That beautiful wedding gown has been carefully packed away and it’s time for a fabulous honeymoon – or is it? A honeymoon is NOT just wine and sunsets. Careful planning is the key, especially if it’s a New Zealand honeymoon!
The biggest mistake is squeezing in too much. Okay, I get that you want to see it all but believe me, if you follow that strategy, you’ll probably see a lot less. So here’s something for all you sweethearts to think about:
How much time do you have?
Time is crucial and even though New Zealand offers a large range of scenery,activities and honeymoon locations, hard choices need to be made. The ideal balance can be achieved between time, dates, seasons and locations.
What do you both love and want the most?
What interests to you and your partner share? Do you both have similar fitness levels? Try and achieve a good mix of different tours and activities. Let’s start with some of the biggies, like kayaking:
Real Journeys
…white & black water rafting, hiking, wine & wildlife tours (those penguins are so darn cute), Lord of the Rings. Maybe a canopy or Ziptrek tours whizzing along carefully constructed flying foxes. Have I mentioned dolphins , whales and seals? Betcha most of our honeymoon clients tick this particular box:
Please note: For a number of tours it is necessary to book ahead as the passenger numbers for nature tours are limited and short term bookings are often not possible.
What time of the year did you have in mind?
Generally New Zealand is best between October and April – this is our Spring, Summer and Autumn period – an ideal time if you’re a fan of the great outdoors. If you can only travel in New Zealand’s winter months (June-August) remember temperatures will be lower and the days shorter.
What sort of accommodation do you prefer?
The great strength of New Zealand’s accommodation options is VARIETY. It doesn’t have to be from lodge to lodge or hotel to hotel. Some of our most talked about places are tucked away in vineyards:
…private lakeside locations:
… private beaches or maybe a beautiful little villa down a quiet side street. Speaking of exclusive luxury, isn’t this blissful:
The Sounds Retreat Marlborough Sounds
How much privacy do you want?
New Zealand provides all levels of accommodation privacy. Some of our customers prefer hosts/owners to be on site or just down the road while others are perfectly happy to enjoy total solitude with just the native birdlife for company (sounds dreadful doesn’t it.) If you prefer full concierge service, then a stylish hotel will probably suit.
How do you minimise time on the road?
New Zealand may look very small when seen on a world map BUT travelling time will take longer than you think – not all roads are straight highways. Try to stay at one location for at least 2-3 nights to give yourselves time to explore and relax. And how do you do this? Easy, take a domestic flight between the North and South Island.
New Zealand is full of lasting impressions – here’s one of the cutest kind:
Little Blue Penguin – Photo by Hapuku Factory Kaikoura
