I read in a few travel guides that the town of Dunedin is the one of the highlights of the South Island of New Zealand. I think that is way off – the highlights are by far the phenomenal natural wows such as Taking a boat trip through Milford Sound or Climbing the Frans Josef Glacier.
I would also suggest that Dunedin is eclipsed the nearby Otago Peninsular with its beautiful coastline and wildlife of sea lions, penguins, southern fur seals and albatross to get up close with.
Don’t get me wrong, Dunedin is a nice town with its student vibe, street art and the unusual crown as having the world’s steepest street, so definitely worth the stop over when traveling around the South Island on a 10 days campervanning around the South Island of New Zealand. Just make sure you prioritise the Otago Peninsular.
Sensational views of the mountains and lakes as you jump from Bob’s Peak and ride the winds through the clouds. The hike up is worth the day alone. A must do for this part of the world.
You’ll be able to smell the various thermal spots outside Rotorua long before you see them. But don’t let that put you off – the thermal pools with gushing geysers are beautiful and there is a great chance to see and learn a bit about Maori culture in the Maori villages nearby. Overall, a must visit for this part of New Zealand.
3 high levels tips for your visit:
#1 The place you want to visit is the Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve. The Reserve is broken up into 2 main parts: firstly, Te Puia which has walkways and around the bubbling mud, minerals pools and the booming geysers like the 15m /50ft high Pohutu. Secondly, you have the Thermal Village, which gives you a chance to see how the Maori traditionally interact with the unique environment. It can attract a lot of fellow tourists, but its big enough not to feel overly crowded.
#2 Hot n’ Cold – the most enjoyable experience we found was with some of the natural pools that aren’t part of some of the reserves. There are a few dotted around that have the combination of the hot water meeting the cold water of the nearby streams and give that wonderful feeling of moving somewhere in the middle to find that perfect temperature. The one we enjoyed the most was called the Hot n’ Cold near Waiotapu which is free to use and can see more details in this good summary website – Rotorua Travel Secrets website.
3. Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland – visit here for the most colourful thermal pools.
The Kiwis love their adrenaline rides and this is one of their more unique ones. Throw yourself into a huge hollow plastic ball and chuck yourself down the hill either with water inside or dry, with friends or not. Good fun and some great views of Kaikaitahuna Bay from the top.
Yes its super busy, yes its the definition of commercialisation, yes its often endless queues of people, but despite all that, its just a fun experience. The famous spots like the Universal Studios, the thrills of the ever-growing rollercoaster parks, the amazing waterparks – they’re all great and worth the visit alone. But the highlight by far for me was the attention to detail that the Disney parks and their surrounding venues provide. Yes it is mass tourism, but where on the planet does it quite this well?
It was years since my last visit, so only a short travel entry and a few key tips:
- Try to go just after it pours it down with rain in the morning. The main group of fellow tourists will typically avoid using up their full day pass, but you’ll find the reduction in queue numbers worth it, and its when many of the locals go.
- I’d recommend all the Disney places – Magic Kingdom, EPCOT Centre, Hollywood Studios, Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon.
- Others that are great – Islands of Adventure, Universal Studios.
- Further afield definitely worth it – Bush Gardens (full on rollercoasters) and the Kennedy Space Centre.
- If have time – SeaWorld.
- If you’re into Disney – consider staying in one of the Disney Hotels. They are basically an extension of the Disney experience, often done just as well as the parks.
God its cheesy, but fun and would be magical with kids.
