nous finissons de préparer notre TDM car nous partons en aout 2007. Il nous reste que la NZ. Nous y serons du 19 janvier à début mars, soit 1, 5 mois. Nous arriverons à auckland et repartirons de chrischurch. Nous serons en ccar ou similaire.
Je vous envoie l'ébauche de notre carnet de route pour l'ile du nord (car je n'ai pas encore fait l'ile du sud). Nous comptons 15j au nord et le reste au sud sachant que ce n'est pas à 3 jours près. Nous voulons profiter des paysages et de qq randos.
Nous avons une fille qui aura presque 4 ans donc si vous avez des sites qui pourraient l'interresser, n'hésitez pas.
Une question: est ce mieux de faire traverser le ccar en ferry ou d'essayer de voir avec le loueur si on le laisse au nord et on reloue au sud? Avez ous des adresses pour les transfert en ferry. Le moins cher bien sur.
Je vous laisse libre choix de critiquer et d'apporter des infos ant sur le trajet, lieux à voir, campings ou sites pour dormir et rêver.
merci par avance
Auckland
Chercher hôtel (offert par cousins)
Northland (route 1)
Kawakawa (glow-worm caves)
Palhia waihaha: ( bay of islands)
- Hole in the rock
- Treaty house
- Rewa’s village
Awanui (route 10)
Te Paki (route 1F):
- Cape reinga (spirit bay)
- Ninety mile beach
2 options:
- Kaitaia- tautoro (route 12)- Waipoua forest (Waipoua kauri forest)
- Kaitaia- Rawene (ferry)- Waipoura forest (route 12)
Dagarville
Auckland (via la route 16)
Papakura (route 25)-Orere- Miranda
Coromandel
Thames
Continue sur la route 25 jusqu'à :
Coromandel town
- Rapaura watergarden
- Possible boucle jusqu’au Cap Colville
- Cathedral cove
Waihi Tauranga
Paeroa (route 2) Te Puke : kiwifruit country
Te aroha (route 26) : Mokena geyser Ngongotaha
Matamata lac rotorua
Tirau
Central plateau
(route 5)
Lac de rotorua
Rotorua :
- Ohinemutu
- Whakarewarewa
- Waimangu volcanic valley
- WaiOtapu
- Puis petite route vers Orakei korako hidden valley (cool pour se poser)
Autour de rotorua : (plus cool)
www.orakeikorako.co.nz
www.hotpools.co.nz
www.geyserland.co.nz
Lac Taupo :
- Crater of the moon
Turangi
Tongariro NP
Tongariro (route 47) : Ketetahi hot spring
Tongariro crossing : rando de 7h difficile mais incontournable
Whakapapa (route 48) : DOC
Qu’est ce que la désert road
salut, on a passé 3 semaines en NZ en c. car avec notre petit bout de 11 mois (à l'époque).
qq remarques : pour le C. car on avait un van avec 3 places à l'avant (penser à le demander), et franchement c'est bcp mieux (bcp de C. car 3/4 places ont seulement des sieges à l'arrière, et je trouve ça moins cool pour les enfants). on était passé par united NZ campervan, le 4 place à une forme moins moderne que les autres agences (voir page d'accueil de leur), mais avec le trucs des places à l'avant, c'est mieux. auckland : de mémoire je crois qu'on a dormi à Takapuna holiday park : au nord d'auckland, facile d'accès par "la rocade" d'auckland (on voulait pas s'aventurer dans auckland avec le C. car apres 22 h de vol...). Et apres tu as accès à 10 min au ferry qui travers la baie et tu peux visiter aukland à pied sans pb. North land : pas fait faute de temps, mais il semblerait que c'est super. Cormandel : super, faut faire tout le tour. on a fait plusierus stop dont cathedral coves (belle ballade), hot pool water (ou beach je sais plus)
Pour dormir en focntion de la saison, tu peux facilement faire du camping sauvage avec le C. car (nous il faisait un peu froid pour BB alors on dormait dans les campings). jamais réservé, on a juste utiliser le bouquin que te file l'agence de loc. du C. car avec tous les camping + guide des frogs.
