Tips for Visiting NZ
New Zealand is time-and-time again voted as one of the friendliest countries in the world. No wonder - we are used to seeing people from all sorts of cultures and countries come and visit us! Because tourism is so big in New Zealand (the second largest industry in NZ) we get to meet new people all of the time.
If you're looking to get the most out of NZ while here, here are some tips for you.
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Tip 1: Dress for the weather
On our website, we give some great tips on how to pack for your tour. In it, we outline the clothes that you should bring when you visit New Zealand. We highly recommend you stick to these guidelines! New Zealand is 2 (or 3, if you count Stewart Island) thin islands surrounded by water. We do not sit close to any large continents (unlike Japan, which is right next to Russia), so our weather can vary substantially! Bring a range of clothes and be prepared for multiple weather conditions. Even in the summer, we can have the occassional bout of slightly chilly weather, especially in the South Island. The good news is that the sea helps to moderate our weather, so we rarely get extremes. We are very mild.
Tip 2: Meet the locals
As we mentioned earlier, New Zealand is a heaven for tourists. We're used to people coming to visit us. If you're walking along the street, and want some directions, be sure to just ask. Not only will you get directions, but they might even walk with you to your destination too! We love our country and we love to show off.
Tip 3: Try the local food
New Zealand is home to world-class chefs. Some of our tastiest food is the local, home-grown food. Since we're an island, with all of our major cities lined up along the sea, we sea food is our specialty. We also produce some of the finest beef and lamb (which is so good, it gets exported throughout the world). Lamb is a particular kiwi favourite, so be sure to try that while you are here. New Zealand's local food has a lot of international influences including influences from Europe and the Pacific Islands, making it unique.
Tip 4: Eftpos is fine
New Zealand is not a tipping culture. Here, if you order a dish in a restaurant, the price you see is the price. No tipping required! Everyone in NZ receives a full salary/wage and does not rely on tips. In most places, workers are actually not allowed to accept tips. Because of this, cash is not required. You can still carry cash if you prefer, but if you would rather pay with eftpos that is fine and accepted in the vast majority of places in NZ. One exception is public transport - when you go to hop on a bus, you will need either a ticket or cash, so prepare accordingly!
