Confessions of a Backpacker: I’m in Love

I’ve based myself in New Zealand for the past 22 months – give or take, that’s about 660 days. The time just slips away. They say that happens the older you get, and while I don’t doubt this is true, I’m confident the happier you are someplace and the more content you are with your [...]

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5 Wineries Not to Be Missed While Traveling in New Zealand

A trip to New Zealand isn’t complete without taking in one of the many fantastic wineries scattered throughout the North & South Islands. This fantastic guest post nails out 5 must-see wineries for your trip to Aotearoa. Recently New Zealand was shaken by the Canterbury earthquake but fear not, this Land of the Long White [...]

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20 of New Zealand’s Best Views

Since arriving to New Zealand just over ten months ago, I’ve published loads of destination specific New Zealand backpacking advice. I still have plenty of New Zealand experiences and advice to share  – yet often I find this is a country that is best described through a photo. It’s a great place for aspiring photographers. [...]

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New Zealand’s Top 5 Backpacking Destinations

New Zealand. The Land of the Long White Cloud. Aoteroa. Whatever you call it, NZ is a country that heaps of backpackers flock to each year. And for well deserved reasons. New Zealand is easy to travel around, offers up fascinating landscapes in a compact sized area (think glaciers, rainforests, and beaches within a twenty [...]

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A Day on the Routeburn Track

Throughout New Zealand there are a series of Great Walks that allow hikers (called trampers in New Zealand) to take in some of the most remote and untouched landscapes in New Zealand. These multi-day Great Walks are exceptionally well maintained and have basic backcountry huts for accommodation along the way. The Routeburn Track stretches 32 [...]

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5 Best Drives in New Zealand

New Zealand is a country that begs to be explored via road trips. It’s small, has well maintained roads, and cars or campervans are cheap to rent or even easy to buy. Most importantly, New Zealand is home to some of the world’s most beautiful natural scenery – all in an extremely compact area. Drive [...]

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Friday Travel Photo: Coromandel New Zealand Sunset

If you’re backpacking in New Zealand, you can expect to see some stunning sunsets and sunrises. Today’s Friday Travel Photo takes you to Coromandel on New Zealand’s North Island. This shot is looking west off of the peninsula towards Auckland (check out these Auckland budget travel tips). If you’re planning a trip to Cormandel, check [...]

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Friday Travel Photo: New Zealand Sheep

New Zealand is a country of just about four million people with a whopping forty million sheep. There are sheep everywhere. And they’re delicious. Today’s Friday Travel Photo features one of these forty million sheep. Her name was Gloria and she lived near one of the greatest hostels I’ve found in New Zealand. Perched at [...]

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A Budget Travel Option in Queenstown – Frisbee Golf

It’s easy to come to Queenstown – the Adventure Capital of the World – and break your budget. Never mind the budget breaking activities like bungy jumping or skydiving, but Queenstown in general is a pretty bloody expensive place to travel to. Food, drink, accommodation – everything you need as a backpacker is significantly more [...]

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Monday Escape: Coromandel, New Zealand

Today’s Monday Escape takes you to New Zealand’s North Island on the Coromandel Peninsula. I visited Coromandel after spending a couple weeks in the Northland near the Bay of Islands – I didn’t think this area of New Zealand could be topped, until I made it to Coromandel. It’s a beautiful area filled with mountains, [...]

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