What should I do in New Zealand?

Question

I'll be studying abroad next semester in New Zealand (south island)

what are some things that I should most defineatly do.

Also, please keep in mind that I am a student, and on limited income.

Answer 1

I live in Dunedin, and my advice would be to buy a car (NZ$ 3000 will buy something that will last a while) and drive to the following places on a regular basis. They are all within the Dunedin city boundaries, and they are among the most beautiful in New Zealand, and you'll never forget them. These tips are not to be found in any tourist guides, and not even the locals here seem to know all those places, so, make sure you bring this list with you when you come here:

On the Otago Peninsula:

Sandfly Beach at 5pm, when the penguins are coming out of the water (climbing the dunes back up to the car park will take it out of you)

Bubble Beach at the same time (hide for a while, and the penguins will walk right up to you)

Allans Beach (a convenient beach to reach)

Victory Beach (to watch sea lions - they are sunbathing there)

Sandymount Walking Track (stunning scenery)

eating out at the Portobello Hotel when you can sit outside and watch the sunset over the bay

On the mainland:

The Lookout over the Otago Harbour from Mount Cargill Road - breathtaking!

Tunnel Beach (just amazing, sandstone cliffs with a tunnel walkway through them)

Ocean Grove/ Tomahawk Beach (great to sit and look over the ocean from the parking lot on your lunch break with fish&chips in the car, even when the weather is bad)

St Clair Beach (surfers and bathing in the ocean, nice esplanade) and second Beach (just around the corner, and great little cafe directly by the saltwater pool where you can see the waves rolling in)

Port Chalmers (art galleries, second hand shops, fish & Chips)

Careys Bay Pub (lovely spot, sit outside and have a wine and look out over the bay and the mooring trawlers)

Aramoana Beach (nice beach with heaps of shells, steep cliff wall)

Blueskin Bay (just "wooow", even as you approach, the views are unbelievable)

Longbeach with its amazing caves, in which penguins sleep at night, and you can, too. Good climbing and abseiling there, too.

A bit further afield:

Moeraki Boulder Beach (cool, big bubble-shaped rocks)

Lake Waihola (a pretty lake near Dunedin with a chippy)

Queenstown (superb destination, the Aspen Colorado of NZ)

Milford Sound (go there when it rains, the waterfalls down the mountainsides are unbelievable)

Doubtful Sound (also there)

historic Oamaru (cool town and art galleries)

Check out my images, they show you how everything looks, and they are labelled: http://www.flickr.com/photos/34621580@N0... There are about 4000 pictures of Dunedin and surroundings there.

Have fun in Dunedin! I may be moving away from here soon, and I know I'll be missing it a lot.