Je prevois de passer 15 jours en Nouvelle Zelande avec deux amies. Nous partons depuis Sydney.
Nous pensons faire un tour avec les compagnies de bus Kiwi experience ou autre. Pensez vous que ca valle la peine que lon fasse les 2 iles ou nous n'aurons pas assez de temps? Quelle ile privilegier sinon? Nous voulons en voir le plus possible et faire le plus de choses possibles...
merci pour vos conseils,
Audrey
Bonjour,
La NZ étant TRES étendue, vous n'en verrez qu'une partie en 15 jours. Partant de là, il faut faire des choix et c'est difficile... Quels sont vos centres d'intérêt en général? Et à quelle époque irez-vous?
Les paysages et les randonnées sont superbes dans les deux îles, au Nord, il y a les plages, les côtes découpées, les forêts tropicales et surtout les volcans (s'il fait beau!) et les sites volcaniques (fumerolles odorantes, geysers...). Au Sud, c'est plus montagneux et il y a surtout les fjords et les glaciers mais il y fait un peu plus frais.
Dans les deux iles, vous aurez l'occasion de voir des dauphins, peut-être des baleines, des otaries, pingouins... mais la faune est plus abondante au Sud, côté Est.
c'est encore assez frais pour moi et vous pouvez voir mon voyage sur mon post "opportunité..." j'ai donné mon avis sur ce que j'ai vu. si ca peut vous aider...
Sinon, comme dit juste au dessus, il faudrait préciser vos envies
Idem, moi je suis parti en juillet et je peux vous aidez!
En ce qui concerne les Kiwi Experience, je ne l'ai pas fait mais je trouve ça cher en comparant aux nakedbus ou encore les intercity! Pour plus d'info à ce propos, j'avais crée un sujet à ce propos sur mon blog en anglais.
Bonjour,
Merci pour votre reponse, ca me donne deja une idee plus precise des differences entre sud et nord. Il est donc bien impossible de faire les deux iles en deux semaines?
Nous y serons les deux premieres semaines de mars, donc le climat devrait etre encore clement?
Nous aimerions effectivement voir dauphins, baleines, volcans, geysers, si possible glacier, Auckland, et y faire toute sorte de sport. Nager avec les dauphins serait mon reve...
Lile du Nord me semble plus adequate, quen pensez vous?
Merci pour votre aide!!!!
Bonjour Alexi,
Merci aussi pour ta reponse. Je suis allee voir sur ton blog, et en fait il y a bien plus de compagnies de bus que je pensais.
Je suis en fait actuellement a Sydney, et dans les agences de voyage de backpack, ils mont propose que Kiwi Experience ou Magic Tour. Je pensais choisir Magic Tour car cetait moins chers...
Cependant, nous serons au moins 3. Penses-tu quil vaudrait mieux louer une voiture ou un van? Nous avons que quinze jours, du coup les voyages en bus me semblaient mieux pour nous eviter de perdre du temps a chercher notre route et tout et tout...
Quen penses tu en ce qui concerne le tour a faire : les 2 iles te semblent envisageable ou pas? Sinon ile du sud ou du nord? Comme je lai dit plus haut, nous voudrions voir baleine, dauphins (nager avec eux), volcans, si possible glaciers, le plus de choses possibles en gros...
Nous partons les deux premieres semaines de mars.
dans les agences de voyage de backpack, ils mont propose que Kiwi Experience ou Magic Tour. Je pensais choisir Magic Tour car cetait moins chers...
je me permets de répondre : je n'ai pas fait magic tour mais j'ai rencontré des gens qui l'ont fait et on s'est suivi pendant 2-3 jours en allant qui plus est dans les mêmes BBH. Apparemment c'est pas mal, ils font pas mal d'arrêts sur les coins sympas et sont plutot pros donc magic tour plutot bien!
