Heidi - Please share whatever you learn! I'm chasing the sun myself and heading to NZ in Dec/Jan (and haven't planned a thing except booking air tix). Thanks!!

Yes, yes, please--more photo tips!

Thanks,
Deb

Heidi - Please share whatever you learn! I'm chasing the sun myself and heading to NZ in Dec/Jan (and haven't planned a thing except booking air tix). Thanks!!

Hi there! I am a New Zealander and I'm SO GLAD you are traveling there because not only is it scenically beautiful but New Zealand is the land of the foodie! I have posted here before when someone asked about food magazines. I am a New Zealander and some of the best food mags in the world are published in Australia and New Zealand. When I am there I am sure to pick up copies of Cuisine, Donna Hay, Gourmet Traveller, Home and Entertaining to name just a few. Get thee to a newstand before you leave and buy! Now - as for food and travel - I was in Auckland in February and went to Molten. It was fabulous - here is the link:http://www.molten.co.nz/. For a destination recommendation I could go on and on but I will stick to one area that is both scenically beautiful AND a foodie mecca and that is Nelson/Blenheim/Abel Tasman National Park. Abel Tasman is simply gorgeous and has many gentle walks or combo walks/relaxing sea kayaking with a picnic lunch. Nelson is an artsy crafty town with some great restaurants. Blenheim is wine country - home to Cloudy Bay among others and having a winery lunch - glass of wine and New Zealand cheese platter or similar - in the garden at one of the wineries is just lovely. Also in this area is the gorgeous Queen Charlotte Walkway, one of the many multiple day walks/hikes in New Zealand. Restaurant recommendation near Nelson - Flax Restaurant in Mapua. Also sit outside at the Boatshed Cafe in Nelson for some great seafood. Enjoy!!

I can definitely recommend Prague for a visit, I spent 2 weeks there a year ago and the worst part of the vacation was leaving! The city survived WWII largely intact and has such a fantasic array of architecture, the food is fantastic and the people are great.
My favourite place is the Astronomical Clock, every hour the square is packed with tourists waiting to see the appearance of the twelve disciples.
Definitely worth a visit, even just for the clock

We took our family to New Zealand and spent 2 weeks traveling the south island as I have had a pen pal there since I was 7. We visited Christchurch which was beautiful however our favorite place was Queenstown which is very similar to Lake Tahoe. We traveled in the summer which was their winder so it was as cold as I ever want to be. Make sure your travel plans are in our the winter months. The fiordgs are beautiful to see on the west side of the island and we traveled to the south most point of the island. to cold for me but beautiful. It was the most beautiful place I have ever traveled and we were supposed to return this Oct however if worked out that my pen pals family will be arriving here Oct 2 for the month. We are looking forward to their visit and can't wait to return to New Zealand again.

I'm more curious about the Taste 3 conference. Did you just attend or were involved in its organization? The attendance fee made it practically impossible for a layman to attend and I'd love to hear more about what transpired...

Hi Heidi,

I used to live in New Zealand (for 2 years in Wellington) and have been back twice. I was just there in Feb of this year and we toured the North island and the South as well. I know Abel Tasman quite well as I hiked it 5 times. So if you need any tips or places that I can recommend, let me know! I have a few pics and posts about it on my blog as well. It is a gorgeous place.
I especially liked a cabin we rented on Ninety Mile Beach. A little Heaven run by very friendly Maori people. Anyway, let me know and enjoy! You are lucky to go! If you can, try to do a hot air balloon trip, it is unforgettable.

http://www.beaskitchen.com/blog/2006/02/26/chocolaterie-schoc-de-greytown-dans-le-wairarapa-schoc-chocolaterie-in-greytown-wairarapa/

http://www.beaskitchen.com/blog/2006/02/23/magnifique-nouvelle-zelande-marinade-pour-poisson-au-bbq-beautiful-new-zealand-marinade-for-fish-bbq/

Dear Heidi, I lived in NZ for a while (many years ago). I lived in Pukekohe and strongly encourage you to visit some of the beautiful farms and dairies in the area. The NZealanders are lovely people and most would kindly take you in for a tour if you ask. Also, you must take in a hangi (meat and vegetable cooked in the ground according to Maori tradition). There are some nice ones available in the Rotorua area, though the nicest way to celebrate a hangi is with friends!

some of my favorites in NZ:
*Flat whites! - I wish I could remember the name of the cafe in Mt Eden Village that makes a really fantastic coffee
*Galbraith's Alehouse in Auckland - real cask conditioned and bottle-conditioned ales (Benediction!)
*Verve in Parnell - a nice place to sit and have breakfast (cafe breakfast menus in Auckland seem pretty similar, but are good)
*Hawkes Bay - Provodore is a good restaurant, the walk up Te Mata Peak is a favorite
*Books by Mark Pickering- he's published several on day walks (and longer). i've been on about 10 of the walks and he's never let me down
*Tongariro National Park-- I know, its very much "beaten path," but you can see so many wildly different ecosystems in a small area
*Kauri trees
*Design-- especially fashion at the moment
*Tamarillos-- not sure when they are in season, but they are goood!

can't wait to read about some of your favorites!

