WINTER
IN NORTH ISLAND NEW ZEALAND 15-22
July 2019
Flight
: Qantas Airways and Malaysia Airlines
Accomodation
: Holiday Inn, Rotorua
Sky City Hotel,
Auckland
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| Hobbiton Village |
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Day 1
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Day 2
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Day 3
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Day 4
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Day 5
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Day 6
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Breakfast
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MOB
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Holiday Inn Buffet
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Federal Delicasten
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Fortuna,Skytcity
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Morning
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Te Puia,Thermal Valley
Agrodome
Rainbow Spring Nature Conservation.
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AKL- Pahia
Wataingi Treaty Grounds
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Viaduct Harbour
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Sunday Mass at St Patrick Cathedral.
Osyter bar at Depot
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Afternoon
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Landed at AKL
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Hobbiton Movie Set
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Pahia, Bay of Island
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Maritime Museum
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Sky City Casino
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Lunch
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MOB
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Holiday Inn Cafe
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Charlotte’s kitchen
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Roast Duck, Queen st
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Coffee Club
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Evening
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Qantas Airways
Sin-Mel-AKL
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Intercity Bus AKL-Rotorua
Arrived at Holiday Inn Rotorua
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Intercity Bus to Auckland
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Intercity Bus Pahia to AKL
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Shopping at Queen St
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Shuttle van to Auckland Airport
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Dinner
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Saigon restaurant
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Fiddler Bar
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Starbuck
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MOB
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Night
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Sky City Casino
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Sky City Casino
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Sky City Casino
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AKL-KL
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Day
1
Exciting
day, Pre holiday to the place I haven’t go to. It’s New Zealand. No Visa
required. Just a strict precaution on food, animal and plant product that
enters New Zealand Airport. Have a genuine declaration of items that you bring.
NZD400 fine for bringing any plant, food, fruit and animal based product to New
Zealand. The Custom department was very strict.
Good
experience in Qantas Airways, seated on isle seat in economy class. Airbus from
Singapore to Melbourne and transit for 2 hours, before the next flight to
Auckland on smaller aircraft. Melbourne to Auckland was about 4 hours flight.
Good meals on board.
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| Auckland International Airport |
Day
2
The
flight reached Auckland International Airport around 12.30 noon. Initially I
booked a Supershuttle from KLOOK for about RM68, but a friend in New Zealand
came to airport and drove me to Sky City Hotel.
From Sky City Hotel, we
took Intercity bus from Auckland to Rotorua. The bus departed at 3pm and the
journey was around 4 hours. Booking can be done from https://www.intercity.co.nz
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| View to Rotorua |
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| Intercity Bus depart from SkyCity |
In
Rotorua, we had our first dinner at Vietnamese Restaurant around the tourism
centre, before check in to Holiday Inn Hotel.
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| Saigon restaurant at Rotorua |
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| Holiday Inn Rotorua |
Day 3
The hotel was good, nice sleep
and very comfy bed. The breakfast was also good. We had a heavy breakfast
before going for a full day trip. New Zealand is 4 hours ahead from Malaysia Time.
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| Buffet Breakfast at Holiday Inn |
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| Outside Holiday Inn Rotorua |
Our
1 day trip today was purchased from Intercity Website. It is a good tour group
with interconnecting transport, from one venue to another. Pick up from hotel around 8am.
Te
Puia was the first destination that we visited, in a small group. Only 4 of us,
with 2 New Yorkers.
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| Te Puia |
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| name of the park.. |
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| Whakarewarewa Geyser |
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| Geyser at the background |
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| Hot stone where i sit, boiling water underneath |
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| Geyser |
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| mud pool |
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| clear water stream |
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| entrance |
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| Te Puia |
Quite a good overview of history of Maori origin in New
Zealand. Thanks to our Guide Clara, a Moari.
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| Kiwi birds were kept inside in a dark room. |
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| cctv to watch kiwi |
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| Replica of Kiwi Bird in actual size |
From Te Puia, we headed to
Agrodome to see sheep shearing demonstation and many types of sheep available
in New Zealand. New Zealand so proud of their sheep. Sheep shearing world record
holder is from New Zealand. 731 sheep in 1 day. Souvenir shop sells NZ product has very reasonable price at Agrodome. Sheepskin rug for around NZD50.