On avait réservé le ferry depuis la France (je peux retrouvé le prix ce WE).
A wellington, on a dormi dans un Motel qui a aussi une air de C. car. pas du tout sauvage (proche de la ville, non loin de l'autoroute, zone bitumée), mais tres pratique si tu prends le Ferry de bonne heure le matin, car à 15-20min du port.
L'ile du nord est jolie, et l'ile du Sud encore plus.... c'est bien de passer plus de temps sur l'ile du sud
abel tasman : des super randos, avec un système de "bus-bateau" qui te dépose à un endroit dans le parc et tu rentre à pied. des anses et des criques magnifiques
la côete ouest, fjordland bien siur, les alpes du sud.
n'oublies pas les Catlins tout au sud, c'est super, il y a personne, des fois plus trop de routes non plus, encore plus de moutons, des sealions, du vent, la mer, c'est vraiment bien.
ottago peninsula et bank peninsula
salut à vous
merci pour toutes ces infos. Si tu as une idée des prix se sera avec plaisir. Je ferais l'ile du sud bientôt. Si vous avez d'autres infos qui vous reviennent alors n'hésitez pas;
Merci et A+
Je reviens tout juste de deux mois en NZ alors voici ce que je peux te dire sur les choses a ne pas louper sur l'ile du nord :
Northland : Cape Reinga, Ninety Mile Beach, Kairu Forest, Opononi, Bay of Island Coromandel : Hot water beach, Cathedrale Cove, Coromandel ville
Apres, vous passez par Tauranga jusqu'a Rotorua. Rotorua : Mitai village si vous voulez avoir un apercu de la culture Maori, mais malheureusement il faut s'attendre a une soiree bien touristique comme il faut avec une centaine de personnes et un guide qui met l'ambiance au micro pendant le diner...vous aurez compris que je n'ai pas trop apprecié mais le spectacle des maoris est bien fait et on apprend des choses mais bcp trop de monde et pas donné : 80 dollars par personne.
Faites egalement le Hell's Gate (20 ou 25 dollars l'entrée mais si vous prenez le Mitai Village vous pouvez y aller gratos), assez impressionnant tous ces geysers, jets de boues, fumeroles ! Taupo : zappez les craters of the moon, ca vaut vraiment pas le coup pour 5 NZD. Préférez le Hell's Gate a la place. Tongariro : Whakapapa, village de départ pour le Tongariro Crossing, en effet incontournable et peut-etre un peu difficile si vous avez un enfant. Si vous avez du temps, preferez un jour de beau temps ! Je ne sais pas ce qu'est la desert road, mais il y a la Forgotten Road (ca doit etre la meme) jusqu'a Taranaki qui vaut le coup et vous redescendez vers Wellington par la cote est.
Pour tout le reste, vous pouvez le faire, certaines choses valent le coup egalement mais en 15 jours, je vous recommande plutot de rester qques jours a certains endroits plutot que d'etre tout le temps sur la route.
Le ferry, il faut compter 120 NZD par voiture donc ca doit etre aux alentours de 150 NZD pour un van (prix en fonction de la taille). Et 40 NZD par personne. Je ne sais pas si c'est moins cher pour les enfants. Le mieux est d'opter pour la compagnie Bluecruises.
A votre dispo si vous avez d'autres questions !!! vous pouvez aussi visiter mon blog si vous voulez voir quelques photos 😉
A bientot,
Julia.
Tout d'abord merci pour ta réactivité mais je pense qu'au vu de ton blog c'est dans ta nature. Je vais étudier tout cela et lorsque j'aurais fait le sud je te solliciterais.
merci encore et bonne route. Pour le grand trek dans le parc j'aurai de quoi porter la petite.