I don't know if this counts as crazy, but once I saw Susan & Grace's entry on NZ, I've thought zorbing looked like a blast.

If you hit the south Island at all definitely visit Christchurch. It's a lovely town and you can get the most amazing breakfast with Hollandaise sauce at Honey Pot Cafe. Another good eats place is Cafe Valentino's.

My friends did the three day overnight hike and they loved it, although they are hardcore hikers. Definitely check on the elevation changes before going because you'll need to be prepared. NZ is a great for day hikes as well and most cities have maps you can pick up for local walks. Farmers often let hikers walk through their property as long as you stick to the trails.

The thing I loved the most about NZ is that there are so few people there. It's like California in a lot of ways, but very pristine and uncrowded. They have great produce in the Summer months.

We also had a blast in Napier on the North Island. It's a beautiful small coastal town with a huge number of restored art deco buildings. It's quite close to a number of vineyards and there are some fun wine tasting bicycle tours you can do.

I just read that article in Food & Wine this morning! I would love to know more of your photo tips, please.

Regarding Taste3: The short answer is that I work with a fabulously talented, relatively small group of people to help produce the conference. My focus is curating the speaker program and general speaker development along with my colleague Gwen McGill at Mondavi. If it sounds like the coolest job/project in the world, it pretty much is.

In regards to the price. We have been talking about a possible fellowship program of some sort so we would be able to bring some people to the conference who might not otherwise be able to afford it. We are hoping it will be an annual event, and have the dates set for next year as May 6-9.

I'll try and update the list above with any third-party write-ups or articles about the conference or anything that will provide anymore insight into the event. It was a special weekend for me, and hopefully for the others who attended as well.

I'm another kiwi too, and following up from Deborah's post above I'd add "Dish" magazine and also recommend Abel Tasman National Park as a gorgeous place to visit. Wellington is great for restaurant dining, and do check out the Moore Wilson fresh market (top quality fresh food and ingredients).

March is often a good time to visit (late summer). The kids are back in school and the weather is still nice.

No matter where you choose to go, you'll find it hard to go wrong! Do keep in mind that the weather is changeable so don't plan on a whole lot of outdoor activities without also having backup indoor plans too. Also, if you go hiking, please be a good boy scout and "be prepared".

Sing out if you'd like more suggestions or advice!

Cheers,

Judi

My husband and I got married in NZ two years ago in September and have wanted to go back since.
I highly recommend the Central Otago Wine region on the South Island for some absolutely spectacular Pinot Noir, and often hard to find in the US. Try Two Paddocks. And for beer, you've got to grab some Speight's. It's the local's brew.
We found that the local markets in Queenstown are stocked with incredible cheese-especially cheddar. And the specialty markets have wonderful fresh local fish. Cooking and eating in NZ was an opportunity we will never forget. Anyone who has the chance to visit such an outstanding country is truly lucky...enjoy!

New Zealand is pure heaven. My husband and I visited last October and haven't been the same since. We spent three weeks driving ourselves around both islands. If you can book a stay at Larnach Castle on the Otago Peninsula, just outside of Dunedin on the South Island, do it. The lodge is beautiful, and the morning breakfast will stay with you all day. You can also tour the Speights Brewery in Dunedin, as well as the Cadbury Factory.

We also loved Te Anau. We wanted to be close to Fiordland National Park - the most breathtaking place I've ever been - so we spent three nights and four days there. I recommend the Te Anau Glowworm caves if you want a tour, however we had a more magical experience with the little critters in Franz Josef. We spent two nights there, and on the first one we took a short walk to a local trail at night. Under the roots of fallen tree, some glowworms had made their home. It was like looking at the stars, but at close range.

And speaking of Franz Josef, if you can book a heli-hike, do it. You'll never forget what it's like to walk on a glacier. The Fox Glacier is only an hour away, so you have your choice. But I recommend splurging on the helicopter ride for two reasons - the view and the shortcut. The helicopter drops you off on top of the glacier, so you don't have to slag through a lot of mud to get there.

And we had the best experience with the Heritage line of hotels. Great service, beautiful rooms. The one in Christchurch gave us an upgrade to one of the suites in the Old Government Building, which was a real treat.

If you're into wine, be sure to check out the Marlborough region, where a lot of the wine in NZ is produced. There's a little shop on the corner just two blocks down from the Sky Tower in Aukland. The gentlemen who work there are very knowledgable and friendly.

We also loved Taupo, on the North Island. We had the singular experience of watching the Fellowship of the Ring on tv one night, and looking out the window of our hotel to see the actual Mount Doom in the distance.

And Cuba Street in Wellington is a blast. Lots of great restaurants, bars and coffee shops.

