Volunteering in Vanuatu with ILP and you're starting to miss the mountains? Hopping over to New Zealand might just be the perfect vacation spot for you.
We have been loving all of the vacation plans that our ILP Volunteers have been putting together and decided we wanted to share the love! With it's remarkable national parks, top tier food, and hollywood hotspots, New Zealand is the perfect place to visit while you're spending your semester abroad in Vanuatu.
Wanting to experience the South Pacific like a local?
See what volunteering with ILP is all about
If New Zealand wasn't on your travel bucketlist, just wait because it's about to be. After hearing about the crazy fun adventures our volunteers have gone on, I seriously am considering a trip there. This blog post makes it so easy too because it has almost everything planned out for you. Check it out for yourself!
If you're curious about where to find New Zealand on a map, its nearest neighboring country is Australia. Despite being neighbors, these countries are still 2.5 thousand miles apart from one another. To put this into perspective, the United States is 2.8 thousand miles long (east to west).
New Zealand is rightfully known for breathtaking views of snowcapped mountains, bright blue fjords, and gorgeous hikes, and yet, that is just the beginning of what you can experience there. We'll tap more into all of that down below.
The weather in New Zealand might be a little different than what you see in Vanuatu. Remember that its warmest months are January and February, and the coldest month of the year there is July. Pack accordingly!
Once you arrive in New Zealand, you will realize that the more touristy cities can be pretty far apart. Luckily, New Zealand is aware of this and has many options for visitors to use to get from one place to the other.
Our volunteers' most recommended form of transportation between cities is flying. Not only is this the quickest option, but the airports are fairly small and easy to get through. This is definitely the best option if you have more of a time crunch during your adventure and would rather spend your time exploring than traveling from place to place.
We've been told that Air New Zealand was the easiest to work with and that the tickets were reasonable prices. You can also check out Jetstar if you're wanting to compare prices with another airline.
Taking a train or bus is also an easy form of transportation. Just remember that they take a lot longer than a flight, and the routes can sometimes be a bit niche.
You can check out these two links to see if using ground transportation works better for your visit to New Zealand.
New Zealand Railways
Hop-On Hop-Off Buses
Our ILP volunteers have found that the cities are super walkable once you are actually within the city. Thank you New Zealand! If you arrive in a city through the airport, you will have to book transportation to get to the actual city center. Luckily, Uber is a popular form of taxi in New Zealand, so make sure you have the app downloaded and you will be able to get to where you need in a jiffy.
The city of Christchurch is known for satisfying its visitors with its picture-perfect views. These include bright blue lakes, beautiful snowy mountain ranges, lovely glaciers, and an abundance of souvenir shopping. You can also check out the city view by Gondola or even visit the town's namesake, Christchurch.
Our volunteers have had pretty positive experiences staying in both hostels and Airbnbs while on vacation. I will say, Airbnb is definitely the route to go if you are wanting to stay somewhere nicer, but if you're looking to save money, hostels are the answer for you!
The City Sanctuary served our ILP volunteers well when they spent their time in Christchurch.
Here's where you can book an Airbnb.
Hostelworld is a great option if you are wanting to go the cheaper route.
Our volunteers have spent about 1.5 days in Christchurch, so most of our volunteers had to pick and choose what they spend their time doing. We always recommened using a tour when you can because it helps you have a less stressful travel experience and you usually get to see more than if you were doing it all on your own. Take a look at your options!
These two lakes are famous for their picturesque backdrops. With crystal blue waters, snow capped mountain ranges, and serene environment, you won't need long to fall for these wonderful sites.
On the tour, you won't spend too much time at these locations, but you will get to drive around and take short stops to snap some pictures.
Take note that this tour involves a lot of driving, but you will have pretty views to admire out your window the whole time! One volunteer mentioned, "we took a lot of buses, but it wasn't bad because of how pretty everything was. If I wasn’t awake, I felt like I would be missing out!"
The Mount Cook hike is the main attraction of this tour. It's one of the most popular tourist attractions in Christchurch if you're looking to immerse yourself in the scenery. Both the tour and the volunteers mention that this hike could even be considered more of a walk! This was our ILP volunteers' most memorbale experience from this town.
It is a six-mile "hike" up to glacier lake. At the top, you will find blue lakes, a new view on the stunning mountain ranges, and the vibrant colors of the plants surrounding you. Depending on the time of day and year, you may get to see this view with an addition of mist that totally adds to the aestethic. Along the way, you also may even be lucky enough to hear the cracking of the glaciers!
Close your eyes and imagine Venice, Italy. What do you see? You'd be lying if you didn't imagine the classic Italian men paddling you through the rivers that take the place roads. Okay, now would you believe me if I told you that this is the next closest thing? It's true!
Go on an hour-long boat ride down the Avon River with your very own New Zealand boat guide. We're talking long carved boats, red velvet seats, and a guide that might just talk you ear off about the history of the town. Here's a link to buy a ticket.
In Vanuatu, you will find that there are not many places to go shopping. So, once you arrive in Chistchurch, you might end up feeling like a kid in a candy store!
