Ron LaughlinThe Ultimate New Zealand Travel Guide
So you would like to see New Zealand up close and personal?
A country where 80% of the four million residents live in cities leaving the rest of the country to travel freely. The countryside consists of 50% permanent pasture and 28% forest and woodland and a whole lot of sheep providing a multitude of fantastic sights to enjoy.
New Zealand has a sophisticated dynamic culture starting a thousand years ago with the first settlers of the ancestors of the present day Maori people. A couple of hundred years ago the European settlers arrived to carve a home from the wilderness. Mixed into the brew is the diversity of Pacific and Asian cultures. A great combination of people.
Travel writers seem to use the words stunning and awesome a lot and for good reason. For size perspective New Zealand is about the size of the US state of Colorado but with over 15,000 kilometres of coastline - more than the entire US. Any wonder it is so water oriented? Predominantly a mountainous backbone through the centre flowing out to coastal plains. It has a basic temperate climate ranging from sub-tropical climes in the Far North to Antarctic winds bringing the cold in its full glory during the winter months in the South.
A majestic land known for its untold beauty and the openess and honesty of its warm friendly people. Take in the vistas of the Southern Alps, explore the fiords, spy on penguins waddling ashore in the evening at the beach, check out lazing seals spread out along rocky shorelines or visit an Albatross colony close up.
Perhaps you will walk one of the famous tracks, bungy jump, take a jet boat ride, scuba dive, surf, climb a mountain, walk a glacier. Maybe you plan to hook into one of the trophy trout or salmon in the myriad of lakes and streams where they abound or hunt for trophy game such as the elusive tahr high in the alpine regions.
Along with the natural world New Zealand can boast some of the finest award winning wine and culinary delights anywhere in the world. Dine out on fresh Bluff oysters or world famous green-lip mussels straight from the boat in the Marlborough Sounds, or special delights such as farm raised venison or ostrich are a must as is visiting the world class wine regions for a tasting. Everywhere one can find fresh fruit and vegetables straight from the orchard and farm at roadside stands. There are no limits in mouth-watering delights discovered along the roads of New Zealand.
You may plan to do the trip backpacking and take advantage of the thousands of fine backpacker hostels available or one of the homestays
or B&B’s.
One of the most exciting ways to see the country is by camper van where you have the freedom to go where you please when you please and holiday parks abound plus Dept of Conservation camps along the way.
There are a vast amount of tours to every known site available. Nowhere in the world are there more five star rated lodges and hotels than in New Zealand for your enjoyment.
The mode of holiday you choose is available no matter how you plan to enjoy.
I am sure you have certain concepts of what you wish to do in the time allotted. But I have always noted whenever I go to a new place that I learn later I missed something I would have dearly liked to have experienced.
How many times have you been in a strange city and if you had only known the street that had what you wanted was only one street over but without local knowledge or good luck you went the opposite direction. You wonder what’s down that road but you don’t want to waste the time in case it may be nothing.
Pick up one of my recently published books listed here on the website to enjoy your traveling holiday that takes you through vast areas of the country in order to see specific areas or do specific things you go through kilometres of countryside no one mentions in the travel brochure.
In fact the bulk of the trip is taken up on the road targeting specific areas you have plans to visit. Since the major part of your holiday is on the road wouldn’t it be nice if you received local knowledge of the areas you are traveling before you go and even as you are moving along?
Everything you read before you go to a new place is usually general or written by someone who briefly passed through on assignment or has been geared toward someone who pays for their visit or advertises on their website. The information you receive at information centres target specifics. Excellent information but just not complete. No one mentions anything about the small and sometimes very interesting areas you pass through along the way during the bulk of your holiday time. How would you like to have a professional New Zealand traveler help with "local information" along the way? Be told what's over the hill and down that side road or around the corner you would otherwise miss.
You should get one of our books for the information they provide.
In my original concept I had planned to list every golf course, every B&B, picnic spot, backpackers, public conveniences and the general information. I realised early on it would be too vast to do it individually. Be aware almost every town along the way has a golf course. They are everywhere. Also each small town provides public toilets and very clean ones I must say. The B&B's and backpackers are plentiful. Same way with holiday parks that are in natural settings and provide all the amenities including internet rooms.
After years constantly on the road I have listed and provide information in the books on the many accommodations, parks, activities, events and off the beaten track information. The places I can recommend so you get the best for your holiday investment.
Hope I can be of help...............................come visit my happy place! Buy one of my travel books for the complete information.
Ron Laughlin
New Zealand Travel Guide
ronlaughlin@mail.com
Ready for 2017/18 visitors
A country where 80% of the four million residents live in cities leaving the rest of the country to travel freely. The countryside consists of 50% permanent pasture and 28% forest and woodland and a whole lot of sheep providing a multitude of fantastic sights to enjoy.
New Zealand has a sophisticated dynamic culture starting a thousand years ago with the first settlers of the ancestors of the present day Maori people. A couple of hundred years ago the European settlers arrived to carve a home from the wilderness. Mixed into the brew is the diversity of Pacific and Asian cultures. A great combination of people.
