[JoJo76]

Just wondering where do kiwi's go on holiday outside New Zealand? Are there popular destinations like Spain for brits?

Are the Pacific Islands eg Samoa popular?
Or do many Kiwis holiday in New Zealand? We are planning on exploring our new country in between the visits home. Do most ex pats do this or have some of you ventured further afield on holiday outwith visits back to your "home" country.

[victoria24]

good question!

[Georgebulldog]

This is something I have been thinking too, I think I need to get in the mind frame that I don't need to leave the country to have a holiday. I spent ages the other day on Air New Zealand getting prices for flights, starting with Fiji, Honolulu making my way beck here as it was so expensive, ended up looking at flights within NZ which were still quite expensive:wah, just need to change my way of thinking & holidaying, I'm used to a villa with a pool, can you get that here?

[Andy-Dee]

My friend said that girlies go to Fiji for their spa retreats. FAB. I would also like to 'do' Australia as we are that end of the world.

[CJ22]

Bora Bora is within reach, iirc.

[mgbridges]

Seems that amongst some of the families at DS's school a trip to the Gold Coast in Oz is often a popular destination. There are some that go every year at the same time and to the same place to stay.

We're planning to explore NZ a bit more as there is soooo much to see.

Anneliese

[incredible hulse]

About 4.5k for a week in a 3 star self catered apartment for 2 adults, 2 under 5's in Queensland in school holidays (and then you have the weak NZD to spend) !! Most stay in NZ I think.

The islands are even more expensive

[Moorf]

Gold Coast / Noosa seem very popular with people round here for holidays abroad - beach holiday combined with the theme parks and zoos.

I can't imagine how the average Kiwi manages an overseas holiday though - just a week in their equivalent of Spain (Gold Coast) sets a family back a few thousand $$s.

Most Kiwis I know, however, have regular places they go to in NZ, often a family affair and traditional - you see them heading off with everything in the trailer... including the kitchen sink....

I still get an itch to take off abroad for a holiday but there's so much yet to see and do here in NZ that I haven't had to scratch it yet... I guess the novelty of being able to drive to somewhere like Hawkes Bay or the Coromandel hasn't worn off yet... (4 yrs on...!)

[sizzlingbadger]

Most of our friends head to the family bach. A couple of been to Oz for short stays but most tend to not have holidays at all.

Whereas we're used to having two or three mini holidays a year (not abroad though as we've never been able to afford it) in the UK.

Here it cost us the best part of $3k to have a week on the South Island, we're a family of two adults and three kids. That's flights, car hire, bach hire (staying in Queenstown was the most expensive accommodation, for 4 nights $850 :roll ) and food. Didn't do any trips out, got a free ride on the gondola for a the wedding reception :D That was all we could afford.

No point even looking at Fiji or Oz works out minimum of $5k (accommodation and flights) when we looked. So a lot of holidays and weekends we've taken on the North Island that are very reasonable. Just had a long weekend down in Chch for my daughter and I, that was expensive enough just on flights :o But then it feels like we're away as we've flown :nice1

[jubjub]

Gold coast or Fiji in my experience of what my friends have been doing, although its not a yearly event by any means, unlike the cheap weeks in spain that we are used to being able to get.

Bach holidays within NZ are also a firm favourite too, either Northland or east coast of Coromandel.

Our travels have so far have been a short trip to fiji and visit to a friend in Oz, as well as a weekend or two in rotorua....

[AndyR]

Its always been a dream to get to Fiji and I am going to save up for it! going to fiji from the uk would cost thousands but from here its much less!

[napiers]

Can't speak from personal experience as I'm in UK but in the 13 years I've known him OHs family tend to holiday in NZ. One sister and family camped in the Coromandel every Christmas/New Year time for years, esp when kids were smaller. Now they've done a 'big' family trip to Thailand but that's because the eldest is coming up to 18 and they wanted a big family holiday so saved for it! They, and other sister/cousins etc, have also been to Oz (Sydney/Newcastle) but cost of that is flight only because his parents and youngest sister live there. I think he's hoping to go to Fiji regularly when we move to NZ - but he wants to go for nostalgic reasons because he lived there for years when a teenager. I have to say I'm not so fussed and perhaps a tad more realistic financially! :roll

[hball]

We were in Fiji last month and you couldn't move for NZ families! Stayed on Denerau and when we mentioned how busy it was we were told that the hotels were booked out and that the one we were in had actually been overbooked the week before by 20 rooms!!

[Timbo]

From a purely personal point of view, we would not go to Fiji on principal. The money that is bought in by tourism usually ends up spent on the military regime.
Living on the Coromandel as we do, it certainly FEELS like half of NZ has decended on one peninsular for xmas. Haveing said that, it still doesnt feel as crowded as your average UK seaside resort on a half decent bank holiday weekend.

[JoJo76]

Thank you all for the replies.

[DMcG]

Been to Rarotonga (Cook islands), Samoa and Vanuatu so far - plus the occassional trip to the "Main Land" to see the relatives :laugh

Dougie