How long does it take to drive around the South Island?
The South Island is marginally larger at 840km, taking up to 14 hours in perfect driving conditions, from the ferry port of Picton to the appropriately dubbed Bluff, balancing on the bottom edge.
Can you drive from North to South Island?
Yes, you can drive from the North Island to the South Island of New Zealand by taking the ferry. There is no bridge or tunnel so the ferry is the only way to travel between the islands.
How far is it between North and South Island?
13.67 miles
How far apart are North and South Island? So what connects the North and South Islands? Nothing, but the Cook Strait separates them. At the narrowest point, there is a distance of 22km (13.67 miles).
Is New Zealand North or South Island better?
Generally speaking, if you want to engage with city culture or explore Maori history, the North Island is for you. If you want to deep-dive into nature, the South Island has plenty of lakes, mountains, fjords, and glaciers to discover.
How many days do you need to see South Island New Zealand?
14 days
The short answer is 14 days as a minimum time frame for visiting both the North Island and South Island of New Zealand.
How much does it cost to get a car across Cook Strait?
1 x sedan (includes 1 driver): $169 – $245. 1 x campervan up to 5.5m (includes 1 driver): $169 – $245. 1 x campervan 6m (includes driver): $240 – $337.
How do you get from North to South Island?
New Zealand’s most famous and beautiful ferry route is between Wellington in the North Island and Picton in the South Island. The journey between the two islands is commonly referred to as ‘crossing the Cook Strait’. The sailing time is around 3.5 hours (weather dependent).
How long does it take to cross the Cook Strait?
Cook Strait ferry services
The ferry connection runs on the route between Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, on the North Island and Picton, a city on the South Island. Together the 2 operators run 7 ferries a day with crossing times of 3 hours 10 minutes to 3 hours 30 minutes.
Which part of New Zealand is most beautiful?
10 Most Picturesque Places in New Zealand
- Bay of Islands. Photo: photo.eccles / Adobe Stock.
- The Coromandel. Another beautiful beach area on the North Island is the Coromandel Peninsula.
- Hobbiton.
- Tongariro National Park.
- Wellington.
- Mount Aspiring National Park.
- Queenstown.
- Milford Sound.
What is the best season to visit New Zealand?
summer
The best time to visit New Zealand is during the summer months of December to March. Expect long, bright, sunny days and temperatures between 61°F and 75°F. It’s an ideal time to visit the lovely beaches or enjoy the many outdoor activities available, such as hiking and mountain biking.
Is the Cook Strait rough?
Cook Strait can also be one of the world’s roughest stretches of water. It’s part of the westerly wind belt known as the Roaring Forties. As the only gap between the mountainous main islands of the country, the strait acts like a huge wind tunnel.
How long is the ferry from Wellington to South Island?
The Interislander service runs up to 3 times per day with a sailing duration of around 3 hours 10 minutes while the Bluebridge service runs up to 4 times per day with a duration from 3 hr 30 min. So that’s a combined 49 sailings on offer per week on the Wellington Picton route between the North and South Island.
Is New Zealand north or South Island better?
What food is New Zealand known for?
While you’re in New Zealand, seek out a few of the following quintessential Kiwi foods and drinks.
- Crayfish and seafood.
- New Zealand lamb.
- Hāngī – food cooked under the ground.
- Fish and chips.
- New Zealand wine, beer and other drinks.
- Kiwi summer BBQ.
- New Zealand pavlova and fruit salad.
What is the best time to go to South Island New Zealand?
The best time to visit New Zealand is during the summer months of December to March. Expect long, bright, sunny days and temperatures between 61°F and 75°F. It’s an ideal time to visit the lovely beaches or enjoy the many outdoor activities available, such as hiking and mountain biking.
Do people swim the Cook Strait?
People choose to swim Cook Strait for a number of reasons: personal, physical, psychological and simply because it “is there”. As one of the toughest and most challenging stretches of water in the world, Cook Strait presents the ultimate of tests for all swimmers.
How long does it take to drive from CHCH to Picton?
6 hours 30 minutes
6 hours 30 minutes minimum via the alternate route.
What is a typical breakfast in New Zealand?
What is a typical New Zealand breakfast? Unlike other nations who believe that they must eat a hearty breakfast to function, New Zealanders only take a light breakfast of continental food, including cereals, toast, juice, coffee, or tea. They’re also big fans of pies and can have it with any meal.
What time is dinner in NZ?
Dinner. Dinner is the main meal of the day and is eaten around 6-7 p.m. which is early compared to some countries. Dinner dishes are usually made up of potatoes (or another form of carbohydrates), vegetables, and a meat of choice. The most common dinner in New Zealand is fish and chips wrapped in newspaper.
What is the cheapest time to go to New Zealand?
High and low season in New Zealand
The shoulder seasons (Mar–May and Sept–Nov) offer good value and accommodation discounts apply. The low season (June–Oct) is the cheapest time to travel, however prices remain high at resort towns with ski fields.
Why is there no bridge between New Zealand islands?
A bridge would have to withstand a highly turbulent Cook Strait, probable earthquakes and be high enough for ships to get through (or at least able to open up). A 65km-odd bridge would be New Zealand’s biggest bridge by far.
How long does it take to drive around Stewart Island?
The North West Circuit is a challenging 125-kilometre, ten-day hike for hardier trampers and tackles some of the island’s most rugged terrain, while the Southern Circuit (which can be added to the North West Circuit to create a complete Stewart Island experience) takes six to nine days to complete.
How long is the ferry from Wellington to Picton?
3 and a half hours
Book Interislander passenger ferry tickets along with your bus travel. The 92km ferry between Wellington and Picton takes 3 and a half hours and has been described by many as “one of the most beautiful ferry rides in the world”.
What is the most popular drink in New Zealand?
Water is by far the most consumed drink in New Zealand, with water making up 27.5% of all beverages we consume (excluding alcohol), followed by coffee, tea and milk.
What is the most eaten food in New Zealand?
While you’re in New Zealand, seek out a few of the following quintessential Kiwi foods and drinks.
- Fish and chips.
- New Zealand wine, beer and other drinks.
- Kiwi summer BBQ.
- New Zealand pavlova and fruit salad.
- New Zealand lollies, chocolate and sweet treats.
- Humble New Zealand pies.
- Artisan cheese.