About
If you are looking for a country with an overwhelming nature, with little traffic on the roads, with many good places for wild camping and with local people who are friendly and helpful, New Zealand is a chosen country. Cycling in New Zealand is popular and you will encounter many other cyclists on the road. New Zealand is not called the "Pedallers Paradise" for nothing.
New Zealand has a lot to offer for nature lovers. On the North Island you have active volcanoes and geysers. Together with the Alpine mountains on the south island, there is a lot of variety in nature.
Last updated 3 Jun 2021 by Wereldfietser.nl / Vakantiefietser.beEdit
People
The further south you get, the more friendly people become, or so it seems. As a cyclist you are still sometimes approached, despite the fact that there are still quite a lot of cyclists around, especially on the South Island.
The Maoris, the first inhabitants of New Zealand, mainly live on the North Island.
Last updated 3 Jun 2021 by Wereldfietser.nl / Vakantiefietser.beEdit
Visa
Depending on your nationailty you may need to apply for a visa.
Visa requirements for New Zealand passport holders
New Zealand
Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement
Visa not required / ESTA / eTA
Visa issued upon arrival
Electronic authorisation or online payment required / eVisa
Both visa on arrival and eVisa available
Visa required prior to arrival
Source: Wikipedia.
Last updated 13 Mar 2021 by Bas IdsingaEdit
See and do (1)
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Sleeping
Staying with locals
It is also possible to stay overnight with private individuals. The people are very hospitable and like to invite you to spend the night at their home.
(Formal) camping
There is a distinction between the so-called motor camps, holidays parks and DOC sites.
The motor camps are mostly areas with mobile homes and sometimes also places for tents, and are usually visited by New Zealanders who spend a long holiday there. The facilities are often usually inferior to those of the holiday parks. Recreational areas and washing machines are often not available on motor camps, motor camps are usually older and less maintained, but also significantly cheaper.
The holiday parks are home to most foreign tourists, who are often there with a camper. These campsites also often have secluded space for tents, covered cooking facilities for hikers, but are still quite expensive.
Finally, there are the cheap nature campsites managed by the http://www.doc.govt.nz/. The DOC (Department Of Conservation) DOC manages New Zealand's national parks, forests, reserves, riverbanks, coasts and wetlands. The DOC provides 2 leaflets (North and South Island) with an overview of these nature campsites. The facilities at these campsites are usually minimal, but they are located in the most beautiful places... Usually you will find a fire pit and water. A small contribution is requested for the use and maintenance of the campsite. You can leave this money in an envelope in a special mailbox at the campsite. The DOC campsites are highly recommended, although it can get busy in high season. There is always a place for a couple of cyclists. Click here for an overview of DOC campsites (choose Parks & Recreation section, then Places to stay and finally Conservation campsites by region).
Finally, you can also ask a landowner to pitch your tent on his piece of land. You will rarely get a negative answer, on the contrary you will often be treated to the hospitality of the local people. Some hostels also offer the possibility to camp in the (back) garden.
Ho(s)tels
There are many hostels ("backpackers") in New Zealand, whether or not they are affiliated with an organization. Hostels have communal facilities (kitchen, bathroom, living room). Prices per night are from NZD 18 (for a dorm room).
Wild camping
You can also go wild camping. This is allowed and generally accepted, except in the national parks. Often, however, the land belongs to farmers, so you actually have to ask them for permission first. In nature reserves, camping spots are sometimes set up by the government, with only a toilet (the DoC sites, see above). Of course you don't have to pay much for this.
Last updated 3 Jun 2021 by Wereldfietser.nl / Vakantiefietser.beEdit
Safety
In general, New Zealand is a fairly safe country. The daily street scene gives the impression of being a mix of English and American influences.
Traffic
As a legacy of English colonization, you drive on the left, but you get used to it after a hundred meters. However, stay alert, the automaticity that comes into effect in an emergency will still work for a few months in the right-hand drive mode.
The larger roads have a wide hard shoulder on which you can easily cycle. The smaller roads are less busy, but do not have this hard shoulder. In bad weather and on busier roads, it may be advisable to wear a fluorescent vest or to provide the necessary extra visibility. Motorists are not used to cyclists. A bicycle mirror is therefore recommended. Pay attention!
John: "Cycling in NZ in general is not very pleasant and certainly not without its dangers. Wasn't cycling there myself, but I did talk to cyclists (of course :) normally I cycle too) and everyone likes it in more or less dangerous."
Last updated 3 Jun 2021 by Wereldfietser.nl / Vakantiefietser.beEdit
Transport
Train
With a youth hostel card or backpackers pass you often get a discount on public transport. This can be up to 30%. Your bicycle can be taken on the train without any problems, is the most normal thing. Rate $10, regardless of the distance.
On some routes you pay nothing for your bike, for example in the train from Pukerangi to Dunedin. 2017: Check in advance whether the train is running. Due to the earthquake of Nov.2016, the train from Picton to Christchurch is not running for the time being.
Bus
There is no government-organized bus service, but several low-cost companies take bicycles – to a limited extent – with them. On the South Island, for example, there is Atomic Shuttles, which can take two bikes per ride (for $15 per bike, regardless of distance). Competitor Intercity also takes bicycles, but only at the driver's discretion: you cannot book a place for your bicycle in advance, but must check with the driver on departure whether the bike along.
Boat
The bicycle can easily be taken on the ferry between the North Island and South Island. For the bike you pay 10 dollars extra. In principle, you can take your bike with you without a reservation. But if you book a few days in advance, you often get a discount on the crossing.
