Je m'étais inscrite y'a quelques mois avant de partir en Inde....magnifique pays sois dit en passant🙂. Mais là je reviens avec un autre projet de voyage. Avec mon très futur et tendre nous avons programmé de partir en Nouvelle Zélande en Février 2006. Mais à part ça, nous ne savons pas où aller, quoi y faire.
Si nous savons que nous voulous y rester entre 4/5 semaines, et que nous voulons faire un stop à San Francisco ( en espérant que Andréa ne se réveille pas 😕).
L'aventure nous tente, mais nous avons du mal à choisir entre louer un camping-car ou faire un tour dans des B&B's tout au long de notre parcours!?
Au fait nous voulons faire le tour des deux îles...autant pas venir pour rien 😉!
Alors vous spécialistes du voyage, que nous conseillez vous???
Bonjour,
nous avons fait notre voyage de noces en Nouvelle Zélande pendant 4 semaines en mars 2004. Nous étions en bus et ce n'est pas pratique, donc je ne peux que vous conseiller de louer, que ce soit une voiture ou un camping car. Après ça dépend plus de comment vous percevez votre voyage (nature? tranquilité? ->camping car ou plus de villes? rencontres? -> B&B) Ce n'est pas non plus le même budget.
Pour des idées de parcours, il y a un récit et des photos sur mon site http://perso.wanadoo.fr/sophiedavit (les premirèes photos du routeburn ne marchent pas, ce sera opérationnel demain normalement)
N'hésite pas à me recontacter pour des précisions sur ce qui nous a beaucoup plu et ce qui nous a déçus!!
Sophie
Nous partons nous aussi en voyage de noce en Nouvelle Zelande en Mars 2006 pour 4 semaines ....
Option prise : camping car car liberté de mouvement, tranquilité et tarifs...
Départ le 04 mars 2006 de paris, direction Singapour avec un stop over de 36 heurs pour visiter un peu !
puis direction Auckland.
là, on passe 1/2 du temps dans l'ile du nord, traversée en Ferry puis retour sur la France le 1 avril 2006 de Christchurch sans stop over !
Pour els visites, etc, rien n'ai prévu pour le moment, je pense que l'on va determiner les endroits qui nous plaisent mais sans faire une efuille de route précise. On ne veut pas de jour1 = ville A, jour 2= ville B, ... un peu d'imprévu !
Et Toi Sophie, qu'as tu aimé, - aimé en NZ, que nous conseilles tu comme nous partons exactement à la même periode que toi, quel temps fait'il ??? qu'est ce qu tu rêve de refaire, et qu'est ce que tu changereais si tu devais y retourner ..... Es-tu allere au village maori ? on a très peur du site touristique....
Nous on est plutôt anti cote d'azur au mois d'aout, c'est vacances en décallés pour eviter le tourisme de masse ....
Et puis question subsidiaire ..... j'ai vu que tu as fais plein de rando .... perso j'aimerai en faire mais je marche pas super bien .... c'est quoi les ballades que tu as faites qui sont accessibles aux débutants ????
4 à 5 semaines, c'est bien, vous pourrez voir l'essentiel des 2 îles tout en prenant le temps de vous promener.
Je conseille plutôt location de voiture et hébergement où bon vous semble : motels (peu chers en regard de la commodité), backpackers, cabines dans les terrains de camping, chez l'habitant... Ceci revient moins cher que le camping car.
Achetez éventuellement une petite tente sur place si vous voulez vous arrêter dans les endroits plus sauvages. Le pays est super équipé pour recevoir les touristes, les campings ont tous une cuisine avec vaisselle et plaques de cuisson, micro-ondes, frigos, etc... les motels aussi bien sûr et ils sont très nombreux. A part les endroits très prisés des kiwis (Pahia, Waihi - et encore - ...), vous trouverez des disponibilités partout.
