According to aristmarketing, New Zealand (Maori: Aotearoa) is a country and archipelago in the Pacific Ocean (Oceania) consisting of the two main islands of North Island and South Island and a number of smaller islands. New Zealand has been independent from the United Kingdom since 1907. The capital of New Zealand is Wellington. A number of major cities in New Zealand are: Auckland, Christchurch, Waitakere, Manukau, Hamilton and Tauranga.
New Zealand is often known for its beautiful nature. There are glaciers, mountain areas, rainforests, rock formations, lakes, geysers and volcanoes. The coastline is characterized by beautiful sandy beaches. In the water around New Zealand you can dive excellently to coral reefs, shipwrecks and many colorful fish species. Animals that occur in New Zealand include whales, dolphins, penguins, seals and many rare bird species. Popular sports in the country are rugby, cricket and golf. According to areacodesexplorer, New Zealand is also known as an important wine and kiwi producer.
Regions of New Zealand:
The following regions are located on the North Island: Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, Manawatu-Wanganui, Northland, Taranaki, Waikato and Wellington.
The following regions are located on the South Island: Canterbury, Marlborough, Nelson, Otago, Southland (including Stewart Island), West Coast and Tasman.
New Zealand Overseas Territories:
Chatham Islands, Cook Islands, Niue, Ross Dependency and the Tokelau Islands.
Where is New Zealand?
Travel information of New Zealand
Official name: New Zealand
Continent: Oceania
Area: 270,534 km²
Capital: Wellington
Country code: NZ, NZL
Population: 4,925,477 inhabitants (2020)
Form of government: Parliamentary monarchy
Highest point: 3,754 m (Mount Cook)
Distance (Amsterdam – Wellington): 18,560 km
Flight time: approximately 22 hours
Travel advice
Current status: No special security risks.
Current color code: Green.
Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), there may be (temporary) measures in place in New Zealand that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs of New Zealand, please visit Countryaah.
Travel offer
On our travel offer page you will find an overview of reliable travel organizations that offer complete trips and holidays to New Zealand. In addition, you will find an overview of separate travel components (car rental, hotels and airline tickets) with which you can compose your ideal trip yourself.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, walking map, cycling map, book or DVD about New Zealand?
Excursions, activities and day trips
With the help of Countryaah you can reserve an excursion, activity, tour, entrance ticket and/or day trip for your stay in New Zealand at a discount. This way you are assured of a place, in some cases you can skip the queue and you can already plan your travel program.
Weather and climate
New Zealand generally has a maritime climate. The temperatures are around 20 to 25 degrees in the summer months and around 10 to 15 degrees in the winter months. In the higher elevations, temperatures are below freezing all year round.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for New Zealand can be found on our extensive weather page.
Detailed information about the climate of New Zealand can be found at Climate info.
Best time to travel
February, March, October and November are the best months to travel to New Zealand. In these months the temperatures are pleasant and you also avoid mass tourism.
Language
English and Maori are both an official language in New Zealand.
Travel documents
You must have a passport that is valid for at least 3 months upon departure from New Zealand.
A visa is not necessary if you stay in New Zealand for less than 3 months.
You must pay a departure tax of approximately USD 25 per person on departure from New Zealand.
NB! From 1 October you must have an electronic visa (eTA). This is valid for 90 days within a period of 2 years and will cost around 40 euros (including surcharge for maintenance of tourist infrastructure).
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in New Zealand: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Dutch consulates in New Zealand: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
New Zealand Embassy in the Netherlands: nzembassy.com.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
You do not need any vaccinations to visit New Zealand.
Money and Currency
In New Zealand people pay with the New Zealand dollar (NZD).
The current position of this currency (currency, currency) can be found on our exchange rate page.
An overview of all ATMs in New Zealand can be found on our ATMs page.
Price level
Prices in New Zealand are much higher than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is +12% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (6% cheaper), food (32% more expensive), imported beer in catering (50% more expensive), cigarettes (140% more expensive) and public transport (19% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Tipping
In New Zealand it is not customary to tip. In most places a service charge is automatically added to the bill.
Time difference
– New Zealand: 12 hours later (winter time), 10 hours later (summer time).
– Chatham Islands: 12 hours and 45 minutes later (winter time), 10 hours and 45 minutes later (summer time).
Summer time in New Zealand differs from that in the Netherlands.
The local times, dates, time zones and exceptions for New Zealand can be found on our time difference page.
Traffic and Route
In New Zealand you must drive on the left.
You do not need an international driver’s license to drive and/or rent a motor vehicle in New Zealand. However, an English translation may be requested.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within New Zealand.
Electricity
In New Zealand you need a travel plug.
More information about common plugs and sockets in New Zealand can be found on our electricity page.
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 111
– Fire brigade: 111
– Ambulance: 111
With a mobile phone you can also call the international numbers 112 and 911.
Tap water
Tap water is safe to drink.
News and newspapers
The latest news related to New Zealand can be found on Google news.
An overview of New Zealand’s newspapers can be found at Abyznewslinks.
Internet
New Zealand websites end in.nz.
New Zealand official websites: govt.nz and newzealand.com.
Telephony
The country code (international prefix) to call someone in New Zealand is 0064 or +64.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from New Zealand? Then use the Dutch country code 0031 or +31.
(If using a country code, omit the leading 0 of the number to be called.)
Phone numbers can be found in the New Zealand Telephone Directory.
Company details can be found in the New Zealand Yellow Pages.
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos from New Zealand.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from New Zealand.
Holidays
An overview of all public holidays in New Zealand can be found on Beleven.org.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations in New Zealand, supplemented with photos, videos and places of interest.
Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about New Zealand?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited New Zealand. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in New Zealand can be found on Protected Planet.
An overview of the world heritage sites in New Zealand can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to New Zealand? On the IATA website you will find an overview with the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol and money, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. In addition, on this website you will find the laws and regulations regarding the importation of pets and a list of everything that may not be imported and/or exported from New Zealand.
Entrepreneurship and doing business
If you intend to do business in or do business with New Zealand, it is wise to prepare well. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency can help you with this. On PaulSourcing.com you will find a large amount of information about New Zealand, including: opportunities, import and export regulations, trade figures, do’s and don’ts, business partners and subsidies.
Studying and internship
Are you considering a study, internship or gap year in New Zealand? You are by no means the only one and certainly not the first. To help you on your way, Nuffic (the Dutch organization for internationalization in education) has set up the WilWeg.nl website. On this website you will find all the information that can help you on your way, such as admission requirements, forms of education, housing, scholarship, internships, health insurance, study costs and of course experiences.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant laws and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to New Zealand.
– Alcohol: Buy from the age of 18, drink at all ages.
– Alcohol and traffic: The maximum permitted alcohol content is 0.8 (0 for novice drivers under the age of 20).
– Tobacco: Buy from the age of 18, smoking at all ages.
– Smoking ban: In public places.
– Homosexuality: Allowed
Did you know that…
…New Zealand was given the name ‘Nova Zeelandia’ by Dutch cartographers?
…The original inhabitants, the Maoris, still live in New Zealand?
…The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films were shot entirely in New Zealand?
…New Zealand is the most distant travel destination from the Netherlands?
…There are no snakes in New Zealand?
…New Zealand has the steepest street in the world (38 degrees)?