Merci et A+
salut j'ai ressorti mes factures (ce sont des prix via une agence de voyage en France et non pas acheter en direct) :
on a pris le ferry avec Interislander
2 adultes : 2x29 €
1 c. car : 95 €
1 BB gratuit
soit 153 €
départ Well. 8h45 - arrivée picton vers 11h45 je crois.
pour le C. car : (en fait on avait booké une promo qui intégrait les vols + la loc du C. car pdt 19 jours. environ 2800 € je crois)
en arrivant à auckland la compgnie de loc, sur le contrat de loc, il y avait les prix :
19 jours répartis comme suit :
10 jrs à 105$
4 jrs à 135$
5 jrs gratuits
soit 1590 NZ$
plus rachat de franchise (je préfère au cas où) : 32 $ / jour, soit 608 NZ$
juste pour revenir à Rotorua (mm la bonne odeur de Rotorua... mais bon on ne va pas tout dévoiler), cette ville est parfois décriée comme un attrape touriste au niveau de Te Whakarewarewa et/ou Te puia (vallée géothermale + vilage Maori ; j'ai jamais vraiment réussi à savoir quel était le vrai nom, on m'avait parlé de plusieurs entrée, je n'ai trouvée que celle du site principale, mais bref ce site là).
Perso, on a juste pris un billet d'entrée (sans guide, sans resto, sans haka-dining), et on a fait le tour, et je dois dire que c'est quand même sympa... c'est clair que c'est reconstitué, et alors... si tu en es conscient c'est pas mal.
vu les réveils matinaux de notre petit bout, on était les premiers sur place de la journée, donc assez tranquille, les geysers, marre de boues, etc... sont sympas.
Par contre, il y a autour de Rotorua plein de site naturels et gratuit avec des sources d'eau chaude, des marres de boues bouillonantes.
Wai O Tapu a l'air d'avoir de jolies couleurs s'il fait beau (au sud de Rotorua), vu qu'on avait vu notre dose de geysers, qu'il pleuvait un peu, et qu'on traçait vers le sud, on a fait l'impasse.
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I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the scattered info out there and I'm struggling to organize my solo trip to French Polynesia. I'm all about snorkeling—no hiking for me—so it's all about the water, water, water... I'd love to meet whales (what's the best season?), stay with locals or in budget guesthouses (I'm pretty low-key, no worries about comfort), and most importantly, be as close to the coral reefs as possible (all day long...).
I'm retired, so I've got plenty of time...
If you can help, it would mean the world to me.
Thanks everyone! !
Hi,
I'm planning a trip to this region in November. My initial plan was Adelaide-Darwin by van, but I'm worried about those critters. I'm now considering staying in hotels instead, but for the Red Centre, camping is more practical... if we overlook those pests.
What do you think? Thanks.
Hi there,
I’m reaching out because I’m finally living my dream later this year, and I could really use your advice!
On December 26th, I’m flying to Tahiti, then Moorea, and finally Bora-Bora.
Since I’ll be staying in Bora-Bora for several days, I’d love to take a day trip to another island: either Maupiti or Tahaa-Raiatea (my top picks...).
My issue is that the schedules for getting to Tahaa and then to Raiatea don’t quite work for me. Here are the two options I’ve looked into:
**Option 1: Day trip to Tahaa-Raiatea**
- Morning departure at 7:00 AM to Tahaa from Vaitape (I’ll be staying on a motu, so I need to check if there’s a shuttle connecting the motu to Vaitape early enough).
- Arrival at 8:15 AM in Poutoru, Tahaa. Tour of the island, visit to a vanilla plantation.
- Hire a "private" boat to Raiatea around 12:00–1:00 PM.
- Tour of Raiatea.
- Departure at 4:00 PM from Uturoa (Raiatea) back to Bora-Bora.
**Option 2: Day trip to Maupiti**
- Morning departure from Bora-Bora at 8:30 AM.
- Arrival in Maupiti at 10:05 AM. Visit the island and the motus.
- Return in the evening at 4:00 PM.
My questions:
- Will I have enough time to explore Tahaa-Raiatea from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM?
- Car rental? Bike rental? For all three islands...
- Time lost during rentals?
- Distance between rental shops and the ports where I arrive?
- For Tahaa and Raiatea, should I hire a guide? Would that be better organized, meaning no car rental needed, to save time or explore the island on my own?