Sorry this is so long, but I could go on forever about it. Email me if you have any questions or want more details. I'm a librarian, so I live for that stuff!

Hiya Heidi,
Love your website. It's always inspiring. So, my name is Shana and i have recently transplanted to New Zealand (from California) as of January this year. When I was travelling, I arrived at my hostel called Pinewood in Queenstown, and liked it so much, i decided to stay. I now work at Pinewood. It's just open spaces and the travellers and staff are so nice. (www.pinewood.co.nz if you are interested.) Just a few tips, it's cold as ever right now so pack warm, for snow even. Also, you should attend a Hangi, it's a traditional Maori feast. Meat buried in the ground, lots of vegies and kumara (the southern hemisphere equivilent of the sweet potato). Also they will perform a Haka which is the Maori welcome/challenge. Rotarua is the place to go for Maori culture, although truly the friendly Maori spirit is everywhere. On your way down here to the south island, I would recommend either the Franz Josef or Fox Glacier hikes. Fun and beautiful and not too strenuous. When you arrive in Queenstown, which you just have to visit, you can quite easliy book a day or overnight cruise to Milford Sound, a beautiful fiordland. Just breathtaking. Also there is Doubtful Sound, another fiordland, even more remote. At both places you will see huge land formations jutting out of the water with dramatic slopes and valleys which were carved by the glaciers oh so long ago. There are a few vineyards just a little drive from town. So many things to do, so little time.
As sheep outnumber men about 10,000 to one, there is also lots of meat...
You will have a great time, I just know it!!
(If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask!!)
Happy Travels,
shana @ pinewood

The Chocolate Fish Cafe in Wellington was one of my favorites. (Type that into Google for a map.)

It's a very nice break during a little drive on the coastal road around the southern edge of Wellington and the view is amazing (of course all the views around there are amazing).

Added benefit--you get to watch the wait staff dodge traffic because half the tables are across the street.

You would be missing a great moment if you didnt take in a Rugby game. It seems to be the national sport of the KIWI's.

enjoyed the article, wanted to know about the migration procedure for permanant settlement in new-zealand.

Loved the article and the breathtaking photographs, simply stunning!

Hi there,
We moved over to NZ 6 months ago for a few years, and have been eating our way around the north island so far. The Wairarapa region is lovely - try the French Bistro in Martinborough for eats, or Salute in nearby Greytown. If you get a chance, try out some of the restaurants at the vineyards in the Hawkes Bay - Te Awa was fantastic, and the Black Barn bistro was also good. For something more traditional, you could try Craggy Range. There is a guide out here, the Cuisine Guide, that lists the yummiest places to eat (cheap to expensive).
If you go to Northland to see the Hundertwasser building & Bay of Islands, then the area of Keri Keri is worth a visit. There is good walking in the area, lots of green and so much good fresh food from the farms. Also there are handmade chocolates here - Makana Confections. In Northland you can also go see the Waitomo glow worm caves which are quieter than the bigger ones further south, but pretty all the same. Back in the Wairarapa, Castlepoint is nice, as is Ngawi, near Cape Palliser. There is also a seal colony down there. Closer to Wellington, there's also the Porirua markets on Saturday mornings, worth checking out. If you like Sushi, check out Midland Sushi just off Lambton Quay by Midland Park. It's a little takeaway place that my colleagues and I have become quite addicted to...
I hope you have a great time visiting - please tell us about anywhere particularly tasty you find yourselves :~)

sorry, i didn't mean to be anonymous on the post above :~)

Ditto on everything said about the South Island. Fjordland is heavenly, as is the drive through the mountains or the plains (we missed the glacier, sadly). Great, cheap food everywhere. Good beer and wine. We loved Queenstown's location and vibrancy, and we're definitely not into x-treme sports (Q-town is the self-declared capital of bungee-jumping). Christchurch is very pretty as well - but the landscape is the big star. Early April was a great time to go - not too cold, not too crowded. Except for the sheep!

Favorite NZ things: learning to eat kiwi fruit with the skin on; a hangi (traditional pit-cooked feast) in Rotorua on the North Island; spiny shellfish we don't see here in the northeast US.

I spent a semester abroad in Dunedin and because of my backpacker's budget and awful dorm food, I didn't get to eat very much good food while I was there. However, I would definitely recommend a hangi and experiencing any sort of Maori culture while you're there. The "official dessert" of NZ is Pavlova, which is a meringue-like dessert with tons of sugar. There is a strong Asian influence in NZ too, so I'd check out some ethnic foods. I've heard there are some pretty interesting game resorts if you're into hunting and eating heaps of meat.

North Island: The Bay of Islands is amazing. A sailing tour with snorkeling and kayaking is fun. Whangarei was as far north as I made it, but the beaches up there are beautiful. Also, Rotorua is a rather touristy place similar to Yellowstone. Aukland is a city like any other...nothing really noteworthy.

