Even after traveling the world solo for 10 years, I still make mistakes when visiting new destinations.
Before my first trip to New Zealand, I felt prepared: I had years of travel experience, solid research skills, an innate understanding of Polynesian culture from my roots in Hawaii, and even a local contact in Auckland.
But from common slip-ups like miscalculating timing to bigger missteps like booking non-refundable tickets for weather-dependent activities, I managed to get plenty wrong along the way.
Here are some of the biggest mistakes I made during my six weeks in New Zealand — and how you can hopefully avoid them.
Splurging on a camper van without plans to spend enough time on the road
My first adventure in New Zealand was booking a camper van and taking it to a music festival in Northland.
It was cool to have a van, but I wish I’d planned more time on the road instead of leaving it parked at the festival for most of my rental period.
If I’d had a few extra days, I would have driven up to Cape Reinga to see the point where the Pacific Ocean and Tasman Sea meet. Doing this also would’ve helped the cost feel more worthwhile, since the rental wasn’t cheap.
Not closely checking hours and schedules when planning excursions
I packed my itinerary with excursions, but didn’t plan all of them well.
For example, my day trip to Waiheke Island was cut short because I arrived too late, not realizing that “island time” meant shops and wineries closed around 5 p.m.— even earlier than I’m used to back home on Maui.
By the time my late-afternoon ferry arrived, I didn’t have enough time to visit a vineyard or properly explore the downtown area. It felt silly to visit an island known for its wine and not actually taste any.
Staying too long in the wrong city
I decided to linger in the town of Rotorua since it had so many unique activities nearby: a Maori cultural experience, New Zealand’s original geothermal spa, a redwood tree walk, and the Hobbiton movie set tour.
When I stepped off the bus, I expected to see a bustling tourist spot. Instead, I thought Rotorua felt like a ghost town — one with a pungent sulphur smell that only worsened at night.
When I got to my next destination, Taupo, I immediately wished I’d booked more time there. It had the same lakeside charm but with more life, fresher-smelling air, and more affordable food — including tons of options for my keto diet.
Not researching which side of the bus to sit on
New Zealand is renowned for its stunning scenery, but some bus routes have better views on a particular side.
Before each ride, I wish I’d looked into which side offered the best vantage points instead of realizing halfway through that I was on the wrong one.
Booking a round trip on the TranzAlpine train route
I was eager to experience the TranzAlpine journey through New Zealand’s Southern Alps — it’s celebrated as one of the most scenic train rides in the world.
The views were wonderful, but I’m not sure doing a round trip on the train was the best, most interesting use of my time.
Later, I realized it would have made more sense to get off in Greymouth and continue by bus down the West Coast to Queenstown.
That alternative route would have taken more time and required an overnight stay, but it would have given me a richer, more novel experience than simply looping back to Christchurch.
Trying to schedule celestial sights
I planned stays in Lake Tekapo and Te Anau hoping to glimpse the aurora australis, or southern lights, but canceled both due to cloudy forecasts that would have made aurora chasing impossible.
After rerouting, I also canceled a hot pool and stargazing experience I’d confidently booked as non-refundable, which meant losing that money.
To fill this gap in my itinerary, I stayed longer in Queenstown, where I never expected to see the aurora because of light pollution. Ironically, that’s exactly where I captured photos of the cosmic phenomenon.
All that said, next time I travel, I probably wouldn’t book non-refundable excursions that are so contingent on weather.
Overcommitting, canceling plans, and changing my itinerary too many times
Whether it was because of weather, logistical mishaps, or my health, I ended up rescheduling and canceling a lot of excursions throughout my journey.
This included stays in several cities, a trip on the Coastal Pacific train route, a whale-watching flight, and more.
By the end of my trip, I realized I’d simply overcommitted myself.
If I’d had more days in New Zealand, maybe things would’ve been different. However, I could’ve benefitted from narrowing down my plans off the bat to focus on what I truly wanted while creating more time for spontaneity.
That said, I’m grateful I gave myself the flexibility to back out of plans that no longer aligned without guilt or regret.
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