- Finally, what do you think of these three islands and their points of interest? Which would you choose between Maupiti and Tahaa-Raiatea?
If you can shed some light on this, I’d be so grateful!!!!!!!
I can’t wait to hear your thoughts, comments, suggestions, and advice!
Hello! We’re heading to the Marquesas in July-August and I’d love to know if it’s possible, for a fee, to do a leg of the journey on the Aranui—like from Hiva Oa to Fatu Hiva, or Nuku Hiva to Ua Pou, or even Ua Pou to Ua Huka? Sure, there are shuttles twice a week with Codim connecting these islands, but the schedules won’t be known until two months in advance, and I need to book flights and hotels much earlier than that. So, what’s the best way to handle this?
Looking forward to your replies—thanks in advance!
Elisabeth Marcel
babeth.marcel@yahoo.fr
Hi there,
I’d like to go to French Polynesia.
I found round-trip flights for 650 € with Air Caraïbes.
That seems really cheap—anyone here who can tell me about this airline if you’ve flown with them before?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Hi everyone. I’ve got a round-trip ticket to Perth for 4 weeks. Is it better to stay on the west coast the whole time?
Or should I grab a round-trip to the east coast?
Or even head over to NZ as well?
Thanks for your tips.
We’re crossing New Zealand next April and we’re wondering which to choose between exploring Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound.
The first is more well-known, famous, and popular, a UNESCO natural heritage site, while the second can be just as spectacular—bigger, harder to access, and less touristy.
Thanks for your thoughts!
I’ve blocked out 3 weeks at the end of March/beginning of April, arriving in Sydney and departing from Adelaide while following the coast.
Kangaroo Island is a bit of a question mark for me. If I go, I can dedicate 2.5 days to it. Is it worth the time and the cost? I’ve read plenty of travel journals highlighting the landscapes and wildlife, but I’m sure I’ll see plenty of that along my route anyway. I’m not factoring in the financial side (which isn’t negligible for KI), but I’d rather not be disappointed. What are the real added values of KI, especially since the island has been affected by fires? I’ve also come across people online calling it a tourist trap. For example, I ruled out Phillip Island because it felt too organized and structured. Sorry if I’m opening Pandora’s box here!
Hi! I just spent a month in New Caledonia (backpacking/tent) and I know some of you were looking for info on accommodations and itineraries, so feel free to reach out if you want me to share my little experience. Just to say—New Caledonia is AMAZING!!!
Hi there,
I just got back from two weeks in Fiji, and I noticed the forum discussions here are a bit outdated (the most recent ones are from 2017).
So feel free to ask if you'd like an update!
Hi,
I’m heading to Viti Levu, the main island, for a few days’ vacation.
I usually rent a two-wheeler to keep some independence.
On several forums, people advised against it—first because it’s not really the local culture, and also because of the road conditions and local driving habits.
But I’m a bit wary of English-language forums where the typical vacation is just airport-resort-airport with a taxi in between.
Can you confirm if it’s really that risky compared to, say, Southeast Asia? What are the alternatives? Buses, taxis?
Thanks!
I’m planning and budgeting a trip to Australia for August 2026, lasting 40 days.
Here’s the current itinerary:
Arrival at Port Macquarie Airport in New South Wales and return from Cairns Airport in Queensland.
- South West Rock
- Cap Ridge Park
- Springbrook Park
- Stradbroke Island
- Maleny
- Noosa
- Rainbow Beach
- K’Gari
- Gladstone
- Heron Island
- Airlie Beach
- Townsville
- Magnetic Island
- Cairns
- Cape Tribulation
My main issue is transport to cover all of this.
The first leg is already tricky—I haven’t found a way to rent a car in Port Macquarie and drop it off in South West Rock.
And if we keep the vehicle until Cleveland (8 days) before taking the ferry to Stradbroke Island, it’s already around 1000 €.
- Are there any systems where we could buy a vehicle in Port Macquarie and be sure it’s bought back at the end of the trip in Cairns?
- Do you know of any Australian online car rental sites?
