His daughter was an air hostess and so he was planning a trip to Australia and New Zealand. I suggested he allow a week at least in the North Island and then try to get to the South Island to Christchurch or Queenstown at best.

How did I suggest he put his week together, well here are some ideas:

Nearly everyone arrives in Auckland so stay a night in the city; go to Bastion Point to see the beautiful harbour, jump on a ferry if you have more time; go to Cornwall Park or up Mt Eden to get a sense of the city and its extinct ( don’t worry) volcanos.

Then pick up a rental car, you can’t beat JUCY Rentals, for value for money, service and smiles. JUCY are very handy to Aspen Hotel a central city hotel offering good comfort on a budget.

Wr recommend:

1. a trip north

2. a trip to the central plateau

3. a trip over to Waiheke Island or drive up one of the 48 extinct volcanos in Auckland City to get a sense of the city; or drive to the West Coast for a contrast between the two coasts Auckland City sits on.

4. A trip to Nelson, drive to Kaikoura for some whale watching

5. Go to Queenstown for the magnificent scenery and if your time allows a visit to Milford Sound.

So in more detail:

Head north ( as far as your time allows) even an hour and a quarter north to Leigh gives you wonderful views of the sea and islands. You can have a swim with the fish at Goat Island.

3 hours north and you will be up in Whangarei where you can see even more beautiful scenery, Tutukaka where there are some great boat trips, or 45 minutes further on to Russell or Opua. Again there are lots of day trips on the water to see the incredibler scenery, dolphins and sea life.

Drive back to Auckland and this time head south to the Central Plateau. Here you can choose Rotorua or Taupo. Rotorua is famous for its bubbling mud pools and geysers. Maori culture abounds in Rotorua too. Taupo has the beautiful views of Ruapehu where you can ski and it famous for its trout fishing. If you are into golf a round at Wairakei is world rated.

Read other blogs in this site for Kaikoura. A blog coming up will tell you more about Queenstown and Milford Sound.

If you head North there are some stunning beaches and views. It’s Down Under’s equivalent of the Amalfi Coast, except the roads are wider. But the views will have your mouth gaping. There is a coastal road if you have got time to meander. If not head straight to the Bay of Islands, see Paihia, Kerikeri and Doubtless Bay. These three places have lots of history, activities and places to stay.

Our 5 top tips for the Upper North Island are:

1. A trip to Paihia – jump on the boat that goes backwards and forwards to Russell and see an old settlement.

2 Do the Fullers Cream trip and see the beauty of the islands.

3. In Kerikeri enjoy the steam ship up the inlet. See the old Stone House, enjoy the lushness of this area before heading half an hour north to

4. Doubtless Bay. On the way drive through Mangonui – famous for its fish and chip shop! This is a quaint historical village doted with coffee shops. Around the bend is the long and beautiful Doubtless Bay and Cooper’s Beach. Further north the Carrington Golf Course is in a splendid setting where you can enjoy a glass of wine from their winery.

5. The finale of your trip up north is to get on a bus and go to the tip of the North Island, along 90 Mile Beach and up to Cape Reinga, where the Maori believe the spirits of the dead leave. See the Pacific Ocean and Tasman Sea meet sometimes producing waves 10 metres high.

If you head North there are some stunning beaches and views. It’s Down Under’s equivalent of the Amalfi Coast, except the roads are wider. But the views will have your mouth gaping. There is a coastal road if you have got time to meander. If not head straight to the Bay of Islands, see Paihia, Kerikeri and Doubtless Bay. These three places have lots of history, activities and places to stay.

If you have a question about your trip feel free to ask us and we’ll do our best to get back to you within a day or so.

Tarlacks from Wisconsin, U.S.A….great room, perfect location,  and helpful friendly staff.

Godart/Defaud from Reunion Island, France….Friendly Reception & team, accommodation very nice. Kelly & Kieran from Sydney, Australia…..fantastic location, handy parking, great brekky served. Jess & Mark from Northern Ireland… .nice clean room, nice breakfast, great shower.

 Nicole from Matamata, NZ…..loved every minute of staying here, the people are amazing, till next time.