Travel writers seem to use the words stunning and awesome a lot and for good reason. For size perspective New Zealand is about the size of the US state of Colorado but with over 15,000 kilometres of coastline - more than the entire US. Any wonder it is so water oriented? Predominantly a mountainous backbone through the centre flowing out to coastal plains. It has a basic temperate climate ranging from sub-tropical climes in the Far North to Antarctic winds bringing the cold in its full glory during the winter months in the South.
A majestic land known for its untold beauty and the openess and honesty of its warm friendly people. Take in the vistas of the Southern Alps, explore the fiords, spy on penguins waddling ashore in the evening at the beach, check out lazing seals spread out along rocky shorelines or visit an Albatross colony close up.
Perhaps you will walk one of the famous tracks, bungy jump, take a jet boat ride, scuba dive, surf, climb a mountain, walk a glacier. Maybe you plan to hook into one of the trophy trout or salmon in the myriad of lakes and streams where they abound or hunt for trophy game such as the elusive tahr high in the alpine regions.
Along with the natural world New Zealand can boast some of the finest award winning wine and culinary delights anywhere in the world. Dine out on fresh Bluff oysters or world famous green-lip mussels straight from the boat in the Marlborough Sounds, or special delights such as farm raised venison or ostrich are a must as is visiting the world class wine regions for a tasting. Everywhere one can find fresh fruit and vegetables straight from the orchard and farm at roadside stands. There are no limits in mouth-watering delights discovered along the roads of New Zealand.
You may plan to do the trip backpacking and take advantage of the thousands of fine backpacker hostels available or one of the homestays
or B&B’s.
One of the most exciting ways to see the country is by camper van where you have the freedom to go where you please when you please and holiday parks abound plus Dept of Conservation camps along the way.
There are a vast amount of tours to every known site available. Nowhere in the world are there more five star rated lodges and hotels than in New Zealand for your enjoyment.
The mode of holiday you choose is available no matter how you plan to enjoy.
I am sure you have certain concepts of what you wish to do in the time allotted. But I have always noted whenever I go to a new place that I learn later I missed something I would have dearly liked to have experienced.
How many times have you been in a strange city and if you had only known the street that had what you wanted was only one street over but without local knowledge or good luck you went the opposite direction. You wonder what’s down that road but you don’t want to waste the time in case it may be nothing.
Pick up one of my recently published books listed here on the website to enjoy your traveling holiday that takes you through vast areas of the country in order to see specific areas or do specific things you go through kilometres of countryside no one mentions in the travel brochure.
In fact the bulk of the trip is taken up on the road targeting specific areas you have plans to visit. Since the major part of your holiday is on the road wouldn’t it be nice if you received local knowledge of the areas you are traveling before you go and even as you are moving along?
Everything you read before you go to a new place is usually general or written by someone who briefly passed through on assignment or has been geared toward someone who pays for their visit or advertises on their website. The information you receive at information centres target specifics. Excellent information but just not complete. No one mentions anything about the small and sometimes very interesting areas you pass through along the way during the bulk of your holiday time. How would you like to have a professional New Zealand traveler help with "local information" along the way? Be told what's over the hill and down that side road or around the corner you would otherwise miss.
You should get one of our books for the information they provide.
In my original concept I had planned to list every golf course, every B&B, picnic spot, backpackers, public conveniences and the general information. I realised early on it would be too vast to do it individually. Be aware almost every town along the way has a golf course. They are everywhere. Also each small town provides public toilets and very clean ones I must say. The B&B's and backpackers are plentiful. Same way with holiday parks that are in natural settings and provide all the amenities including internet rooms.
After years constantly on the road I have listed and provide information in the books on the many accommodations, parks, activities, events and off the beaten track information. The places I can recommend so you get the best for your holiday investment.
Hope I can be of help...............................come visit my happy place! Buy one of my travel books for the complete information.
Ron Laughlin
New Zealand Travel Guide
ronlaughlin@mail.com
Ready for 2017/18 visitors
.So what is this website all about?
I am here to help all visitors to New Zealand have the greatest travel experience of their life!
I have been seeking out special places for years not just one of those quick 30 days or less visits
that seem to qualify some as experts ! I have been 24/7-365 days a year on the road searching those
side roads to find out what's there.
Just returned from a 30 day early winter trip to see if it is worth it that time of year down south if
you are not skiing. I think you miss out not coming here in June to the South island.
What a trip we had!!!! Check out the June/July 2013 page.............
A winter excursion through New Zealand...........
Check out the information below.............
I am here to help all visitors to New Zealand have the greatest travel experience of their life!
I have been seeking out special places for years not just one of those quick 30 days or less visits
that seem to qualify some as experts ! I have been 24/7-365 days a year on the road searching those
side roads to find out what's there.
Just returned from a 30 day early winter trip to see if it is worth it that time of year down south if
you are not skiing. I think you miss out not coming here in June to the South island.
What a trip we had!!!! Check out the June/July 2013 page.............
A winter excursion through New Zealand...........
Check out the information below.............
Northwest Coast of the South Island
Contact me: my email