Pour l'itinéraire, vous pouvez jeter un coup d'oeil à mon site. Rajoutez la ninety miles beach et sans doute aussi Wellington.
merci beaucoup pour tes conseils, ça commence à être moins flou, mais bon, je récolte les infos et on en discute avec mon chéri!!
Je voudrais bien voir ton site, mais je pense que tu as oublier de mettre l'adresse!!
Personne ne t'a parlé des malborough sounds et du parc abel tasman.
Je crois que c'est les 2 endroits que j'ai préféré en NZ.
je conseille très vivement cet endroit, tenu pas des gens du gentillesse extraordinaire : www.hopewell.co.nz
Bonjour,
pour préciser ce que j'ai aimé/moins aimé (mais ce n'est que mon avis...) : aimé :
le parc waiotaipu près de rotorua
le tongariro crossing : paysages magnifiques, mais les gens se suivent à la queue leu leu donc il peut être intéressant de faire plutôt le nothern circuit et d'aller au départ du tongariro la veille pour démarrer le treck à 6h.
le routeburn track : superbe vue sur la hollyford valley, à couper le souffle!!
nager avec les dauphins à kaikoura, super expérience
moins aimé :
auckland (je n'aime pas les villes nouvelles comme ça)
la traversée des alpes en train (c'est cher et les paysages ne sont pas si bien que ça à mon avis, en gros c'est cher alors qu'en france on peut avoir le même type de paysages)
les glaciers (ils sont sales, en france toujours on peut en voir de plus beaux. Leur particularité en NZ est qu'ils sont près de la mer et qu'il y ade la rain forrest à côté mais pour moi c'est limité)
le kepler track : paysage moins beau que le routeburn, moins changeant. En même temps il ne faisait pas très beau
Ce que j'aurais aimé faire : une rando qui part de qq kilomètres en dessous des glaciers et qui monte à des sources chaudes
le dart rees track (si je me rapelle bien le nom ou un autre jusqte à côté qui sont très réputés mais difficiles, nous en mars comme le routeburn et le kepler étaien, t blindés, beaucoup de gens y allaient du coup les reufges étaient bondés, vu que pour celui là il n'y a pas de nombre max de personnes par jour)
L'abel tasman
Ce que j'ai trouvé nul : les bus, il n'y en a qu'un par jour et en plus ils sont lents.
Pour le temps, la nuit des fois ça a du tomber à 5-6, sinon la journée c'était plutôt 16-20 (à mon souvenir). Il y a eu de très grosses pluies, l'île du nord a été coupée en deux à cause des inondations, la route et le chemin de fer étaient bloqués, mais ça n'a duré qu'un jour.
Le pb c'est que pour les randos il faut réserver à l'avance, et opn ne peut pas prévoir le temps. Nous avons eu de la chance à Queenstown, des gens venaient d'annuler le routeburn, donc on a pu le faire, et pour le kepler on a du attendre un peu plus que prévu, et partir alors qu'il annoncaient du mauvais temps (en fait on n'a eu qu'un jour de pluie)
Voyager en camping-car › Nouvelle-Zélande · 13 replies
Je suis en train de préparer mon voyage de noces qui aura lieu en mai 2010 dans ce beau pays de Nouvelle Zélande... J'ai beaucoup parcouru sites et forums…
Je me suis enfin décidé à écrire un vieux carnet de voyage concernant notre voyage en Nouvelle Zélande en 2009. Cette idée a surgi lorsque je suis tombé sur un…
Voyager en camping-car › Nouvelle-Zélande · 6 replies
Je souhaite avoir vos avis sur un voyage en nouvelle zélande en camping car. Est ce une bonne idée de mixer hotel et voiture sur l'ile du nord et camping-car…
J'aimerais savoir ce que vaut Kiwi experience pour parcourir la Nouvelle Zélande avec ces fameux pass de bus, et avoir des retours d'expérience là dessus. J'ai…
Nous revenons d'un voyage en NZ réalisé du 22 avril au 9 mai 2018. Nous étions en couple avec notre fille de 17 ans. Voici le budget que nous avons consacré à…
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! 😎🙂