South Island: If you're at all the outdoorsy type, skip the north island and go directly to the south island. Dunedin is a terriffic party town and Queenstown is the adventure capital. I know you said no bungee or skydiving, but when in Rome...Also try out the luge! Kaikoura has incredible whale/sea life watching tours. There is a train that runs from Christchurch to Greymouth and through Arthur's Pass, both of which have fun stuff to do. Also, the Fox Glacier is less busy and more pristine than Franz Josef and is a great place to skydive.

Helpful notes: Cities or anything Maori that starts with a "WH" is pronounced like an "F". It would also be a good idea to carry either a waterproof jacket or an umbrella at all times (bug spray too). Unless you have a death wish or are used to driving in NY or Boston, I wouldn't rent a car. There is a ton of public, inexpensive transit throughout the country.

And if you can swing it, I'd take an extended layover in Fiji.

Have an amazing time!

These are the most interesting replies to a blog I've ever read.

Thanks to all...

Heidi,

We visited NZ this past December/January and we absolutely LOVED it! We did a 5-day hike on the South Island on the Milford track that was absolutely beautiful. We also spent time in a wonderful little town called Akaroa where we got to swim with the worlds smallest dolphin which was an exhilerating (albeit a little cold) experience! It is a very nice little town with great restaurants and shops. Definitley purchase bug repellant there as the sand flies seem to be resistant to Deet but there is a spray that a pharmacist near our hotel recomended to us that once we started using it, no more sand fly bites! The little buggers hurt. We spent over two weeks in all in New Zealand and do not feel that we even really scratched the surface. We are already planning our next trip there

What a lovely site!

We spent 10 days on the North Island in April 2004 and enjoyed just about every minute of our time. Don't hesitate to rent a car; you'll get used to driving on the left side of the road pretty easily.

I'll second the hangi recommendation - we went to the Mai Ora concert and hangi at Te Puia, the NZ Maori Arts and Crafts Institute in Rotorua, for a traditional Maori welcome ceremony, concert, and good food.

Wellington is a lovely city, and Te Papa Museum is a must. We were on a pretty tight budget, so didn't go to any really wonderful restaurants, but we found a good farmers' market near Te Papa on Sunday morning, and we had a really good bowl of noodles with fresh veggies and BBQ duck at the food court in the open-weekends-only Wellington Market.

In Auckland, we had a great lunch at the Cod Piece - take the ferry to Davenport for this place. I had some delicious grilled fish with kumara fritters, and my husband had a great Kiwi burger.

And we had the best-ever fish and chips from a takeaway shop in Stratford, near Egmont National Park!

You can see pictures and a brief trip report at http://community.webshots.com/user/ElendilPickle

Have a wonderful visit!

Lee Ann

my husband and I spent a few weeks in New Zealand in Dec 2004 and wrote about it in our blog. The specific NZ links start at
http://shahkhare.typepad.com/worldtour/2005/01/new_zealand_win.html

As far as wineries in Marlbourough, I liked Mud House and Huia. In Kaikoura, there's a wonderful little restaurant called Finz. I had a wonderful veggie dish and my husband loved the seafood. They also made a great dessert-very picture worthy, although mine didn't turn out as great as yours does, Heidi! I better go read that article now.

WOW!!! I want to go..but its so far... great blog..good to know I am not alone...

There are so many great thing in New Zealand. I spent 2 months there, backpacking on a budget. I did a lot of the stuff that you said you didn't want to do (white water rafting, caving, etc.), but that's only a small part of that amazing country. Anywhere you go make sure you get fish and chips it better and lighter than anywhere else in the world. The fish is usually caught that morning too.

In Wellington, Someone metioned Chocolate Fish, which is great (frequented by movie people, too). Also make sure you visit the Te Papa. It's the National Museum and they have some awesome exhibits. Most of it is free to the public, although they have a rotating exhibit that has an entry fee.

If you're not on a budget, I've heard amazing things about the Huka Lodge in Lake Taupo. It's supposed to have incredible food. Someone gave me a cookbook from there and while I can't even get my hands on a lot of the ingredients in it, I can still drool. It's also a hotel, but it runs in the NZ$600-$2000 range depending on the season and which room you're in. http://www.hukalodge.com/ (I stayed in youth Hostels at NZ$20 a night.)

In Rotorua, you have to go see the geysers. There are a lot of places to see them, and they all charge admission. You can also go to a Hangi, which is a traditional Maori feast. The one I went to had decent food, but you should definitely ask the people at the hotel you're staying at which one they recommend, both for food and entertainment.

Also in Auckland, in Downtown there's a tiny place called Amazing Crepes, I think. And it's wonderful. I went there every morning for breakfast. It's walking food, not sitdown food, but it's really fresh and they make homemade whipped cream and use fresh fruit. They've got savory crepes too (but I never got around to trying them).

