| General Travel and Tourist Information for New Zealand |
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New Zealand is a land blessed with spectacularly beautiful landscapes that include vast mountain chains, steaming volcanoes, sweeping coastlines, deeply indented fiords, and lush rainforests. New Zealand is equivalent in size to Great Britain, California or Japan. However, with a population of only 3.8 million, it is one of the world's least crowded countries. It is therefore a great place for those seeking peace, rejuvenation and relaxation. But, it is also a playground for thrill seekers and adventurers. And, with it's temperate climate with relatively small seasonal variation, New Zealand is a wonderful year-round holiday destination. Check with the New Zealand Tourism Board for complete information about New Zealand. |
General Information
Travel Etiquette
for New Zealand
Passport and Visa Information
Currency Information
Time
New Zealand RV Rentals
Books, Maps, and Other Resource Materials
General Information
The following information was provided
by the Tourism New Zealand & New Zealand Trade and
Enterprise - www.newzealand.com
New Zealand’s awesome landscapes, lush forests, amazing
wildlife and pleasant climate make it a haven for many outdoor activities, and a
great place to unwind. New Zealand society is diverse, sophisticated, and
multicultural, and the honesty, friendliness, and openness of Kiwis will impress
you. And the great advantage of New Zealand is that all of its diverse physical,
cultural, and artistic landscapes are so close to each other!
The Tourism New Zealand & New Zealand Trade and Enterprise website is filled with information that is a must during the planning stages of your trip to New Zealand. (www.newzealand.com) Clicking on the following links will tell you why.
With over a thousand years of human settlement, New Zealand has a colorful and dramatic history, dominated by the relationship between Maori and Pakeha (Europeans). Click on History for more information.
New Zealanders have a unique and dynamic culture, with European, Maori, Pacific and Asian influences. It’s a culture that celebrates the many different lifestyles we live, and the stories we have to tell. Click on Culture for more information.
Stunning landscapes, lush vegetation, and unique wildlife make New Zealand a paradise for nature lovers. Click on Nature for more information.
Finding out is easy; all the information you need is at your fingertips. Services, currency, climate and culture, everything you could possibly want to know before your visit. Once you’re here, well developed tourist services and our Visitor Information Centres will see to the rest! Click on Key Facts for more information.
Visitor
Information Network (VIN)
There are over 100 official Visitor Information Network locations throughout New
Zealand - just look for the green Visitor Information Network logo.
National Visitor Information Centres
These centers provide comprehensive New Zealand information and booking services
that meet or comply with TAANZ (Travel Agents' Association of NZ) criteria, 7
days a week.
Regional Visitor Information Centres
These centers provide a general information and booking service, 7 days a week.
Local Visitor Information Centres
These centers provide local information 5 days a week.
New-Zealand. net - A tribute to 'almost' all you can do in New Zealand. Everything has been tried, pictured and reviewed during several trips. Landscapes made of ice, lava, sand, high mountains, fiords and old native forests. Traditions, Maori and South Pacific culture. Extreme sports and extremely unusual activities such as sky diving, bungy, heli-walks, skiing, scenic flights, cruises and news and articles on New Zealand. http://www.new-zealand.net
Travel
Etiquette
Behavior and customs vary greatly from country to country. We
discuss the correct travel etiquette so that you won't be caught out.
TravelEtiquette was formed to offer a unique reference
point on essential etiquette advice and information for worldwide
travel. Our features and articles are written by professional
journalists and experts - who have a particular interest, or a
background in this area. So – know before you go. Visit
TravelEtiquette so you will know how to, as the old adage states, “When in Rome,
do as the Romans do.”
Passport and Visa Information and Requirements
You will need a passport to visit, and in some cases, a visa.
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Passport Visa Express specializes in obtaining Passports for United States Citizens who wish to travel internationally within the next 30 days. We work directly with the U.S. Passport Agency assisting you in expediting your passport application in as fast as the same day! Our passport consultants have many years of direct experience working with the Passport Agency. |
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Passports
All
visitors to New Zealand must carry a passport that is valid for at least 3
months beyond the date you intend to leave the country.
It is also best if you have a return ticket, or can show that you have the means
to purchase one. Additionally, although not required, you should have your
drivers' license (or other identification) and insurance information.
Visa Exemptions
The following individuals do
not need a visa or permit to visit New Zealand:
New Zealand citizens
or Resident Permit holders.
traveling
on an Australian passport.
s
of countries which have
a visa waiver agreement with New Zealand.
Currently travelers from more than 50 countries do not require a Visitor's Visa for stays less than 3 months. You do require:
A passport that is valid for at least 3 months after your departure from New Zealand Immigration Service website. Your travel agent, airline or nearest New Zealand Embassy will also be able to advise you if you require a visa.
British citizens and other British passport holders who have evidence of the right to live permanently in the UK may be allowed to stay for up to 6 months.
Visitor's Visa Applications
If your country is not on the visa waiver list or you wish to stay longer than 3 months you will need to apply for a Visitor's Visa. Application forms can be downloaded from the New Zealand Immigration Service website. Or, you may contact your nearest New Zealand Embassy.
