My son has moved to Australia and I am planning on going to that part of the world to visit in November or December. He lives in Sydney where I visited last summer. I do want to see other sites. DH doesn’t care for the beach or the sun so I will leave the Great Barrier Reef for a trip on my own. I am thinking of either New Zealand or Tasmania. Where would you go? Have you been? What would you do the same or different? We like hiking, kayaking, and being outdoors but I’m not much for tent sleeping. I like biking and swimming. I’m sure DS will join us on whatever venture we decide.
I have been to New Zealand, many years ago. It was marvelous. I’d recommend it.
We loved New Zealand especially Queenstown. It has everything you’ve looking for.
We have been to the South Island of New Zealand and it is beautiful, lots to do. We also loved Tasmania. Oz in December can be very hot - Tasmania is further south so should be cooler. Watch out for the Sydney-Hobart race days, because Hobart fills up fast. Highly recommend Freycinet National Park and Cradle Mountain if you make to Tassie. Great hiking in both locations.
Plan is to go to South Island and Queenstown. I do have a great walk planned. Is there much of a difference between Tassie and South Island?
NZ for me.
Tassie is much smaller than the South Island. You can’t go wrong with NZ (but you won’t see Tasmanian devils, wallabies, and spotted quolls!). If you make other trips to see your son, it’s easy to fly Sydney to Melbourne and then to Tasmania (or catch the ferry). Also highly recommend South Australia (Adelaide, Barossa, Kangaroo Island). And Perth and Western Australia, of course. Have fun planning!
New Zealand is one of three places in the world where you will find geysers. (The other two are Iceland and Yellowstone Park.) To me, that’s plenty of reason to go there.
Also Air New Zealand is advertising on this page! Looks like a good price to me.
I went to New Zealand along time ago (2001). It was spectacular. I would live to go again.
They are both fantastic. There is no wrong answer.
Been to all three.
Tasmania and Queensland will be wicked hot at that time of year. We went to AUS in August and Sydney was in the mid-60s, shorts/hiking weather and mid 70s in Queensland. September/October in Melbourne, the Pacific Coast Highway and Tassie was in the 60s/70s and glorious. We were in NZ in September/October – September was rainy off and on, October was weather is more moderate, even in summer.
Been to North and South Island in NZ. Queenstown is basically the launching point for lots of adventure sports and is the tourist hub of that part of NZ. Some folks love it, we spent the night and moved on to other things.
Can write more later with stuff we did, but do not discount the heat in summer. The temperature gets over 40* C, and Queensland has tropical humidity.
I think OP said she was going to save Queensland for another trip.
We’ve just returned from 4 weeks in NZ after a previous trip 6 years ago. It’s beautiful, has everything you mention with a variety of accommodation including backpackers hostels which include double rooms with ensuites. Campervans are also a time honoured way of seeing the country, though we settled for a variety of B&B, motels, bachs and country farm cabins. We visited north and south islands both times and would love to return again. A fantastic country with lots of everything.
I have no knowledge of Tasmania so I can’t compare.
This is good advice @CountingDown. I was thinking that South Island/Queenstown and Tasmania would not be too hot in November. Thanks for the heads up. Yes, @Tiredofsnow, I plan to save Queensland/Great Barrier reef for a shoulder season. @4mummy, I have only about 10 days. Which area would you pick for that amount of time?
Three years ago, we went to Melbourne, drove the Pacific Coast Hwy to see the Twelve Apostles, took the ferry to Kangaroo Island, then went to Tasmania, then to NZ’s North and South Island. 19 days, stayed in 18 places. It was insane, even for us. We spent nine days in NZ and I told DH on the plane ride home that we could come back to NZ, spend three weeks and not repeat a thing we did the first time around. So, last year, that’s what we did.
We found that campgrounds have a lot of self-catering cabins with bath/shower and cooking facilities. These are cheaper than hotels and more common than same in more rural areas. There is a company called Jucy that rents minivans that have been converted to camper vans. Much better platform to drive than a big RV. They have a couple of branches in the US, which is where we have rented them, but they and similar companies are ubiquitous in NZ and AUS.
If you have nine days, do South Island. It will whet your appetite for more!
That is not a slam on Tassie – I wasn’t sure how much we’d like it before we went, but I was entranced. We also love Kangaroo Island – but that is best done outside of summer.
How cool that your S is in Sydney so you have a good launching place to explore!
More later – I have a client project I have to get out the door…
My son hiked the Southern Alps on the South Island during his two-week semester break when he studied abroad. A group of students rented a camper van and toured the island. They got to bungee jump and they had a great time. I wish that I had gone over to spend my vacation with him.
Kind of cool @CountingDown but I miss him and wish it wasn’t so expensive and take so much time to see him.
The Taupo region has lots of walking including the 1 day Tongariro Alpine Crossing, inland kayaking, white water rafting and some magnificent Maori carvings accessible only by boat. In addition to the hot water activity nearby it is only about 1 hour’s drive from Rotorua with all it’s huge variety of hot springs, geysers and 2 commercial Maori villages which are necessary visits to see the most famous geysers and well worth it. There is also a normal residential Maori area with a lovely church called St Faith’s. If you go there, sit in a pew in front of the engraved clear window to see Christ walking on the lake.
The Waitoma area with glow worm caves, walks etc is about 2 hours in the opposite direction.
If you can manage it the Coromandel is 3+ hours away from Taupo providing that you avoid Tauranga ( a nightmare traffic town which we encountered to the horror of our hosts). We are not kayakers but were told that the sea kayaking there is good.
In South Island there is sea kayaking along Abel Tasman national park, plus trails and huts. It is a beautiful area.We found the DOC offices very helpful in all national park areas.
We found the New Zealand.com website useful to start our searches and for estimating travel times. A clip of the Tongariro crossing can be found on You tube.
Have fun plannng and doing.