There's your typical toursity souvenirs here, but you also will be able to go shopping at clothing stores exactly like the ones back home in the United States. We're talking Cotton On, Zara, and Glassens, just to name a few!
You also may be wondering what type of souvenirs New Zealand is known for. I myself had the same question. Our volunteers said they adored the items made out of alpaca wool and the mini alpacas that had real alpaca wool on them. They also mentioned that New Zealand is famous for their "Manuca honey". It's pretty expensive, but our volunteers had a good time even just taking advantage of the taste tests that they stumbled upon.
Taking the gondola and tram throughout Christchurch is the perfect way to get familiar with the town and to see it from perspectives you wouldn't catch anywhere else. These are also activities you can decide to do spur-of-the-moment because tickets don't typically sell out.
The gondola ride takes you up the side of Mt. Cavendish and is a great way to relax (if you aren't scared of heights of course, haha). At the top of the mountain, you will find a little souvenir shop, short trails to take walks on, and of course the views of the bay and city. You can buy a ticket here or at the gondola site.
The tram is a little red train cart that is in service most of the day. It takes you around to all of the most touristy spots that you will want to visit in Christchurch like Riverside Market, parks, and strip malls. You can buy a ticket for this here or once you arrive at the tram station.
If you're looking for a place to eat out, you have to head over to the Riverside Market. It's basically a shopping center, but is strictly delicious restauraunts with a wide variety of food. We're talking ramen, crepes, sushi, pasta, pastries, and sandwiches just to name a few.
If you're planning to visit New Zealand, you do not want to miss this cozy little ski town. We're talking small town in Colorado meets Jackson Hole, Wyoming. This city is a real life Hallmark movie. Our volunteers said that it was filled with tourists decked out in their ski gear. So cute!
Our volunteers mentioned the city of Queenstown to be the "highlight of their trip" and I can't blame them. National parks, skiing in the mountain range that is quite literally named "The Remarkables", delicious rave-worthy food, luging down a mountain – and that's just the tip of the iceberg.
Our volunteers have had pretty positve experiences staying in both hostels and Airbnbs while on vacation. I will say, Airbnb is definitely the route to go if you are wanting to stay somewhere nicer, but if you're looking to save money, hostels are the answer for you!
Our ILP volunteers enjoyed their stay at this Airbnb when they visited New Zealand. It even comes with a hot tub!
Here's where you can book an Airbnb.
Hostelworld is a great option if you are wanting to go the cheaper route.
The city of Queenstown definitey takes the crown as the the most fun-filled place you will visit, so plan to spend around three days here – especially if you want to partake in the skiing!
With three different ski resorts to choose from, The Remarkables mountain range truly lives up to its name. Our volunteers said it was "the most fun I have ever had skiing." Have I mentioned that not only do the ski resorts make it so easy for tourists to partake in their beautful tracks, but they also have made it quite affordable.
When packing to volunteer in Vanutatu, we can almost 100% assume that nobody packed up their ski boots and poles in their luggage. Well, we'd hope not... we want to save room for the school supplies of course! No fear, because our volunteers found a super easy way to rent all of the ski supplies needed, and for a cheap price too.
There are plenty of rental shops to choose from, but our volunteers loved that The Green Toad Snowboard + Ski Shop had everything covered. We're talking jackets, snow pants, gloves, neckwarmers, helmets, skiis, boots, poles, and transportation for less than $100 for a whole day (cost of skiing not included).
P.S. If you or anyone in your group owns an Icon ski pass, it works here! If you own the pass, it's a free ski session, but if someone in your group has one, the whole group can get a deal! Iconic!
Take a scenic 5-hour drive (it'll be worth it) up to Fjordland National Park where you will eventually make it to the wonderous Milford Sound Lake. This Full Day Millford Sound experience comes HIGHLY reccomended from volunteers. They all say you "have to go!"
You can take big tour buses, but this small group experience gives you the opportunity to see views of the National Park that can't be done in a bus, such as dreamy beachfront views. The tour also includes a two-hour cruise through Milford Sound that features huge mountains, crystal clear water, waterfalls, and more. You may also get to stumble upon seals and dolphins like some of our volunteers before.
This is possible because the Millford Sound Lake actually leads out to the Tasman Sea.
Some tips from out ILP volunteers:
If you are familiar with the Alpine Slide in Park City, Utah, this is bascially the same thing. We're talking a mini rollercoaster that uses you rmomentum of gravity to race you down the side of the mountains of New Zealand.
These tracks can get you to some pretty quick speeds, especially since there are two tracks that people like to race each other down. Not only is this a great activity for a thrill seeker, but it also has the most gorgeous mountain views.
This is a very popular activity in Queenstown, so you'll find advertisements for it everywhere or you can ask any local to lead you to the right place. Here's a link to their website.
There are a few hikes that you can check out while you are here as well. These hikes are going to be more like actual hikes rather than walks we experienced in Christchurch. Our volunteers didn't do any hikes that they would recommend to future travelers, so we aren't going to pretend haha. Here's a website you can check out to see if any you want to try any of the hikes for yourself.