Study and Work Visas and Immigration
Check with the New Zealand Immigration Service for information on work, business or student visas. additionally, check with them if you are thinking about living permanently in New Zealand.
Students who
wish to study in New Zealand should check out the websites of the New
Zealand Independent English Language Schools and
Education
New Zealand Trust.
Vaccinations
No vaccinations are
required to enter New Zealand.
Currency Information
New Zealand's unit of currency is the New Zealand
dollar (NZ$), comprising coins with values of 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents, $1 and $2,
and notes with values of $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100. Click on the FXConverter™
for current information on conversion rates. Foreign currency can easily
be exchanged at banks, some hotels and Bureau de Change kiosks, which are found
at international airports and most city centers. All major credit cards
can be used in New Zealand. Travelers' Checks are accepted at hotels, banks and
some stores.
There is no restriction on the amount of foreign currency that can be brought in
or taken out of New Zealand. However, every person who carries more than
NZ$10,000 in cash in or out of New Zealand is required to complete a Border Cash
Report.
Banking Hours
Banks are open from 9.30am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday. You can also find
Automated Teller Machines (ATM) are widely available at banks, along main
shopping streets and in malls. International credit cards and ATM cards
will work as long as they have a four-digit PIN encoded. Check with your bank
before leaving home.
Goods and Services Tax
All goods and services are subject to a 12.5% Goods and Services Tax (GST),
included in the displayed price. Visitors cannot claim this tax back, however
when a supplier ships a major purchase to a visitor's home address the GST will
not be charged.
Tipping and Service Charges
Normally it is not necessary to tip as most New Zealanders do not expect tips
for normal service, even in restaurants and bars. However, tipping for special
service or kindness is, as always, at the discretion of the visitor. Hotels and
restaurants in New Zealand do not add service charges to their bills.
Currency Exchange - Get your currency needs managed in advance! Many airports, railroad stations, bus depots, and other points of entry have no currency exchange. When currency exchange is available in airports, lines can be long and rates can be "sky high". These long waits and usurious fees can be a nightmare. Order in advance from All Foreign Currency right online. It's fast, easy, and you save time and money! The can also provide you with Travelers' checks, bank drafts, and transfers. U.S. dollars are not accepted everywhere and rates can be atrocious! Current Exchange Rate: Check Today's Exchange Rate
Time Differences
New Zealand is 12 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) and is
one of the first places in the world to see the new day. In summer, New Zealand
has Daylight Saving Time when clocks are set forward one hour to GMT+13.
Daylight saving begins on the first Sunday in October and ends on the last
Sunday of the following March, when clocks are put back to GMT+12.
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Since 1996 IdeaMerge has helped savvy, independent people worldwide realize their motor travel ideas. Expertly and personably, we represent motoring options most agencies do not command. Hence we command as well the respect of our several, choice vendors — often allowing us to achieve for you what you could not achieve on your own. RV rentals in New Zealand are available in Auckland, Christchurch, Queenstown and Wellington. Click on IdeaMerge: Motorhome Rentals Worldwide for additional information or to rent a motorhome or other recreational vehicle in New Zealand or worldwide. IdeaMerge: RV Rentals Worldwide, and Tax-free Auto Leases in Europe |
Books, Maps, and Other Travel Resources
My favorite guidebooks when I am traveling is
Fodor's. I find them to be quite complete, easy to use, and almost always on the
money with helps and tips for traveling in the country I am visiting. Click on
Fodor's Travel Guides
to find the perfect guidebook for your travels.
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I always research the destinations to which I intend to travel with books and maps. I normally use Fodor's as I find their guidebooks very informative and easy to read and understand. Click on the Amazon logo to search for travel books and maps. If you don't find what you are looking for, click on the Getting Away Travel Bookshelf to find some of my favorites! Still can't find what you need? Contact me. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com |
Click here for language helps, dictionaries, electronic translators, language software and other helps for learning a foreign language. Being able to speak at least some of the language in the country you are visiting will help you have a better time and enjoy your trip more. Jim.
New Zealand Splendeur Tours - New Zealand tour operator and driver-guide Mark Wolk is Swiss and speaks English, French, Polish, Italian and basic German. He has had six-years' tour and travel experience throughout New Zealand and holds a Rolls-Royce Factory Chauffeur's Certificate, qualifying him for his role as your driver-guide of private tours. Mark designs personalized à la carte style tours, tailor-made to suit your specific requirements. He can provide tours for from one to six persons at a time in his Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit and his Peugeot V6. Extensive tours of over 20 days are Mark's specialty. With his Swiss hospitality he is well suited to pointing out the natural splendors of New Zealand to European and American travelers. Mark provides the best accommodation and restaurants available within the guest's requests.
Qualmark is New Zealand's quality rating system for accommodation. This will help you quite a bit in locating suitable accommodations. Locations displaying the Qualmark sign are visited annually by professionally trained assessors. The Qualmark system operates on a 1 to 5 star scale.
If you have information you believe should be added to this page, please send the information to Jim at Getting Away. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com