As for trains, they’re not really an option for our stay in New South Wales.
In Queensland, I found the Queensland Rail Travel website with a Brisbane–Cairns line, but trains don’t run every day.
- Do you know of any other train companies in Queensland that connect coastal cities from Brisbane to Cairns?
For flights, I checked Queensland with Qantas, and most routes require a stopover in Brisbane, which wastes a lot of time, and the prices are still high.
Do you know of any low-cost airlines for domestic flights in Australia?
2025 is shaping up to be amazing, as I’m lucky enough to be planning a 6-week trip to Polynesia.
I wanted to buy the *Guide du Routard* (my favorite), but I discovered there isn’t one for this destination. And the *Lonely Planet* is from 2022, which I feel is already a bit outdated.
So I’m looking for other resources: in your opinion, what’s the best paper guide, and most importantly, what online resources have you used to prepare a trip to Polynesia?
My wife, our 3-year-old son, and I are planning a trip along Australia’s East Coast, leaving in early October and returning in mid-November. The plan is to do a 4-week road trip in a campervan, then settle down for about ten days.
The question I’m asking myself is: which way should we go? From Sydney to Cairns or the other way around? Despite all the documentation I’ve read, I’m still struggling to decide the best direction based on the climate at that time and swimming conditions.
Up north, the weather will be warmer, and the water too, unlike the south. However, in the north, there are swimming restrictions, especially because of jellyfish, whereas in the south, there seems to be less danger (apart from sharks, maybe). Are there many protected beaches in the north where we can swim safely?
Also, I should consider that in the south, the Great Barrier Reef no longer protects the beaches, so I imagine there are fewer calm spots for swimming?
I’d love any tips or advice you can share, and thanks in advance!
Hi there,
for a 6-month trip to Australia and NZ starting in NOVEMBER, I’d like to visit PNG and the Solomon Islands. Has anyone already explored these two countries?
How can you travel solo there—transport, accommodation, banking, safety—and what’s the best way to get there from AUS?
Thanks for any tips! Are there any French-language sites about these destinations?
Cheers,
jps
Hi there,
I’m leaving on March 4th for Australia from Réunion Island, landing in Perth, then a road trip down to Melbourne before flying out to Vietnam on April 15th.
I’d like to visit Perth and the surrounding area, then head southwest to Margaret River, Albany, Esperance, and back to Perth to catch a flight to Adelaide. From there, I’ll make my way to Melbourne.
1/ What do you think of this itinerary?
2/ For flights, are there any domestic airlines worth prioritizing for good prices?
3/ I’m planning to rent a car after exploring Perth and the area—I’m traveling solo. Any rental companies you’d recommend, as well as nice hotels, B&Bs, or hostels?
4/ Any tips, good deals, or info are welcome—don’t hesitate to share!
Thanks in advance.
I’m planning a solo trip from April 16th to June 2nd!
I have to work for 3 weeks in Papeete when I arrive in French Polynesia, so I can only explore on the weekends (3-day weekends). For my first weekend, I’ll visit Tahiti; my second weekend will be dedicated to Moorea, and the last weekend to Huahine.
After my work period, I’ll continue with my vacation and keep exploring:
Maupiti - 4 nights
Raiatea - 3 nights (including a day trip to Tahaa)
Bora Bora - 3 nights
Rangiroa - 4 nights (could do 3)
Tikehau - 2 nights (could do 3)
Fakarava - 3 nights
For activities, I’m mostly interested in discovering the islands, hiking, and observing wildlife.
I’m not a diver, but I plan to do a beginner’s dive once I’m there. I love snorkeling, though, and I’m wondering if I’m spending too much time in the Tuamotus, which are famous for diving from what I’ve seen.
For travel between the islands, I’ve already looked into the Bora Tuamotu Max pass, which seems like the best option, but I’d love advice on replacing it with one or more ferries.
What do you think? I’m struggling to finalize my itinerary.
We’ll be in Adelaide from February 24th to March 4th and we’d like to spend 3 days and 2 nights on Kangaroo Island.
Any recommendations?