The ferry that brings and picks up walkers on the beaches of Abel Tasman NP also takes bicycles. That way you can make a nice boat trip between Totaranui and Kaiteriteri. Well in advance
Last updated 3 Jun 2021 by Cycle PlanetEdit
Food and drink
Supermarkets
In the big cities you will find supermarkets with a range that is comparable to Belgium, in smaller villages there is a supperrette. Every village has a shop for the most commonly used groceries. Also try the Bin In Stores. Here you can create food such as rice, pasta, sugar, flour, raisins, etc. yourself. You pay per unit weight, and relatively much.
Given the distances between the places, it is wise to always keep something on hand. Especially on the South Island there is virtually nothing available between the places. This is especially true for gas or water filter.
In the larger cities in NZ there are many outdoor shops, even in the smaller villages there is often a general store where they have screw tanks of gas and a petrol pump. NZ outdoor shops use Dutch prices and have a comparable range. What I found out they don't have: zip-off pants. New Zealanders only trample and that is always in shorts. For cheaper tents, people are more likely to go to a sports shop.
Stalls on the street
In the South Island you will regularly come across local products (honey, vegetables,...) that are displayed at the driveway of a farm. Put some money in the jar, and you can serve yourself.
Drinkable water
Drinkable water from the pipes. New Zealanders pride themselves on the fact that a lot of water in lakes and rivers is drinkable. Drinking from surface water without purifying it first is strongly discouraged by the authorities. In large parts of New Zealand, the surface water is contaminated with the Giardia parasite. DoC sites often have untreated water.
Last updated 3 Jun 2021 by Wereldfietser.nl / Vakantiefietser.beEdit
Vaccinations & health
Drinking from surface water without purifying it first is strongly discouraged by the authorities. In large parts of New Zealand, the surface water is contaminated with the Giardia parasite.
On the west coast of the South Island, so-called sandflies can become a real pest. They are small black flies that can sting viciously. If you are attacked by a horde, they can almost drive you crazy. This is probably why the beaches are so remarkably empty, despite their alluring appearance.
New Zealand has the highest percentage of people with skin cancer of all western countries. The ozone layer is very thin here. It is recommended to use sunscreen 30+ and cover as much skin as possible. The best solution is long shirts that are super thin and light (also in color): much cooler than bare arms actually and therefore less chance of burning.
Last updated 3 Jun 2021 by Wereldfietser.nl / Vakantiefietser.beEdit
Other
Special clauses
New Zealand has a strict quarantine regime. It is prohibited to import food such as meat and meat products, honey, fruits, dairy products, etc. That can go very far: if you indicate that you have rubbed your saddle with beeswax, they will even sand it off to check. The beeswax itself is also confiscated.
At the airport it often happens that your bicycle, tent, footwear, etc. must be disinfected before you can enter the country. Make sure there is no mud on your bike, and that your tires are clean.
Best time to cycle
New Zealand's summer lasts from December to February and is the best time for cycling. In general, the weather is very changeable. The North Island is warmer (located between 35 and 40 degrees south latitude), the west coast of the South Island is notorious for the large amount of precipitation (6 meters per year in Milford Sound!). Taking bad weather into account can therefore not hurt. Daytime temperatures between 20 and 30°C.
The West Coast (aka Wet Coast) on the south coast receives 7 meters of rain annually. You will not stay dry here. The best cycling month is November: decent weather, and little holiday crowds on the roads. February is also very suitable, after the hustle and bustle of the summer holidays.
Spare parts
Spare parts (Shimano etc.) are available everywhere. There are bicycle repair shops in the larger cities. Elsewhere it has been saved. The outdoor sports paradise Queenstown also has many bicycle shops. The most common problems are loosened and lost screws (screws). Your bike vibrates hard on the many dirt roads causing all screws to come loose. A set of spare screws of all sizes certainly deserves a place in your repair kit.
Special Sightseeing
Whales, dolphins, seals, penguins, albatrosses, you can encounter them all in the wild. Local 'safaris' are often organized in places where there is a good chance of encountering these animals.
Historically and culturally, New Zealand has less to offer, New Zealand became inhabited quite late. The old Maori culture still exists here and there, with a concentration around Rotorua on the North Island. But apart from the few big cities, as far as you can judge, cultural life is not thriving during a bike ride.
For those who like challenges, New Zealand is a paradise. Bungee jumping, rafting, caving, water sports, mountaineering or you name it, you can probably try it somewhere. Queenstown is the center for challenges. Henk Klein Baltink: "I have tried rafting and I have to admit that it is just as much fun when it is promoted in all brochures and on video. But we also had a special 'raft' mate who performed all kinds of fun tricks with us as (willing The trip by van from Queenstown through the Skipper Canyon to the Shot-over River is an adventure in itself, and those who (also) like walking can also indulge themselves in New Zealand.In the Lonely Planet guide describes the most famous routes.I myself walked the 'Tangariro Crossing' on the north island.A long one-day walk, very popular in New Zealand, but definitely worth it because you walk along volcanoes with a view of 'emerald lakes ' and 'red crater'."
Tips
- Wearing a bicycle helmet is mandatory in New Zealand.
- Ice Cream Tip-Top is very refreshing and can be found everywhere.
- Watch out, Kea's sometimes dare to pick up the sleeve of your bike.
Last updated 3 Jun 2021 by Wereldfietser.nl / Vakantiefietser.beEdit