New Zealand is a dream. Like, ridiculously beautiful. One of those places where you start questioning if it’s even real. But as stunning as it is, traveling around came with a few surprises, missteps, and “Wait, WHAT?” moments we didn’t exactly see coming. Now that we’re back (a little sunburned, slightly broke, but very much in love with the country), we thought we’d round up the travel mistakes we personally made or almost made, so you don’t have to.
From underestimating drive times to forgetting just how intense that Kiwi sun really is, consider this our humble little PSA from one set of travelers to another. Because as magical as New Zealand is and how friendly Kiwis are, New Zealand can also humble a traveler real quick, especially if it’s your first time.
So before you pack your bags and say “Kia ora!” to the adventure of a lifetime, continue watching this video featuring our list of travel mistakes to avoid.
Booking too late.
We almost didn’t make it to Hobbiton. And it would’ve been such a shame because it’s one of the biggest attractions that we were looking forward to before the trip, and we almost failed to grab tickets.
One thing you should know about Hobbiton is that these days, you can only explore it with a guide, so you must book a Hobbiton Movie Set Tour. There are many ways to do it:
- If you prefer to drive or take a public bus on your own, you can just purchase a ticket.
- You can join a day tour from Auckland or Rotorua, which already includes transfers. Most tours depart from the Shire’s Rest, a café that serves as the gateway to Hobbiton.
When we tried to book, tickets were sold out! This was one month before our target date. We knew it was popular, but we were waiting for everyone in the group to be granted a visa before we book.
Thankfully, there are a few tours departing from Matamata iSite. We were a group of five, and by sheer luck, we were able to get the LAST 5 TICKETS! Talk about meant to be. Everything went well in the end.
But yes, whether you’re joining a tour or buying a ticket only, best to secure it in advance.
✅ RESERVE A HOBBITON SLOT HERE!
Winging the visa application.
If you’re required to secure a visa prior to arrival in New Zealand, like us, I have good news and bad news. The good news is, it’s actually pretty easy to apply for a visitor visa. The list of requirements isn’t too long and the whole process (100% of it) is done online.
The bad news is, just because it’s easy to apply doesn’t mean it’s easy to be granted a visa. This is not just a formality or simple e-Visas given by other less strict countries; they really do evaluate applications meticulously, so you can’t just wing it.
For example, when you look at the list of supporting documents, only three are tagged as REQUIRED: passport, photo, and itinerary. You can technically submit an application with just those three attachments. But that doesn’t mean you’ll get approved. Of course, it is recommended that you upload other documents that visa officers can use to assess your application especially evidence of genuine intent or rootedness, and evidence of funds if you declare you’re shouldering the cost of the trip yourself.
It is important that you paint a full picture of your background and your plans in New Zealand, and prove that you intend to leave the country and not overstay.
We have a separate article about it. READ: NEW ZEALAND VISA APPLICATION GUIDE! ✅
I know people who have been denied a visa, so take your application seriously.
Speaking of denied…
Not reapplying when rejected.
Let’s say your application is declined and you are refused a visa. What now? Can you appeal or ask for reconsideration?
NO, if you applied outside New Zealand and I’m assuming most of you reading this are not based in NZ. Here’s an excerpt from a refusal letter that my friend received.
But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing else you can do. What you can do is reapply. This means you’ll need to start a new application and pay another visa fee.
But before you reapply, make sure you have new supporting documents to add that could address the reasons for refusal. If you’ll be submitting the exact same pile of documents, you might just be wasting another NZD 100.
If you’re currently in New Zealand, YES, you can appeal as long as you make the request within 14 days.
But please note that what I share should NOT be taken as official Immigration advice. Think of me as just a friend sharing my experience. Check out the official New Zealand website or consult an immigration advisor for official advice or assistance.
Failing to Declare Risk Items Upon Entry
Agriculture and tourism are two of New Zealand’s biggest industries, and the government does everything they can to protect the environment and ensure biosecurity. That’s why they are very strict when it comes to what enters their border.
It is important that you’re familiar with items that are allowed, restricted, and downright prohibited, and follow their policies so you won’t run into any problem at the airport. You must also be aware of the items that you must declare.
Before your trip to New Zealand, you will be required to accomplish the New Zealand Traveller Declaration Form, which has two sections specifically about what you’re bringing into the country. The first is BIOSECURITY, and you have to declare if you carry in your hand luggage or check-in luggage items like:
Risk Items
- Any food: cooked, uncooked, fresh, preserved, packaged or dried, including chocolate, candies, potato chips, crackers, biscuits, cookies, instant noodles, coffee, tea bags, soft drinks and even snacks served inside the plane.
- Animals or animal products: including meat, dairy products, fish, honey, bee products, eggs, feathers, shells, raw wool, skins, bones or insects
- Plants or plant products: fruit, flowers, seeds, bulbs, wood, bark, leaves, nuts, vegetables, parts of plants, fungi, cane, bamboo or straw, including for religious offerings or medicinal use
- Biological products: Animal medicines, biological cultures, organisms, soil or water
- Equipment: Equipment/clothing used with animals, plants or water, including for gardening, beekeeping, fishing, water sport or diving activities?
- Outdoor gear: Items that have been used for outdoor activities, including any footwear, tents, camping, hunting, hiking, golf or sports equipment
I was carrying chocolates and other food products, so I just declared them.
Restricted Items
You’ll also be asked if you’re carrying more than the allowed amount of restricted items like medicine and alcohol.
At the airport, the border officers just asked what items I declared and directed me to the right lane. It was pretty smooth. I’m guessing because it’s just chocolates and snacks.
So if it’s meant to be declared, declare them. You can get fined if you fail to do so.
Underestimating New Zealand’s size and distances.
When you’re looking at a map, it’s easy to see New Zealand as a group of small islands in the far corner of the Pacific, especially when the ginormous Australia is in the same frame. It just looks snack-size compared to its neighbor, which is a full continent, but don’t assume New Zealand is small. New Zealand’s land area is bigger than the UK and just a bit smaller than the Philippines. If you superimpose it on Europe, you’ll find that it stretches from Denmark all the way to the South of France.
So no, it will be impractical to assume it only takes a few days to explore or that you can see it all in a week.
Same goes for distances. Just because Milford Sound appears to be sitting pretty next to Queenstown doesn’t mean it only takes a quick drive. To get there from Queenstown, the route goes around the mountains and takes almost four hours, excluding stops and trust me, you will make some stops because the route is just so scenic.
Waitomo Caves, which is often a favorite destination from Rotorua or Auckland, is actually 2 to 2 and a half hours away. Even Hobbiton is not “just outside Auckland”. It’s 2 hours from the city center, too.
This is why it’s important to build a strategic and solid itinerary, especially if you’re driving.
Driving on the Wrong Side of the Road
Driving in a foreign country is often unnerving. But while in theory, driving in New Zealand should be easy because most roads are paved and there are plenty of signs everywhere, there are a few things you need to remember before you decide to take the wheel.
First, New Zealand drives on the left side of the road. And if you’re used to driving on the right like where I’m from, it’s pretty disorienting. It takes some getting used to. It’s not just the position of the wheel inside the vehicle or your position on the road. You’ll have to unlearn certain things especially when taking a turn at intersections.
I also noticed that New Zealand’s roads deeper into the countryside are usually two-lane and narrow, but vehicles move fast here. And instead of stoplights, there are a lot of roundabouts, which is great in minimizing traffic jams.
<img alt=”New Zealand Roundabouts Avoid These 12 Travel Mistakes in NEW ZEALAND
