Therefore, I’ve put together this short post with the eight main questions I had about my trip – answered – to help any other travellers with similar questions plan and look forward to their trip.

I hope it helps!

Do I need to book the Yasawa Flyer ferry before I get on it?

You will need to book your first ferry from the port to your chosen island. However, from then on, you will not need to book. You can just hop on and hop off the boat as you please.

Can I stay at accommodation not recommended by Awesome Adventures?

Yes, you can stay at any accommodation you would like. However, the Yasawa Flyer will only stop at Awesome Adventure’s recommended resorts so, be sure to arrange a boat pick up from the nearest stop to your chosen accommodation (note: this is likely to cost extra).

How do I get from the big boat to the resort?

The Yasawa Flyer will stop in the middle of the ocean and small boats from each resort will come out to pick you up (yup, they’re that remote)!

Why do I have to pay for a meal plan?

Each resort is so secluded that the only place you can eat is on site. Therefore, each accommodation make meal plans compulsory to ensure catering for large numbers is as easy as possible.

Unfortunately for us budget travellers, this hikes up the prices to an eye watering amount. However, you just have to bite the bullet and eat as much of the food as possible to get your money’s worth…

Can I pay by card on the islands?

Not every island has card machines but most do (although expect to pay between 3-5% surcharge on top). The only islands I stayed on, which didn’t have access to pay by card was at my homestay on Nacula Island and Long Beach Resort.

How much should I budget each day?

It really depends how many activities you want to take part in and how much alcohol you plan to drink. I found accommodation averaged out at about £50 a day and beer cost between $F4-10 a bottle. If you book and pay for your accommodation before you arrive, you shouldn’t need much cash on top of this.

Do I need to take water/alcohol with me from the main island?

It’s not essential for you to take bottled water with you. Most islands offer free drinkable rain/spring water and ones which don’t, have water you can buy. If you want to get tiddled on more than one occasion, I would definitely recommend taking a bottle or two of spirits with you.

Which islands should I go to?

Luckily for you, I’ve already put together this guide to the islands I visited in Fiji. If you’re looking for more luxurious accommodation, check out Awesome Adventures website.

If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to pop me over an email or comment below!

I’ve reunited with my best friend, travelled the country tip to toe, admired scenery so beautiful I didn’t know it could exist, found myself a job at a cafe where I’ve met some incredible people, been welcomed into multiple homes and, drank an unholy amount of NZ coffee and Sav. It’s been an unforgettable 7 months and I’m gutted to be leaving in a week.

However, adventure (and Fiji) calls.

So, here are the top 12 things I’m going to miss most about living in Auckland, New Zealand.

Maori culture

From everything being written in both Maori and English to the Haka being performed before every All Blacks rugby game, in New Zealand, you’re forever reminded of the country’s fascinating culture and history.

I will miss how much New Zealand’s culture is respected and embraced by Kiwis and expats alike.

BYO

Bring your own alcohol restaurants are everywhere in Auckland. For a few dollars corkage, you can buy wine from the offy and drink it alongside a delicious meal.

I will miss this whole new realm of affordable pre drinking.

Eh?

If you’ve ever been to New Zealand or, know a Kiwi, you’ll understand this. It seems as though everyone in New Zealand needs a little reassurance about everything they say. This coffee has sugar in, eh? We’re leaving at 7, eh? You’re from England, eh?

I will miss chuckling to myself every time someone says this.

Coffee

My lord, the Kiwi’s sure know how to make a good cuppa. They pride themselves on how fresh and carefully put together each cup is and it shows.

I will desperately miss large triple shot flat whites in a bowl.

Kiwi dip

Kiwi dip was one of the first things my friend insisted I try when I arrived in Auckland. A mixture of onion soup powder and Nestle reduced cream, it is a strange combo, which works OH so well.

I will miss sinking a whole pack of grain waves with this dip.

Cafe culture

Since arriving in Auckland, I’ve spent most of my days off work lurking in different cafes sampling unique dishes, drinks and coffee. I’ve uncovered some gems, which I’ll be sharing with you all in the next few weeks!

I will miss sitting and writing in some of trendiest cafes I’ve ever been to.

Cornwall Park sunrises

Even though waking up for work at 5.30am most mornings has been killer, each day I’ve arrived at the cafe at dawn (in Cornwall Park) I’ve been treated to some of the most mesmerizing sunrises I’ve ever seen.

I will miss watching these misty mornings transform with the colourful blaze of sunshine.

Skytower skyline

Wherever you are in the city, you’re always greeted with an impressive view of Auckland’s iconic Skytower.

I will miss waving to it every time I see it.

