Fishing on Lake Taupo this time of year should be pretty good. Trout weighing in at 6-8 pounds are not unusual and they should be in good condition (flesh is bright red, almost salmon-like).Just ask your hotel reception for a fishing guide, or look under the Yellow Pages.
Haven’t been on Lake Rotorua for ages, but the fishing should be ok too.
Napier has a number of privately owned sea-fishing charter-boat businesses. Again, ask your reception for advice or ring the tourist information centre.
Oh, and wear lots of sunscreen - the sun’s a bit more harse down here.
If you are interested in visiting markets Dooku, I should have explained that the Titirangi markets consist mainly of unique NZ arts and crafts, quite different from the Avondale markets which are predominately fresh produce and trash and treasure type stalls.
I second Waitomo Caves. I was there with my fiance (a native Kiwi) in July and that was one of the highlights of the trip. I had never seen glow worms before and although the tour guide’s banter was corny, it was an amazing experience. From what I remember, it’s not too far to drive, maybe 2 hours from Auckland. It doesn’t seem like you have to drive far to get to anything in the north island.
Also highly recommend the chairlift and luge at Rotorua. Might not be your thing since you’re on a wine tasting tour, but we had lots of fun. If you want to check out thermal pools/mud pools - Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland in Rotorua. We spent a couple of hours wandering around taking in the sights, and they have a geyser that goes off at the same time each day. Also some great mud pools near the entry to the park. Worth taking a small detour to see these.
Oh, in Auckland, go up to One Tree Hill. That’s where my fiance proposed - got some friends to write the proposal with the rocks at the bottom of the crater. Great view of the city and surrounds from the top.
Have a great time. Make sure you tell us about it when you get back.
I was there in March (just put all of my pictures on the web!) and Waitomo was touristy, but not too touristy. And I met a bunch of people day tripping from Auckland.
I agree with the sunscreen comment. It wasn’t that hot, but I burned on my first full day in NZ. I haven’t burned in over a decade…I forgot that I could burn.
I loved Rotorua . Also, if you’ve got time, I did this incredibly touristy, but incredibly fun thing called Rock ‘n’ Ropes right outside of Taupo (not a good idea while wine tasting, perhaps before you hit the wineries).
Yeah, the ozone hole. Buy sunscreen. Good pub in Rotovegas {Sorry, in-joke. Rotorua} is The Pig And Whistle - they brew their own, and it’s pretty good. Great fish and chips, too. Not that I navigate my way around the North Island by pubs or anything.
Waitomo caves are great - if you have the time, there are a lot of “adventure” cave trips away from the main tourist ones; cave rafting is great fun. Oh, and the old hotel there is supposedly haunted, although I never experienced anything untoward.
I did two different abseiling trips that were just awesome. You could never do anything like that as a tourist here in the US due the liability laws. I mean, with maybe five minutes of training I was rappelling down waterfalls in a cave.
I can report an ‘untoward’ experience at that hotel. After two separate caving trips, I woke up immobile having strained every muscle in my body up to and including my eyelids.
I’m a Merkin, but I went to the north island while studying abroad in Australia for a visit - it’s fabulous. 'Course, I went in August, when it was quite a bit wetter and colder, but it was still fabulous.
Go see a black sand beach. I can’t remember the names of the ones we visited, but they’re grand. You should be able to find several.
At Rotorua, you apparently can go zorbing, which I wasn’t able to do but would love to. They strap you in a ball and roll you down a hill! Sounds like grand fun.
We’re skiiers, so we went up Mt. Whangapapa - and even skiied for a bit. That’s a beautiful, otherworldly landscape which you might enjoy.
Glowworms are good. I wanted to do the more adventuresome tours where you abseil down, then canoe through, but got voted down. These would be great if you’re the more adventuresome type. If you’re not, the standard cave tour is still quite enjoyable.
Have some brandysnaps - trust me. Not into beer, but you can get Strongbow Sweet cider (which, sadly, the Brits don’t export to the US, at least that I’ve found, but do to NZ and AUS) which is lovely.
Karekare and Piha are both black sand beaches on the west coast which Middlecase mentioned in an earlier post.
As for local dishes, the Bluff Oysters, NZ Mussels and Hapuku for seafood. Our lamb is also the best in the world so do try it, along with Kumara (NZ sweet potato) and for dessert, Pavlova. Not sure if Feijoas are available in the US, but worth a try. I haven’t seen any around atm but you can buy the juice. For soft drink, L&P.
Whakapapa, actually. Probably a bit late in the season for skiing, but you never know. I have skiied there in November.
As for the scenery, if you’re into LOTR they filmed a lot of the outdoor Mordor scenes around Whakapapa and the National Park: The LOTR Location Guide Book by Ian Brodie lists all of the sites - you can almost certainly pick up a copy at the airport Whitcoulls. North Island locations are mainly Matamata {an hour or so from Rotorua}, Tongariro and Whakapapa {an hour and a half from Rotorua}, and various locations in and around Wellington. It’s not a bad little guidebook in its own right, actually - very informative and beautifully illustrated. Might make a nice souvenir for the LOTR fans in your life.
Of course, Dooku, you realise that the price for all this information is a full and detailed account of your exploits, don’t you?
Once again, fantastic information everyone. I will certainly be getting a fishing license. We’re probably going to do some camping when we’re down by the lake, so I’m glad to hear that there’s trout to be had.
Upon re-reading today, I see I come across as some sort of wine-and-cheese fop. That’s not the case, it’s just that the books we have say very little about the wineries so I wanted to get that information.
Big time skiers too, but we probably won’t want to rent equipment (nor bring our stuff with us).
Well we’re not really into LOTR too much - I enjoyed the movies but I’m more of a hard core Sci-Fi fan and less of a Fantasy fan. Good information to know, though.
GAH!!! You may want to rethink using that word as a descriptor.
I’ll post a trip report when I get back first week in December. With embarrassing drunken debauchery removed, of course.
No, not really. Depends on what you like, and what you intend to find. Ordinary craft markets tend to bore me and the prices can be hideous. There’s hardly any atmosphere. As the Americans say, YMMV.
Waste a day on Rangitoto. The climb is not too strenous but the view if worth it.
Definitely go for a wander out west Auckland. Good vinyards (I’m not naming names because I don’t know what I know is rated highly enough :D…let’s just say West Auckland won’t disapoint).
Make sure you check out Piha and Murawai beaches when you are out that way. Black sand beaches are very cool.
Waiheke will NOT disapoint wine wise. The wine tour there is all good
Neither will trout fishing in Lake Taupo. I have only done it twice but I will remember the 9 pound trout. I was a happy camper.
When you are told to get the ferry to Devonport (and you will be) wander up North Head. Brilliaint views and very cool WW 1/2 tunnels…and BLOODY good pies at Narrow neck beach.
Calm Kiwi, I’m ashamed of you. The tunnels and gun emplacements pre-date WW1; they were built in the early 20th century, amid fears of a mounting Russian naval presence in the Pacific and possible invasion - at least, until the Japanese effectively kicked their arses in the Russo-Japanese war of 1904-05.
Sounds like grand fun.