Heidi, I absolutely LOVE this New Zealand post! You're so fortunate to have traveled there and experience the culture (and esp. the food). Though I am an Internet owner - Catalogs.com, my truest passion is food and entertaining. Before kids, I use to give elaborate and intricate dinner parties for all my friends. I still love to cook, and do it when I have the time. Now I have another wonderful source to go to for complicated recipes, other than Gourmet and the food channel!

The most-populated urban region in New Zealand, Auckland, is sadly one of the ugliest and probably the least friendly.

But they do have some excellent food available for casual dining.

There's a small chain of outlets called Fatima's who serve kinda-Turkish-but-whatever food. I *heartily* recommend the Fatima's Favourite pita wrap (I don't know what they put in there but it comes together beautifully), especially with a side of "kofta" potato balls and aioli The menu (but not much else) is online at http://www.fatimas.co.nz/

Also a mostly-Auckland, the gourmet burger joint "Burgerfuel". Don't think greasy, bland McFood. These guys serve delicious ideas in a bun like my personal favourite, the "V Twin Vege" (mushroom-kumara-chickpea-and-basil patty with melted cheddar, plum sauce, as well as salad, relish and aioli). Their website is http://www.burgerfuel.co.nz/ (although it's a bit loud on the eyes).

Thai food is pretty much great anywhere you go, but beware of Mexican food in New Zealand: it's not awful, but as an American (right?) you'll be disappointed.

I've known North Americans to get excited about NZ yoghurt for some reason. I never understood that.

Mmmm.... all this food talk is making me nostalgic. I've been living in London and it's just not easy to get good food here. Food is easily the #1 thing I miss from home.

NZ huh? Land of the Long White Cloud (my arse - it's a grey cloud, usually accompanied by a downpour).

I'm a kiwi, having relocated out of Aotearoa in preference for the EU melting pot. Dual nationality helps.

However, I'm a foodie. I miss the NZ wines and food more than I care to consider (especially here, where iceberg lettuce is a luxury item, choice doesn't exist other than as a word in the dictionary, and the wine gives you a splitting headache).

I can't recall when you're going. Try one of the wine & food festivals. Martinborough (nth island, just nth of Wellington), Marlborough (nrthnmost tip of south island) or Nelson (same-ish place). Visit www.cuisine.co.nz - they might have some advertised.

While in Wellington, eat at Logan Brown. The pre-show dinner is sufficient to sample their fine cooking, the EXQUISITE freshness of the food and a charming ambience. You'll need to book.

Also (in Wellington), go to Moore Wilsons (large market) prior to taking the cable car to the botanic gardens and FILL UP a picnic basket. From freshly squeezed orange juice (while you wait) to cheeses from all around the country to different asian veggies...to complement the freshly caught fish...you'll adore it.

Try to stop in at as many vineyards as you can: they do a lot of export from them, most of the wines aren't even SEEN on shelves in NZ. My fave: Loopline Pinot Noir, 2002.

I'm going to cry now. Praguer's may know how to live in a delightful LOOKING city, but my gourmand tastes are less turned on by the goulash/dumpling/beer combination...

Nice article but your photo caption is incorrect: "Steamy New Zealand Lava"

New Zealand has a lot of thermal areas, but lava is not a feature unless you go to White Island and thats missing the dense temperate rainforest your picture so spectacularly illustrates.

Hotpools, boiling mud, geysers all produce abundant quantities of steam of the type shown in the photograph.

Cheers
Paul (K1W1)

Please visit both islands! I'm a kiwi who has lived on both. The wildlife and scenery are so different its incredible. I'd recommend Nelson, at the top of the South Island. It's got a lot of wineries up there, a big local craft industry: jewellers, painters, potters; and some fantastic places to eat. If you love seafood you MUST try The Boatshed, the whole restaurant is built on piles above the water. Plenty to do in NZ that doesn't involve throwing yourself of bridges!

If you havent heard yet, in the middle of the north island theres a place called rotorua.. its awsome, free gardens, boiling mud pools, a big mountian with trails and different games where they ride up a gondula and fly down this cement trail in little carts. Also, Auckland city is really nice, lots of shops and just really different from the states, just on the north side of Auckland is a place called the North Shore (where my husband is from), it has some really great bays and some art small art galleries if youre into that... and i almost forgot.. visit the Aukland zoo and the Aqaruim.. really great.

Check out the Saveur magazine that came out....I think two months ago? It has a moutwatering zucchini tart on the cover and a detailed article about New Zealand and the greatness of its food. I've already made a few recipes featured in that article and wish I could try the real thing. Happy travels!

And I said....it looked like Hawaii but acutally it was all New Zealand, one of the out of this world places, too good looking to be true. In fact I once told a New Zealander that the avenue he lived on was so pretty for Mogul times, and he said "New Zealand is much more beautiful". So there we have it, straight from the books of cooks, New Zealand. Bye!