Scenery

Auckland has some of the most fascinating scenery I’ve ever seen. Scattered throughout the city’s suburbs are vibrant green towering volcanic cones and, drifting off of the coastline, are unique volcanic islands.

I will miss seeing a cone of green everywhere I go.

Pastries

New Zealand’s pastries put Ginsters to shame. Everywhere you go, you’re guaranteed a freshly made, beefy sausage roll or a succulent, flaky pie.

I will miss stuffing my face with homemade pastries at every given opportunity.

Waiheke Island

My haven. My love. Waiheke Island is what dreams are made of. Floating 45 minutes from Auckland harbour, Waiheke is doused in vineyards, beaches and pristine countryside.

I will miss having vineyards full to the brim with scrumdumptious wine on my doorstep.

And finally, my bestie

My best friend from the UK (who now lives in Auckland) was the reason why I chose to settle in Auckland so, spending some quality time with her and seeing her life on the other side of the world has been incredible.

I will miss our white wine Thursday dates more than anything.

If you want to plan a trip to Auckland (which I think you should), head on over to Skyscanner to check out some great flight deals from all over the world!

From the trendy cafe and boutique laden streets of Ponsonby to the towering volcanic cone and cutesy cafes of Mount Eden, each area of the city boast its own unique personality and sights.

Here is my quick guide to what to expect from each of Auckland’s suburb…

Parnell

Parnell is the oldest suburb in Auckland and as a result, exudes heaps of character and charm.

Doused in upmarket boutiques, antique jewellers, the city’s beautiful rose gardens and the weekend Farmers’ food market, it’s the perfect suburb to visit for a busy day out (especially at the weekend!)

Must see – Rose Gardens
Must eat – Farmers’ Market

Newmarket

A shopping hub with a bunch of cafes and restaurants thrown in for good measure (#BurgerBurger), Newmarket is home to a Westfield’s shopping centre, designer boutiques as well as, high street fashion brands.

Must eat – Little and Friday

Grafton

Grafton is a suburb situated between Newmarket and Auckland City (both walkable distance). Most well-known for being home to Auckland’s hospital as well as, its Domain, Winter Gardens and museum, it is definitely a suburb worth visiting.

Thanks to the hoards of workers from the hospital, there is also a great array of cafes and sushi bars opposite to grab some food.

Must see – The Domain
Must eat – Ceremony

Mount Eden

Mount Eden is a vibrant, funky and cultural suburb, which boasts an unrivalled 360 degree view across the city at the peak of its volcanic cone.

With a street of quaint book and cake shops as well as, some great cafes, it’s a lovely place to wander around and grab a cuppa before making the easy climb up to the Mount Eden peak.

Must see – Mount Eden volcanic cone
Must eat – Return of the Rad

Ponsonby

Aka. Ponsnoby, Ponsonby is the hip, trendy and arguably, pretentious area of Auckland, which everyone wants a piece of.

You’ll find your raw eating cafes, your Asian fusion restaurants and your sophisticated beauty boutiques here, along with an impressive view of the city.

Must eat – Adam Arnold

Kingsland

Kingsland is a funky suburb situated in inner-city Auckland, which has an abundance of stylish bars, restaurants and cafes to relax in.

Enjoy an early evening bev at a bar before heading to Eden Park stadium to watch a mighty game of rugby.

Must see – Eden Park Stadium
Must eat – Monday’s

Auckland City

Unsurprisingly, Auckland City has everything you could ever need in a city visit and is where most travellers head to if they are only visiting Auckland for a couple of days.

Centred around the ferry port (where you can catch the ferry to Waiheke, Rangitoto etc.), Britomart train station and Queen’s Street, the main shopping street in the city, Auckland centre is buzzing dusk ’til dawn.

Must see – Skytower
Must eat – Chuffed, High Street

K Road

Although K Road is technically part of the CBD, I feel it deserves its own mention.

Renowned for being the ‘red light district’ of Auckland, Karangahape Road (K Road) may be seen as the ‘dodgy’ area of town but, under this shaded disguise lies a unique, quirky and cultural road full of multi-cultural food joints, shops and bars.

Must see – Third Eye shop
Must eat – Coco’s Cantina

Have you ever visited/lived in Auckland? What’s your favourite suburb?

From kayaking around the crystal clear waters of Cathedral Cove in the Coromandel to trekking the extraordinary ice glacier in Franz Josef, it’s a hard job not handing over all of your savings and doing every single one.

If you’re on a budget and have to be careful with how much you’re spending, here are my must do activities whilst travelling on the Kiwi Experience bus.

Note: being on a budget myself, I was not able to do all of the activities on offer and am therefore, unable to comment on these.