While spending time in Queenstown you need to be sure to save time to visit these raving restaurants. This is not the city where you want to be eating your own snacks you brought from the grocery store. There are many restaurants to choose from, but these three come highly recommended from our ILP volunteers.
If you are craving a sweet treat, this is the place to go. Our volunteers said that the ice cream and the gelato here are "the best they have ever had" despite how dramatic it sounds. You can also find "boujee" chocolate mousse cakes and make your own waffle cones! Is your mouth watering yet?
Now don't let this silly name steer you away from a delicious pizza dinner. Fat Badger Pizza is a great place to check out when you want a big meal for a good price. These pizzas are ginormous, so it's a great way to feed a whole group without spending a fortune!
This is a family owned restaurant that not only offers HUGE burgers, but also yummy treats. Attached to the burger restaurant is a bakery and ice cream shop that is also delicious. This restaurant is quite popular, especially to tourists, so depending on the time of year, you may need to account for a long wait. It'll be worth it though.
With Auckland being the capital of New Zealand, you're going to definitely notice a change in energy. This is the big city, so the adventures you go on are probably going to feel a bit different compared to the cute little village towns like Christchurch and Queenstown. But this is still New Zealand we're talking about, so the views will continue to be unbeatable.
Since this is a bigger city, there will be a lot more options for you on where you can stay. Our ILP volunteers decided to take it up a notch here and stay in a penthouse! This is the beauty of Airbnb. You can stay in the classiest of places for a pretty affordable price.
Here's a link to this classy Airbnb penthouse that definitely has the best views of the city and the ocean.
Here's where you can book an Airbnb.
Hostelworld is a great option if you are wanting to go the cheaper route.
When booking a tour, it is always smart to find one that also includes some meals. If our volunteers weren't eating from their own food stash they brought from home or at the grocery store, they were eating as part of the tours!
Our volunteers loved the meals provided on the Hobbiton tour because it was a buffet that offered lots of yummy items such as sourdough bread, fishsticks, brisket, curry, vegetables, fishsticks, potatos, drinks, and a charcuterie board filled with yummy desserts.
Auckland is filled with sights to see, views to admire, rugby games to cheer at, and even private access to Bilbo Baggins' house. Most of our volunteers only spend about a day and a half here, so they don't have as much time as they want to see everything in the city. But, they are definitely happy with what they do spend their time doing.
Yeah, you read that right. Have you ever dreamed of what it would be like to walk through the hills of hobbit holes seen in the famous Hobbit movies? Well, even if you haven't, this tour still takes the cake as one of the most "random and cute" tours that you can take while in Auckland.
Most of our volunteers were not fans of the Hobbit movies before taking this tour. They still found it so fun to be able to learn about how the movies were filmed on the actual sets that the Hobbit movies were filmed on.
In this tour you will be able to walk through the actual movie sets, through cutesy green hills decorated with hobbit holes, and walk through an actual hobbit house. If you weren't intrigued by The Hobbit before attending the Hobbiton tour, you are bound will have an appreciation for it after this "fun and pretty outing".
Cruise down the grotto river found deep inside these ancient caves of New Zealand. As you explore these caves, you will find yourself surrounded by stalactites, stalagmites, and lime columns until you eventually reach the famous glowworms. Yes, they are exactly what they sound like. Sparkling above you are thousands of bioluminescent "worms" that live on the roof of the cave.
It seriously will feel like you are in outer space! Some of our ILP volunteers toured both the Hobbit set and the glow worms on the same day with this tour.
Kayak through a part of the ocean that's filled with bioluminescence– little plankton that glow bright blue once they are touched. When the time of year is just right, these little guys will blow your mind. Boating through them will literally leave a trail of bright blue behind you. You can even stick your hand into the water and it will look like you have super powers because the water will light up.
This tour can be so magical for you to experience, but take note that timing is everything and it might not be as bright depending on the time of year you are there. If you want to learn more about this experience, here's a link to a tour our ILP volunteers tried out and loved.
If you are looking for an arena full of energy, then a rugby game in New Zealand is the place for you. Whether you're cheering on New Zealand's world-famous "Blacks" team or one of their smaller teams, the team spirit will be strong. Even if you aren't a rugby fan now, you will definitely have a new appreciation of it after seeing how passionate the Kiwis are about their national sport.
Some of our ILP volunteers attended a Chiefs vs. Blues rugby game in Hamilton, about one hour south of Auckland. While there, our volunteers mentioned that they “had really close seats to the field, and they gave us flags to wave, had fire, did the haka, etc. It was a really fun cultural experience!"
You read that right, dolphins and whales! Depending on the time of year, you might just get to feel like a marine biologist for the day as you observe these darling dolphins and whales swim around you on the Hauraki Gulf.
This tour teaches about wildlife safety and part of your ticket cost gets donated to conservation efforts held by the Hauraki Gulf Gaurdian funds. So not only are you helping make a difference, but you also get to spend time with the wildlife! Here's a link to the tour.
Want to see more about ILP?
International Language Programs sends college-age volunteers to live and teach English in Vanuatu for 3-4 months! It's such a cool way to not only see places like New Zealand, but to dive deeper into the culture and get a peek first-hand how the locals live. Come experience Vanuatu with us!