I love New Zealand!! Is like heaven!!!

As always, your photos are absolutely georgious!

I'm more excited than ever! Thanks to everyone for all the great suggestions. When I went to Amsterdam earlier this year some of your suggestions turned out to be trip highlights for me, so again thanks for taking the time to pass along the places and experiences you've enjoyed in your travels.

Hey Heidi,
The pics bring back great memories. I spent a few weeks in NZ before spending my last college semester abroad in Australia. While every other person I was traveling with decided to jump off planes and anything else they could find, I opted out and still had a fabulous time !
I was on a budget and not big into cooking and food when I was there 6 years ago, but I will tell you that you should go yo Christchurch and go up the gondola & rent a mountain bike and drive down, it's beautiful. Swimming with dolphins on the South Island in Kaikura was so much fun as well. Abel Tasman National Park is gorgeous... I also recommend the Tauronga Bay Coastal walk in Hokitika.
The Franz Josef Glacier on the South Island was a MUST DO. You will probably be in Queenstown right in time for ski season, the town has a very pretty backdrop of "The Remarkables", a mountain chain. Are you going to Australia too ? I saw you in Food & Wine !! WAS SO EXCITED FOR YOU ! I just started blogging and it's great to see accolades for fellow bloggers in reputable publications !

As a Kiwi I'm sure I can offer can offer some expert suggestions if somewhat late in the game :)

First off if you didn't say where your friend lives so I'l start at the top and work my way down.
Auckland is very Polynesian in focus. You can't beat north of Auckland for a semi-tropical good time. Don't forget to take in the Bay of Islands and Cape Reinga even if it's a bit of a tourist trap .

Central North Island is simply spectacular. The mountain plateau and desert road is fantastic even in summar. Chataeu Tongariro is a nice place to stop and you can head over to Rotorua for the hot pools tourism must-do :)

Skip the Manawatu (where I'm from) and go through the Wiararapa instead and take in Martinborough and the wines there - totally amazing if you're into Pinot Noir but all the wine is good there.

Wellington - ah Wellington. My favourite city. Just enjoy it. It's all good :) Restaurant recommendation is "Kai in the Bay"

South Island is a big place but visit the West Coast, Wanaka and Fiordland. There's too much to take in but those 3 should be top of the list.

Now for food. New Zealand is blessed with an abundance. There's no highlights. There's brilliant cafes scattered all over the country in little towns and big cities. I always remember stopping at the Brown Sugar Cafe in Taihape as I drove north.

As a Kiwi I'm sure I can offer can offer some expert suggestions if somewhat late in the game :)

First off if you didn't say where your friend lives so I'l start at the top and work my way down.
Auckland is very Polynesian in focus. You can't beat north of Auckland for a semi-tropical good time. Don't forget to take in the Bay of Islands and Cape Reinga even if it's a bit of a tourist trap .

Central North Island is simply spectacular. The mountain plateau and desert road is fantastic even in summar. Chataeu Tongariro is a nice place to stop and you can head over to Rotorua for the hot pools tourism must-do :)

Skip the Manawatu (where I'm from) and go through the Wiararapa instead and take in Martinborough and the wines there - totally amazing if you're into Pinot Noir but all the wine is good there.

Wellington - ah Wellington. My favourite city. Just enjoy it. It's all good :) Restaurant recommendation is "Kai in the Bay"

South Island is a big place but visit the West Coast, Wanaka and Fiordland. There's too much to take in but those 3 should be top of the list.

Now for food. New Zealand is blessed with an abundance. There's no highlights. There's brilliant cafes scattered all over the country in little towns and big cities. I always remember stopping at the Brown Sugar Cafe in Taihape as I drove north.

We went to NZ on our honeymoon last Ocbtober/ November.

The highlights of the trip:
One day hiking Tongariro Crossing (and the spectacular scenery is for free, you just pay for the ride to the trailhead and back!)

Abel Tasman National park (just as in pics!). You can also go kayaking in Kaiteriteri.

Plan in to visit Kaikoura - to go whale watching and the scenery is breathtaking. Plan two days as the whales may not show up on the first day or the weather may be bad - if you do not spot whales, most of the money is returned, so it is not such a big deal. Kaikoura is so so beautiful, and the pics always get people amazed.

We also hiked the glacier, but many people talked about that before... so I won't but we loved that, too.

Rotorua thermal area.

If you decide to go to Queenstown, be sure to include Wanaka, too - it is close by, but so much more peaceful. I kept pinching myself and saying - we are not in Switzerland.

I do think that you need a car to move around. My o/h (the driver) says that driving is frustrating in the cities, esp. in Wellington. On smaller roads you could go for miles and not see other cars, so even if you are not used to driving in the left, that is not a big deal - because there is no traffic.

I visited New Zealand last spring with my boyfriend - it's absolutely beautifal there!

While in Auckland, I woudl suggested going down to the peir. This a a great selection of restaurants and no "chains". We ate there a few nights and they had everything from Mexican to amazing seafood.