Here is a list of all of the activities I did book onto through the Kiwi Experience Bus – Cape Reinga Day Trip, Cream Boat Trip, Waitimo Glow Cave ‘Granny Walk’, Tamaki Maori Village, Tongariro Alpine Crossing, Horse Riding in River Valley, Franz Josef Glacier, Canyon Swing, Deep South and Whale Watching.

Cream Boat Trip, Bay of Islands ($116)

A boat trip around the Bay of Islands is a must whilst staying in Paihia.

Offering crystal clear emerald water, wildlife second to none (#orcas) and vibrant green sprouts of trees and bush on every island you pass, it is hard to believe that you’re not travelling around an exotic Indonesian island.

Kiwi Experience offer a number of boat trips exploring the Bay of Islands all of which vary in price. Some focus primarily on sighting and swimming with dolphins whereas, others focus more on the islands themselves.

The full day Cream Boat Trip was described as offering a bit of both, which is why I chose to book onto this one (even though it was one of the pricier options).

Lasting 7 hours and exploring a number of the islands with a detailed commentary as well as, giving you the opportunity to see/swim with dolphins (for a bargain $15 on top of the $116) and the chance to swim in the tropical shallow waters of one of the islands, you really do get a bit of everything out of this boat trip.

Ladies, be warned, if you decide to go in the boom net there is a 90% chance you’ll lose your bikini. I learnt the hard way…

Tamaki Maori Village Overnight Stay, Rotorua ($88/170ish)

Tamaki Maori Village is a great opportunity to learn about New Zealand’s epic culture as well as, see an example Maori village.

The Kiwi Experience offer two options for visiting the village – either an evening of entertainment and an indulgent hangi (a Maori feast) or, the entertainment and food plus, an overnight stay in a luxury Maori hut as well as, a night of relaxation in an authentic (hmm) hot tub.

I chose the overnight stay and was chuffed with my decision. We were able to spend a lot more time chatting with our hosts, which gave us the opportunity to ask any questions we had about their lifestyle and culture.

I felt as though only doing the evening entertainment may have felt a bit rushed for the cost ($88).

Tongariro Alpine Crossing, Taupo ($65)

Up there with my favourite activity of them all, the Tongariro Alpine Crossing is challenging to say the least but one, which comes with incredible rewards.

The remains of extensive volcanic eruptions, the 8 hour (19.4km) trek takes you through terrain resembling that of Mars, up the aptly named killer ‘devil’s staircase’, past three extraordinary emerald lakes and via or up (depending on how brave you are feeling) the iconic Mount Doom.

It’s not a trek for the faint hearted however, it is definitely worth the blood, sweat and tears for the outstanding, unique views you encounter.

Horsemanship, River Valley ($149)

I booked onto the Horsemanship at River Valley excursion rather spontaneously.

I was very tempted when our bus driver was describing it on the bus however, I stayed strong in an attempt to save some pennies. However, as soon as we pulled up into the mountain drenched area of River Valley I knew I had to go on a hack there no matter what the price.

River Valley offered secluded scenery like no other. Its steep rolling hills were so picture perfect they looked like a mirage, the beautiful butterflies, which fluttered into the air as we trekked through sprouts of foliage were mesmerizing and the exciting bouts of freely trotting and cantering through such beauty was unforgettable.

The most stand out factor of this ride however, was that it was a form of horse riding I’d never tried before. Horsemanship encourages you to create a bond with your horse and to use this bond to direct and control your horse (they don’t use bits).

River Valley blew me away and I’m so so happy I decided to go on this excursion. From what I heard about the other horse riding activities offered elsewhere in New Zealand, River Valley was the best option by miles.

Franz Josef Glacier, Franz Josef ($319)

A spectacular phenomenon, Franz Josef Glacier is a cascading glacier situated in the Westland Tai Poutini National Park.

This activity was the most expensive I booked onto however, this price was well justified as it included both a guided tour of the glacier and a helicopter ride up to it.

Stomping through a maze of icy alcoves, slipping up skillfully hand crafted staircases and weaving under crisp ice blocks, you’re never going to be able to experience something quite like walking the Franz Josef glacier.

Canyon Swing, Queenstown ($205)

When in Queenstown one must jump off something…

Be it a ledge, a plane or a bridge, Queenstown is the adrenalin capital of the world and therefore, it would be rude not to jump into nothingness at some point whilst visiting this outrageous city.

As I’d done a bungee jump before, I decided to do a canyon swing. Giving you the choice to hurl yourself off of a ledge forwards, backwards, sideways or even on a tricycle, the options are endless.

I would be lying if I said I wasn’t cacking myself before I jumped, but once I had… WOWEEE. Even if you’re not usually one to ‘jump’ on the adrenaline band wagon, Queenstown is the place to challenge yourself and do it.

