Christchurch
Day 2: Get tour bus for Lake Tekapo / Mt Cook bound for Queenston (sample https://www.viator.com/tours/Christchurch/Christchurch-to-Queenstown-via-Mount-Cook-One-Way-Tour/d400-3910GS62 but I think cheaper if intercity bus bound for Queenstown, it stops pa rin naman daw in Lake Tekapo and Mt Cook
Day 3: Queenstown ride the Gondola
Day 4: Queenstown for Milford Sound
Day 5: Travel to Wanaka (relatively the same views with Queenstown)
Day 6: Travel to Franz Josef and do heli ride (but schedule will be relatively tight, so better to skip Wanaka
Day 7: Travel to Greymouth and take the tranzalpine scenic train to Christchurch

[ninglovesturquoise]

Hi kachich,

Thank you so mga info, much appreciated. Naku, if we have a choice, ayaw namin ng brother ko mag-drive pero pag walang choice, okay na rin, haha.

Yun dilemma ko kasi ngayon kung sasama kami sa travel agency mula Sydney, ayaw kasi namin sumama ng tour kaya lang natatakot ako sa transpo dahil ang lalayo nga ng mga lugar atsaka Feb na, May 15 ang dating namin ng Sydney.

Yun isang consideration rin ang cost. Yun charge ng mga travel agency from Sydney for one pax (excluding ticket) ay roughly mga Php 55,000, for six days, which is around 4 full days lang pala,  including three meals a day, hotel and transpo. Feeling ko kasi ang mura compared sa kung kami ang mag-isang mag-ikot. Would you know roughly how much you spent when you were there?

Atsaka kung may marerecommend ka bang tour agency pagdating ng NZ?

Iniisip namin kung mag-DIY, either pasok Christchurch, labas Queenstown or just use Queenstown as a base.

Super thank you sa lahat ng mga sis na sasagot

[Rory_Lorelie_Gilmore]

Hi, kindly disregard my post if this seems inappropriate sa thread na'to. I just want to know if it's possible to go to NZ and look for a job, will Employers hire Foreigners using a Tourist Visa and arrange transfer of said visa to working visa eventually? Will this be a long shot, or plausible naman?

[ninglovesturquoise]

Hi mga sis, pag nakatanggap ng email asking for your passport sa NZ, ibig bang sabihin okay na yung visa o hindi. Okay na yun Australian visa namin pero hinihintay pa yun sa NZ, gusto ko na sana mag-book ng ticket kasi from Sydney to NZ.

Isa pa, madali bang mag-drive sa NZ?

Thank you!!!

[Kim]

ninglovesturquoise

Sis, I'm not sure about the passport. Hindi yata hiningi yung actual passport ko when I applied. Basta nag-email lang na available na yung softcopy ng visa sa Immigration Online account ko. I just printed that out.

Sa driving naman, medyo mahirap sa simula kasi nakakapanibago ang driving on the left-hand side of the road. Muntik pa kami makabangga. It was a 3-hour drive, pero naka-adjust din. Yung kasama ko yung nagdadrive, by the way. Kung ako, hindi ko yata kakayanin.

[huit]

Hi, kindly disregard my post if this seems inappropriate sa thread na'to. I just want to know if it's possible to go to NZ and look for a job, will Employers hire Foreigners using a Tourist Visa and arrange transfer of said visa to working visa eventually? Will this be a long shot, or plausible naman?

Hello, may specific visa for that I think. very open naman ang NZ sa mga tao na naghahanap ng work. Okay siguro if you will call  New Zealand Immigration/Embassy in Manila so you'd know what type of visa suits you. I can't post dito yung number or website ko. but link to my travel website is on my signature dito sa post. nasa front page lang yung article about applying for NZ visa.

[Rory_Lorelie_Gilmore]

^Thanks a lot, Im based in Qatar btw, I'll look into it. 

[huit]

Oks. no worries. =)

[design21]

I need help po. My hubby and I just booked tickets kasi naka sale PAL. No itenerary yet winter dating namin July 1-14. Actually wala din naman ako gusto makita kundi yung stars at aurora australis wishing sana matyempuhan sa south daw kasi yun. Sana po may makatulong salamat! Malapit lapit na din po kasi ang trip