What you need to know about traveling to New Zealand

New Zealand is far away! The best way to travel to New Zealand is through LAX and you are looking at a 13-14 hour plane ride. Most people fly into Auckland, which is in the north island and then will fly to the south island for more exploration. You will skip an entire day completely if coming from the U.S. I would say you want to spend at least 10 days in NZ

If coming from the U.S, now is the time to travel to NZ. The exchange rate is amazing. I would recommend installing the XE app and using that to keep track of the conversion rate but it is definitely in our favor right now! NZ is currently cheaper than Australia.

In case of emergencies, dial 111 to get connected to ambulance services, the fire department or the police. When you call, you will be prompted to state which service you are looking for before you're referred to a dispatch operator.

Plan according to the season. If coming from the U.S, NZ is opposite seasons than we are. Pack layers. I traveled during one of the most popular times, Lunar New Year ( February). Maybe do not do this. Hotels will jack up their prices and it is much more expensive than say later in Feb or even March.

We really loved Waiheke Island. Its a short ferry ride from Auckland and I could have spent more than just a day there. Beautiful beaches and tons of wineries!

There are several flights a day to take you to the south island. We flew from Auckland to Queenstown for cheap through Jetstar.

From Queenstown, Milford sound is really a must but please be aware...it is FAR! Its about a 4 hour drive each direction. If you have the funds, I would opt to take a tour via plane from Queenstown to Milford sound. There are plenty of tour operators right in Queenstown. You may also want to look into an overnight stay on a boat to Doubtful sound.

Bartering is not acceptable in NZ.

You don't really tip waiters in New Zealand unless you've received exceptional service.

I would not personally recommend planning a day trip around the glow worms. While they are cool, I thought they were a bit overrated. You may want to try booking a tour that included Hobbiton AND the glow worms.

We stayed at the Hilton Queenstown and the Hilton Auckland. Both were very nice hotels. We received 4 out of 6 nights at no cost due to my husband and I both getting the Hilton credit card in advance and using our points earned to pay for our stay. We booked our stay about 8 months in advance.

Fun fact: In New Zealand there are approximately 9 sheep to every human!