I never wanted to have to add up how much I spent on excursions during my 6 week trip around New Zealand and now I just have… urmmmm #noregrets…

Due to its warm climate, Waiheke is renowned for its ability to grow some of New Zealand’s finest wines and is adorned in vibrant green vineyards.

Last Saturday, as I was blessed with a weekend off work, my friend and I decided to treat ourselves to a luxurious day of vineyard hopping and wine tasting on the island.

At around 11am we jumped on the ferry and headed towards the Hauraki Gulf.

As we approached Waiheke the dark navy water blended into a translucent reflective blue, luxury sailing boats bobbed in the tranquil harbour and bright green foliage sprouted from every corner of the island.

Once we’d piled off of the boat, we beelined for the first vineyard on our wine crawl. Located around a 20 minute walk from the port, Cable Bay is a modern vineyard and restaurant with both a tasting cellar and a wine library.

I’d heard great things about this wineries buzzing ambience, impressive view and of course, quality wine, so my expectations were high.

On arrival we headed straight towards the wine cellar to have a taste of Cable Bay’s staple wines.

For a bargain $10 (approx £5) we were able to try five flavoursome wines – a Sav, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah, as the friendly connoisseurs talked us through the different ‘notes’ in each one.

Once we’d enjoyed our tipples in the cellar, we moved onto the grass area in front of the vineyards’ veranda for a crisp glass of vino. With weaving grapevines and the hazy silhouette of the city as our backdrop, we were in heaven.

Despite the setting, wine and vibe of Cable Bay being perfect, the decor was a little modern for my liking (I’m a sucker for character) so we moved on in search of somewhere a little more rustic.

And boy did we find it…

A few minute walk down the road we stumbled upon Mudbrick vineyard. A quaint restaurant and vineyard resembling a French château, Mudbrick was rightttt up my street.

Embellished in a blanket of emerald-green leaves and boasting a picturesque terrace enveloped in vibrant sprigs of lavender and grapevines, it was an absolute dream.

We indulged in a glass of their house bubbly followed by a scrumptious platter of succulent prawns, juicy meatballs, creamy brie and crackers and tasty cured meats (to name but a few)…

Unfortunately, due to a wedding we were unable to check out their wine cellar, which then led us to our next stop – Jurassic Ridge.

A slightly more low-key vineyard, Jurassic Ridge was more of a ‘one man and his wine’ affair.

On arrival we were greeted by the owner of the vineyard. With no commercial bar or restaurant, Jurassic Ridge was more of an intimate experience than the other places we’d visited and enabled us to ask questions about the growing and making process of the wines whilst sipping on free samples of each of his favourites.

However, like most polite Brits, after our free samples we felt obliged to make a purchase (what a clever way to make a sale, eh?). So, after much contemplation, we headed back to the ferry port with a couple of bottles of the Sav… to be drunk sensibly on a special occasion, of course…

My day trip to Waiheke was definitely up there with one of my favourite experiences in New Zealand. Sometimes it’s nice to forget that you’re a budget backpacker for a day or two and splurge on a day to remember…

Have you ever been vineyard hopping on Waiheke Island? Which were your favourite vineyards?

We began the walk at 7am following the Mangetepopo Stream along flat boardwalks, which were sunken in towering, rocky mountains, until we reached the aptly named ‘Devil’s Staircase’. I’m not going to lie, when my information sheet read ‘prepare yourself mentally for the challenge ahead’, I wasn’t filled with hope.

We began to climb the devilish steps trying our hardest not to pass out on the way up before reaching the start point to Mount Doom. The information sheet also said climbing Mount Doom ‘is extremely dangerous and should only be attempted if you found the Devil’s Staircase easy’. I was out.

Waving to the brave climbers who now looked like ants climbing up a rocky mound hill in the distance, we continued towards South Crater. The crater was surreal. Completely flat and sparse apart from a few tufts of brittle greenery and giant, rugged black boulders, it felt as though we had been transported onto another planet. We strolled through in silence taking in the tranquility until we arrived at the next hill…

After trekking up and down a couple more steep mountains, we soon reached the Emerald Lakes. A spurt of vibrant colour amongst the otherwise dusty terrain, the Emerald Lakes were outstanding.

Getting their colour from their high sulphur content, the lakes omitted a similar eggy smell to in Rotorua however, their beauty made this smell more than bearable. We enjoyed our packed lunch with the vivid, crystal clear lakes as our backdrop.

The last leg of the journey was arguably the hardest. After six hours of walking up and down steep inclines my legs were beginning to seize up and my feet felt as though I’d been wearing heels for the entirety of the trek. I hobbled the last section of the track before collapsing on a grass mound at the end point.

I HAD DONE IT!!!

Have you ever tackled the Tongariro Crossing? What was your favourite part of the trek?