We always travel with simple accommodations
Hi everyone, we're heading to Australia next month. We have 7 days to go from Adelaide to Melbourne via the Great Ocean Road. Should we visit Kangaroo Island or not? We can't decide! Thanks for your advice.
We really want to see kangaroos and koalas in their natural habitat.
Hi everyone,
I’m heading to NZ at the end of January.
It’s peak season—do you think it’s necessary to book activities in advance (like a cruise to Milford Sound), or is it not essential?
Thanks
We’ll be in New Zealand starting March 15th. We’re considering renting a car from Christchurch to Auckland. We’ve read that a lot of ferries have been canceled—is that true? Would it be better to rent one car in the South Island and another in the North Island? Thanks, and happy New Year!
Hi,
When I hear our French friends talk about them, they’re the most beautiful islands in the world.
For those of you who’ve traveled extensively, is that really the case?
Are the prices for accommodation, even basic ones, justified? Isn’t a room in a family-run guesthouse at 150/200 € a bit much?
Are there other islands in Polynesia (non-French) that are just as "paradise-like" but more affordable?
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Hi everyone,
A quick introduction. I'm 27, I live in Picardy, and I'm getting married in 2017. We'd like to spend our honeymoon in French Polynesia for 3 weeks.
I'm open to all kinds of advice!!!
I think we'll use a travel agency because our work schedules don't leave us much time to organize the trip... Unless I change my mind! ;-)
But we don’t want our trip to turn into tourist clichés—we really don’t like that. That said, we *do* want to see those postcard-perfect beaches and landscapes!
We don’t dive, but I think we’ll try a beginner’s dive, and maybe even get our Level 1 certification, depending on how it goes (I read some comments about it on this forum).
Anyway, I’m looking for any information and internet links to make this trip a success.
This is THE trip of a lifetime, and it has to be perfect!
Thanks for your help!
I’m also checking out the different threads about Polynesia on this forum ;-)
Hi everyone,
What great news to read that Voyage Forum is back up and running—I’m so happy! 🙂 I need some advice for a trip we’re planning in 2025: New Caledonia and Australia.
We’ll arrive in Australia on September 1, 2025, and the plan is to spend 2 nights in Melbourne to explore the city, then rent a car to drive from Melbourne to Sydney, where we’ll arrive on September 12. Unfortunately, we won’t have time for the Great Ocean Road
I’ve checked several blogs for this route and here’s the itinerary I’ve put together:
9/4: Melbourne to Philip Island (140 km) – 1 night
9/5: Philip Island to Wilsons Promontory National Park – 2 nights
9/7: Raymond Island (free ferry to cross a 200 m sea channel) – Lakes Entrance – 1 night
9/8: Drive to Narooma (stop at Quarry Beach) – 1 night at "Bodalla Park Forest Rest Area"
9/9: Batemans Bay – Pebbly Beach – Dolphin Point – Jervis Bay – 1 night (to be found)
9/10: Jervis Bay and surroundings – 1 night at Bendeela Picnic Area
9/11: Blue Mountains National Park (1 hour from Sydney) – 1 night (to be found)
9/12: Arrival in Sydney
I know we won’t be able to see everything, and this 9-day route is just a starting point. The goal is to avoid rushing—if we see a place we like, we’ll stop, even if it means seeing less. A vacation where we don’t watch the clock too much! 🙂
Does this route (a mix of several blogs where not all stops are noted) seem realistic or too ambitious? Are there certain spots that are more worth prioritizing over the ones I’ve listed? For example, in one of the blogs I read, travelers skipped Blue Mountains National Park because they chose another site (which I’ve forgotten 😎).
For accommodation, we’ll likely be camping (free or paid), so if you have any suggestions, I’d love to hear them! 😎
Our arrival in Sydney on September 12 depends on my hope to participate in the marathon on September 15, 2025. After that, we’ll leave Sydney on September 17 for Ayers Rock.
Thanks in advance for your tips and ideas—it’s always tricky to plan a route from a distance when time is limited.
And long live this site, which I’ve missed so much since 2020! 😎🙂