If you are looking for amazing scenery - visit Milford Sound on the South Island. It's about 4 hours by bus to Milford Sound from Queenstown. You can also fly into it. It's quite remote but the hiking and views are breathtaking -

I live in Atlanta and have recently returned from a year spent in New Zealand with my husband. We lived and worked in Wanaka on the South Island for 7 of the months we were there (we road tripped for the remaining months), and I highly recommend it. We picked grapes for the wine harvest at Rippon Vineyard, a boutique winery that produces Pinot Noir from the oldest vines in NZ. The scenery from the vines at Rippon competes with the vines in Burgundy, France, and it is a wonderful experience to go for a tasting, buy a bottle and a cheese platter, and look over Lake Wanaka. If you get any of the 2005 varieties you'll be enjoying something we helped pick!

Hawkes Bay is "Wine Country" and is definitely worth visiting for food and wine. I can recommend Odyssey tours (http://www.odysseynz.com/) and the area as a whole is wonderful for a foodie. Try to take in a farmer's market in Havelock North, see the local wine and olive growing industries, not to forget the huge range of local fruit. And of course, the wine! www.hawkesbaynz.com.

You have never eaten oysters until you've eaten Bluff Oysters:
http://www.bluffoysterfest.co.nz/

You've never seen Wild Food like NZ Wild Food:
http://www.wildfoods.co.nz/wildfoods/foodfest/

Please don't waste too much time in the over-populated north island. The charm is in the south, especially the west coast and the deep south.

Ah, New Zealand. By all of the posts here you can tell how much people love this country. I just visited with my husband in January on our honeymoon. We spent 24 days there and categorically refused to be cheap about food. I am very interested in hearing what you have to say about the food there. Here are my suggestions (for food) that haven't already been covered:

Akaroa: small, French town 1.5 hours outside of Christchurch. Evidently, the French attempted to colonize New Zealand but the English beat them to it. Akaroa is the remainder of the French influence. Please, please, visit C'est La Vie. Everyone will know it if you ask about it. Tiny french, adorable restaurant on the main street. The best duck l'orange ever. Seemingly non-New Zealandy, but it really is.

Marlborough: another poster suggested the area, and its wonderful. New Zealand wines, especially white wines, are very well done. A lot of the vineyards also have terrific restaurants attached. There's an awesome chocolate factory in the area we stumbled upon called Makana where you can see the chocolate being made.

Queenstown: all of the food is great. Excellent ice cream near the lake, great restaurant variety, and make sure to take the gondola up to the top of the mountain for the view (don't make the mistake of hiking up unless you're feeling really energetic).

Auckland: big, metropolitan city, huge, expected variety of food. We were very lucky to be able to stay in the SkyCity Grand Hotel, where dine by Peter Gordon is located. Excellent, expensive, beautiful restaurant.

A lot of the B&B's will offer home cooked meals as part of a package deal when you stay there - our experiences with the home cooked meals were fabulous. Generally, I thought that the B&B's were a great way to learn about the country and experience really fresh food.

I must warn you that the food prices will probably surprise you - even with the dollar - NZ dollar exchange. Because there's no tipping (or very minor tipping), the prices of the meals are much higher than in the U.S. Even for cheap foods like pizza. Its strange.

Let us know what you think!

Heidi, I don't have words to describe how excited we are to see you guys down here!. All the posts are pretty great in my opinion - NZ is an amazing place and you could spend oh say, 5 years here and not scratch the surface. (Anyone interested in moving to NZ I advise you to head to http://www.immigration.govt.nz/) I have to say after leaving SF we haven't looked back.

Since you are visiting NZ at Christmas we will be having daily BBQ's since it is summer and the season in NZ is just getting started. Kiwis LIVE for summer. Xmas would not be complete without putting some fresh caught crayfish on the BBQ. It is pretty much the same as our Lobsters from the north.

When you are in Wellington, we are going to have to take you to of course, Te Papa, and all around the hills where people live dangled off cliffs overlooking the sea. A stroll along Oriental Parade stopping to get the best gelato outside Rome at Cafe Eiss. Since you are vegetarians, it will be a bit tricky at times to get all your needs met as NZ is hugely into meat and fish. There is always one good item on a menu that will be for vegetarians. We will have to head to Maranui Cafe in Lyall Bay http://www.maranui.co.nz to have some real vegetarian offerings followed buy a light dinner and cocktails at our fave spot Matterhorn http://www.matterhorn.co.nz/. For a nice sample of the best of NZ food you can't go wrong with Logan Brown but again, lots of meat and fish but it is so good it could convert you. The seafood or "kai moana" in NZ is legendary. To top it off, we will have to have a night out with some local music.

We will def head over into wine country and eat at one of our most fave restaurants Salute in Greytown. Two words: Grilled Halloumi.