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| all the sheep species were assembled on the stage |
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| demonstration of sheep shearing |
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| Dog and Whistle performances |
After
Agrodome, we visited Rainbow Spring Nature Conservation Centre. Many protected
birds, including Kiwi are kept in the centre.
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| Clear Water at Rainbow Spring |
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| More than 100 over years tree |
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| Silver Fern Leaf |
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| Giant Fern |
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| Fern Trees |
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| Replica of Kiwi Bird |
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| Add caption |
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| Five Species of Kiwi in New Zealand |
Around
noon, the transport send us back to the hotel, where we had quick lunch at the
hotel, before proceeded for Hobitton Tour.
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| Gandalf The Hobbit |
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| Waiting area before depart to Matamata |
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| Hobbiton Village |
Journey
from Auckland to Matamata took around 1 hour. There was around 20 ppl in the
same group for Hobbiton Tour. We were told,how the farm which belong to
Alexander family was chosen. When Lord of the Ring flew on helicopter in New
Zealand, he saw a beautiful pond surrounded by fantastic view perfect for the
movie shoot. They met Alexander family and told them about the plan. And never
disclosed the project to outsider.
It
was a massive project, took years to build the movie set, more than 40 Hobbiton
house, create a prefect Hobbiton Village. Plum trees and a gigantic man made
tree on the top of the hill. A perfect site for great picture. Mix of nature
and man made beauty produce a perfect visitors’s attraction in New Zealand.
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| view of village |
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| in front Hobbiton House |
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| man made village for movie set |
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| walking around Hobbiton Village |
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| one of the Hobbit House |
Moari
Performances at Moari Treaty Grounds. I can say it a ‘must go’ for first timer
visitor to New Zealand. It was a windy
day.
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| Moari Meeting Hall, opposite British Governor's house |
Walked
around Moari museum . The trip to Moari Treaty Ground took around 2 hours,
before heading back to Pahia by cab.
Having
lunch at one of the best Fish and Chips Restaurant at Pahia, Bay of Islands. The Charlotte's Kitchen.
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| Restaurant at Bay of Island |
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| The Famous Fish and Chips |
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| Charlotte's kitchen |
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| Russells |
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| bay of Islands |
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| Torurist Infomartion Centre Pahia |
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| Pahia |
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| Pahia |
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| Pahia |
Headed
back to AKL on Intercity Bus for about 2 and half hours journey.
Rest
and relax at Sky City Hotel and Casino.
Day 5
Row
of branded shops at Queen Street, Mecca Maxima, H&M, Kathmandu, Sephora. Etc.
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| Viaduct Harbour |
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| Viaduct Harbour, Auckland City Centre |
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| Auckland |
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| Viaduct |
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| Chile Ship docked at Auckland Harbour |
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| Maritime Museum |
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| Queen Street |
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| SkyCity casino Hotel |
Light
Dinner at Starbuck Queen Street, walking distant from Sky City.
Enjoy
seeing bungee jumping at Sky Tower at the hotel and some Igloo exhibition.
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| Starbuck at Queen Street |
Great
to walk around casino at night. It was quite crowded during weekend.
Day 6
Last
day of trip to Auckland. It was Sunday, I had heavy buffet breakfast at the
hotel, Fortuna restaurant. Great food.
St
Patrick Cathedral was around 300 mtres from the hotel, where I went for Sunday
Mass . The Mass started at 11am and ended around 12 noon.
After
the church service, we tried fresh osyters at Depot near Sky City Hotel. Superb
and fresh.
Spending the rest of the day at Casino, before quick lunch at Coffee
Club for rib eye steak.
SuperShuttle
to airport was around 5.45pm and reached airport around 6.30pm.
Flight
AKL-KL on Malaysia Airlines Business Class. Great trip.
Great first timer trip to Auckland and New Zealand, A trip to familiarize with Auckland. Will come back and explore NZ more. Future, travel tips;
rent a car, travel from one destination to the next one.
use public transport,but dont fix the stay at Auckland centre.
Weather- great experience to travel during winter. (quite a peak tourist season, where hotel more pricey).
Thanks for great memories of Auckland/ North Island. Will come back for more exploration!!
Spending the rest of the day at Casino, before quick lunch at Coffee
Club for rib eye steak.
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