Cependant, nous serons au moins 3. Penses-tu quil vaudrait mieux louer une voiture ou un van? Nous avons que quinze jours, du coup les voyages en bus me semblaient mieux pour nous eviter de perdre du temps a chercher notre route et tout et tout...
j'étais seul et j'ai loué une voiture. C'est vraiment pas cher pour une petite (j'avais une shirion daihatsu) en te débrouillant tu peux en avoir pour 16 NZD la journée de location en passant par le net. Vous êtes 3 donc faut prendre plus gros mais je pense que vous pouvez vous en tirer pour moins de 30 NZD par jour (ca fait 15 € mais je sais pas combien en dollar australien)
Ne t'inquiète pas pour perdre ton chemin, il y a pas assez de route pour cela : essaye de récupérer rapidement une carte des YHA : elles sont super précises et c'est impossible de se perdre avec!
Quen penses tu en ce qui concerne le tour a faire : les 2 iles te semblent envisageable ou pas? Sinon ile du sud ou du nord? Comme je lai dit plus haut, nous voudrions voir baleine, dauphins (nager avec eux), volcans, si possible glaciers, le plus de choses possibles en gros...
Nous partons les deux premieres semaines de mars.
2 semaines c'est bp trop court pour les 2 iles : tu vas devoir faire un choix entre les volcans (ile du nord) et la faune (plutot ile du sud).
dans le détail au nord : ca sera plutot volcans plus ou moins actifs, glaciers un petit peu et p-e dauphins mais on en voit peu d'après ce que je sais
au sud: baleine et dauphins, pingouins et otaries, glaciers (très touristiques) et montagnes
La question est est ce que la route vous fait peur? faire une boucle dans l'ile du sud est assez facile sans se perdre 😉 et a priori me semble plus adéquat a ce que tu enumères. Dernier point comptes pas trop nager avec les dauphins, ils sont sauvages et même si il ss'approchent des bateaux et jouent avec je ne pense pas qu'ils se laisseront approcher dans l'eau (qui sera froide)
Bonjour,
j'étais en nz en octobre et crois moi 15 jours pour 2 iles c'est impossible.
Je me suis concentré uniquement sur l'ile du sud car on me l'a conseillé et je regrette pas.Des paysages sublimes et très divers, j'ai fait le tour de l'ile seul pendant 13 jours et je t'assure que c'est très juste, j'ai parcouru près de 4000 km en minivan.
Pour l'itinéraire je vais te donner le mien qui est assez classique mais complet concernant l ile du sud.
Départ christchurch vers Methven en passant par rakaia gorges, Timaru , Lac tekapo (endroit magnifique), lac pukaki, ne pas louper le lac Ohau. Descente vers Omaru par la vallée de la rivière Waitaki et ses lacs. Je suis après passer par palmerston waikouati et dunedin pour rejoindre la pointe sud, ces villes sont sans aucuns intérêts, comme la majorité des villes de nz. Ensuite direction Invercargill par la scenic route côtière qui passe par owaka et le catlins forest park. Après direction le fjordland en passant par Riverton. Te Anau est la porte d'entrée du fjordland, vous avez le choix entre les fjords Milford Sound et le Doubftul Sound perso j'ai fait le milford, le premier départ vers 8-9 h car après c'est blindé de touristes. Ensuite direction Queenstown et son lac, après Wanaka en passant par cromwell et si motivé le poolburn reservoir. Après direction les glaciers en passant par mount aspiring park et haast beach, les deux glaciers (franz josef et fox) sont super sympas et à faire car assez différents. J'ai ensuite remonté la côte Est par Hokitika et Greymouth et je suis allé directement à Nelson par reefton. Une superbe route cotiere separe Nelson de Blenheim, elle passe par Picton.Ensuite Blenheim vers Kaikoura puis direction Hammer springs par la alpine scenic route intérieure puis retour à Christchurch. Je vous conseille au sud est de christchurch la ville de akaora super sympa ainsi que toute cette grande presqu ile.
Je pars en Nouvelle-Zélande avec mon ami, nous sommes deux étudiants de 25ans passionnés par la mer et les lieux purs de nature, je souhaiterai avoir quelques…
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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! 😎🙂