When you head down to Nelson and the Abel Tasman, you have to stay (budget allowing) at http://www.kimiora.co.nz/ where the accommodation is pretty basic but the home grown organic vegetarian dinner rivals Greens in SF. Owned by ex-pat Germans, they offer great spa treatments too. (Book it for the night you finish the Abel Tasman Walk as your reward).

My best advice for you when driving around NZ is to pack a nice picnic of local cheese and bread. The smaller towns have some pretty lackluster offerings for travelers who are vegetarian. If you get stuck you can always order a "toasted cheese sandwich" but definitely refuse the local favorite of adding canned spaghetti inside! And, the fish and chips are so amazing and fresh!

Wherever you are in NZ, ask the people in shops to recommend something. Kiwis are extremely proud of their products and landscape and are more than willing to steer you in the right direction. Also, things are not quite as obvious in NZ as elsewhere. There is lots of great stuff tucked away and off the beaten path.

I see you've already gotten tons of great advice, but I thought I'd weigh in. I only got to visit briefly during a business trip, but I had a fantastic experience.

I have to highly recommend the Ambleside bed and breakfast in Lake Taupo. The proprietors are fantastic, and cook a lovely breakfast. I would also highly recommend the Tongariro crossing, it's a fantastic variety of scenery in a one day hike. After finish the hike, and arrive back to the Ambleside to soak in their geothermally heated spa, perhaps with a nice Sauvignon Blanc that you picked up near Auckland or in Marlborough, you will be in heaven.

Have to make another vote for Christchurch. i've lived all over New Zealand and ChCh ( local abbreviation) has the best atmosphere. The Dux de Lux bar/restaraunt and microbrewery has a dark ale that Germans have called the best they've ever had (high praise I think). Sumner (a chch suburb) has some amazing small cafes well worth a look and the range of food in the central city boogles the mind. From Chch check out Akaroa (as a previous poster said) and take in a wine trail. There is a meadery about and hour outside the city that makes a mead (honey wine) considered by those who know to be one of the best in the world (Havill's mead). Hamner springs has great hot springs - or 30 minutes further into the mountains is Maruia springs hotel which offers a Japanese hot springs experience (the owners are Japanese, so it's not a bad copy). The Art centre in the weekends for arts, crafts, buskers and food, Science Alive! for a cool little hands-on science experience and if you contact me (Pagan - I work at Science ALive!) I might be able to arrange a visit to an alpaca farm if that appeals ( I own 7 myself :-).
One small word of advice - the fruit is called a "kiwi fruit" not a kiwi - a Kiwi is a small flightless rare bird, or a Native New Zealander - either way, if you say you want to buy or eat a kiwi - well...... :-)

Hi there, as an indigenous kiwi doing some online research on how travellers view Maori cuisine, I found this blog site really helpful.

Just to let all you intrepid travellers to our beautiful islands know that there are now a number of ways by which you can check out a Maori food experience other than via a Hangi (the traditional earthen cooking).

check out www.bnlh.com for their package deal under the Food and wine Tour which gives a detailed itinerary of what to expect.

If you are lucky to travel to our shores business class Air New Zealand then you'll get to have an indigenous food experience that I am told is memorable, purely because the ingredients are unique to our forests and seabed.

If you want a food tour experience I recommend the following;

Starting from the top of the North Island try www.taiamaitours.co.nz and ask for Sam Timoko who will take you on a hunter gather experience in the bush or on the sea.

If you also want an unforgettable walk experience try the Cape Brett track in the Bay of Islands (not as well known as a walk track but rated equivalent to the Heaphy Track in the South Island.)

In Auckland try www.navigatortours.co.nz
for an combination of a urban cultural experience mixed with contemporary hospitality. Excellent website to visit.

Then in the Central north island at the cultural capital Rotorua you can visit Freos Cafe (the Maori chef has his own cooking show called Kai on the Road) www.freos.co.nz or have dinner at the Millineum Hotel where the use of indigenous ingredients prepared in a contemporary style are influencing the menus.
Chris.Bell@mckhotels.co.nz

And of course if you are traveling business class than you can afford to stay at
The Treetops Lodge and Estate which has a Maori Idenignous Food Trail. www.treetops.co.nz

Then in the capital Wellington, look out for Kai in the City, where you have the opportunity to enjoy the kai (food) and local entertainment supping on indigenous wines and beers.

Its a favourite in Wellington so ask the locals where to find them just off Courtney Place or contact them on
kaiinthecity@xtra.co.nz

There are numerous other places and experiences but these are standouts. But if you are looking for ingredients try www.maorifood.com which will introduce to you to a whole new concept of ingredients.

The South island has been pretty much covered by the other bloggers.

However I suggest if you get into a Air New Zealand Koru lounge pick up the B-Guided book www.b-guided.co.nz; it's a hip magazine-part travel guide which of course I write for.

Hei manaaki ki a koutou katoa
(Blessings to all)